Currently Car 2002 VW golf GLS ( an automatic) will not shift out of PARK when starting! was stuck this way in 4 locations yesterday. after numerous restarts and combinations of foot on brake/ hold shift button halfway/ etc etc… managed to get home and park in driveway. Was very happy to find a report of a similar problem attributable to a faulty brake switch.

About 5 years ago had a BIG problem on a Long Drive ( 130 miles one way) where the car would not shift out of low gear. Was repaired at a VW dealership where the servuce guy told me that the problem was probably that -because of a fault or a short in the rear brake light ( had a broken plastiv cover on one brake light) the car 'THOUGHT" I was braking (when I was not) and this prevented the engine automatic transmission from functioning properly! Very weird. SO I strongly suspect that this problen with the shifting will be traced back to the same or similar flaw..( electronic/ brake light problem) Car is waiting in driveway for decision/ diagnosis/ cost of repair. Good luck.

At 5000 miles, the brake light/automatic transmission lock-out has failed and left my car stranded. It will start, but will not go into gear. I have tried to work with VW to resolve this problem for almost two weeks and nobody is helping. The dealers in my area no longer have this part in stock, they are sold out because these break so often, and the dealers outside of my area are unwilling to ship me the piece. The car is utterly useless - hamstrung by a 30 cent piece of plastic and a stamped steel circut. I think the most frustratiting thing is the fact that nobody seems to care. I won't buy a VW again and I suggest everyone else avoid them as well.