* Park your car on a level surface and turn off the engine.
* Open the hood of your car.
* Locate the shift linkage. It is located on the left side of the engine compartment.
* Insert the pry bar between the shift linkage and the transmission bracket.
* Gently pry the shift linkage away from the transmission bracket until the linkage is completely disengaged.
* Measure the distance between the center of the shift linkage ball and the center of the transmission bracket hole. This is the length of the shift linkage.
The shift linkage on a Volkswagen Jetta looks like a long metal rod with a ball on one end. The ball connects to the transmission, and the other end of the rod connects to the shifter.
