Last year I had to pay $570 at Clear Lake Volkswagen to have a small part replaced that keeps me from shifting out of PARK. I felt totally hosed, but what could I do. I was over a barrel. Now the same problem has happened again. This time, I had time to fool with it myself. I got into it and found the brake light switch plunger was stuck, and that same switch is what unlocks the transmission when you step on the brake. I pulled the plunger out with my fingers, and put some grease on it. It starting working just fine again, as did the shifter lock out. I feel I dodged a $570 bullet this time, and wanted to share this with the world. Those dealerships will screw you in a New York minute! Kinda puts a different light on "Grease Up" doesn't it. Oh and yes I have the receipt, but it is so vague. The so-called defective electro magnet was nearly $200 and the rest was labor. Over three hundred dollars labor, accomplished in about an hour, and I doubt now that they did anything more than I did. By the way, had the brake light switch been unrepairable, you can get one on Ebay for eleven bucks.
- posted
18 years ago