Adjusting selector lever cable — VW
Adjusting selector lever cable on VW: 7 steps, 4 torque figures, engines BWS, BYD, CBRA, CDLA. What to remove, what to tighten and to how many Nm, what to.
Selector lever cable adjustment on automatic gearboxes across the platform codes 3C2, 357 and 5N1, for engines including BWS, BYD, CBRA and the CDL family. The cable is set at the gearbox end with both the selector lever and the gearbox in P. The air filter housing comes off for access, the clamping bolt for the cable is loosened, and the selector knob is gently rocked without leaving P so the cable settles. The selector shaft lever on the gearbox is then pushed back into P and the bolt tightened to 15 Nm. Confirming the parking lock is really engaged is the step that matters: with the car raised, the two front wheels should not turn together in the same direction.
🧭 Before you start
Put the selector lever in P and remove the air filter housing. Loosen the cable bolt, rock the selector knob gently without shifting out of P, then set the selector shaft lever on the gearbox to P by pushing it backwards. Tighten the bolt to 15 Nm, check that the parking lock is engaged and refit the air filter housing.
Fits: VW Passat B6 (3C, 2005–2010), VW Passat CC (357, 2008–2012), VW Tiguan I (5N, 2007–2016)
Don't miss
- Never shift out of P while rocking the selector knob.
- Push the selector shaft lever on the gearbox backwards to reach P.
- Check the parking lock: raised, both front wheels must not turn together in the same direction.
- Tighten the cable bolt to 15 Nm.
- As general practice, check every selector position and engine start in P and N afterwards.
Written for this job from the workshop steps below · TorqFix editorial.
🔩 Torque settings
Values can differ between engine variants — check the code stamped on your block.
| Torque | Fastener / step |
|---|---|
| 13 Nm (9.6 lb-ft) | Tighten adjusting screw |
| 13 Nm (9.6 lb-ft) | Tighten adjusting screw (arrow) |
| 13 Nm (9.6 lb-ft) | Tighten bolt (2) |
| 15 Nm (11 lb-ft) | Tighten bolt (2) |
ℹ️ Always cross-check the exact figure against your vehicle's factory manual before final tightening — a wrong torque can damage the engine. These values are extracted from workshop data and may not cover every variant or revision.
📋 Procedure
- Move selector lever to "“P”" position.
- Remove air filter housing:
- Loosen bolt (2) for cable (1).
- Gently push knob of selector lever forwards and backwards but under no circumstances must you shift out of "“P”".
- Set selector shaft lever (3) to "“P”" on gearbox (push lever backwards). [Note: To be sure that the gearbox is in "“P”" (parking lock engaged), raise vehicle. It should not be possible to turn both front wheels together in the same direction.]
- Tighten bolt (2) to 15 Nm. — 15 Nm (11 lb-ft)
- Install air filter housing:
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Who makes these pages, and how
TorqFix was built by a mechanic — after a 2,700 km drive with five roadside repairs that no diagnostic tool could explain.
The figures on this page come from manufacturer workshop documentation and are shown as they are. The page is assembled automatically from that data — it is not written by an AI. The AI works in the chat, where it answers for your specific car. It writes nothing here.
Variants of the same model differ. Cross-check torque against the factory manual for your engine before final tightening.
Seen a figure that does not match your manual? Write to us — we correct it and note when. support@torqfix.com
The story behind TorqFix →Workshop data on this page last updated 20 Sep 2026.