'03 Jetta won't shift out of park in cold temps!

I have a 2003 VW Jetta and when the temperature drops below a certain point
my car will not start or when it does start it will not shift out of park!
After the temperature outside rises, the car will shift fine. It is very
weird and VW dealer in town cannot figure out the problem! HELP ME

-Yes I always have plenty of gas in the car
-Yes I am pushing the break in!
-Yes I turn the air conditioner/heater and radio all off before turning
the car off

When the car does not start, does it crank but not catch, or does it not
even crank? If it does not even crank, do you hear clicking from the
starter solenoid?

About how cold does it have to get before you start getting problems? I
solved all my cold weather problems about 15 years ago, moving from 59°
North to 37° North.

JodiC wrote:
>
> I have a 2003 VW Jetta and when the temperature drops below a certain point
> my car will not start or when it does start it will not shift out of park!
> After the temperature outside rises, the car will shift fine. It is very
> weird and VW dealer in town cannot figure out the problem! HELP ME
>
> -Yes I always have plenty of gas in the car
> -Yes I am pushing the break in!
> -Yes I turn the air conditioner/heater and radio all off before turning
> the car off

1- ignition switch
2-brake pedal switch sticking or solenoid in console sticking.

The next time you can't get out of park have someone look to see if the
brake lights are on. If they are it's in the console.

"JodiC" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
>I have a 2003 VW Jetta and when the temperature drops below a certain point
> my car will not start or when it does start it will not shift out of park!
> After the temperature outside rises, the car will shift fine. It is very
> weird and VW dealer in town cannot figure out the problem! HELP ME
>
> -Yes I always have plenty of gas in the car
> -Yes I am pushing the break in!
> -Yes I turn the air conditioner/heater and radio all off before turning
> the car off
>

"Woodchuck" > wrote in message
...
> 1- ignition switch
> 2-brake pedal switch sticking or solenoid in console sticking.
>
> The next time you can't get out of park have someone look to see if the
> brake lights are on. If they are it's in the console.

there's also a recall out there for Jetta brake lamp switches. Not sure if
it was fixed by the time the '03s came about but on my co-worker's 02 it
sure wasn't and his brake lights didn't work and the cause was the recalled
switch. he could still drive around though because he had a manual
transmission and wasn't subjected to any sort of shift lock.

In article
outautos.com>,
"JodiC" > wrote:

> I have a 2003 VW Jetta and when the temperature drops below a certain point
> my car will not start or when it does start it will not shift out of park!
> After the temperature outside rises, the car will shift fine. It is very
> weird and VW dealer in town cannot figure out the problem! HELP ME
>
> -Yes I always have plenty of gas in the car
> -Yes I am pushing the break in!
> -Yes I turn the air conditioner/heater and radio all off before turning
> the car off

Just keep calling VW roadside assistance. After they have to pay for it
to be towed a few times, they'll get it fixed right.

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