Transmission going into R when shifting into 1st

[uberdot]

Having an issue with shifting the car today. Seems like all my gears have shifted over to the right slightly and the car goes into reverse where first should be, without pushing down on the shifter even. Wants to stay in reverse once the behavior happens.

I’ve done the Jim Royston from Dieselgeek shifter alignment about 20 times in a row and checked the linkage bushings (they’re tight) and tightened the 13mm bolt on the shifter under the hood. No difference made, just getting worse. The shifter itself looks normal and everything is nice and tight there too.

It’s dangerous driving like this because people at red lights behind me think I’m toying with them (being in a GTI doesn’t help) and I’ve had several provocations just from one day of driving like this with my kid in the car.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[jay745]

It's probably the first gear bushing in your shift tower underneath the boot. They're known to deterioate

 

[uberdot]

Do you have to get the entire console out to get to them? I’ve had an entire set of bushings go on an older VW and the console of course was just 2 screws, yet even in their deteriorated state the car never missed gears or shifted bad; just sloppy

 

[jay745]

Yeah you have to remove it. It's not that bad, more intimidating than anything

 

[uberdot]

Guess I better pick up some zipties