Loose Shifter Bolts

[Eric Lipper]

My shifter on AK2003 was loose and there was no way to remove the boot to reach the bolts. The trans boot and the brake boot were both riveted from the bottom.  On the MKIV if you remove the seats, the seat belt reels, the seat belt anchors and ten sheetmetal screws the transmission tunnel comes right out provided you have the shifter in 1st, 3rd or reverse.  Once you tighten the shifter bolts then reverse the installation and celebrate.  In truth as frustrating as this seems it only took an hour.

[westcott]

The shifter boot upper edge sewed together like a small pipe. Inside that pipe there is a cord keeping it tight around the shifter lever. You can cut the cord at the front position on the upper sewed area and strip it over the shifter.
If the upper opening is still too small cut the seam in the upper area, it is no problem to sew it together again with little effort and invisible🙂