Dealers may not have these parts-I had an old one and made a new metal
contact to fit into the square plastic piece you are missing.  The quick fix
is to go to a junkyard. Find a VW car with auto tranny and remove the shift
lever cover. Carefully pry out the square doodad from the lever. Also take a
minute to unscrew the white plastic contact plate with all of the wires-
this is the safety interlock (was yours perhaps bypassed?). Hey, get some
holders for the tiny bulbs as well.
Easy, no?.  Now find 2 more VW's heading for the crusher and rescue some
parts.  Save them for the future, or someone else in need. Pmail if you need
help. George In Grand Rapids  '87 Van 0'White

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Stewart [mailto:fonman4277@EARTHLINK.NET]
Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2003 1:25 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Attention Auto Trans Owners!

Hello Folks,
      I need a favor from someone familiar with the automatic trans. Last
Sunday when leaving Everybus, my '84 wouldn't start. Turn the key and got
warning lights, but starter would not engage. It finally started, and
through several restarts that day it was fine. Now that's it's home, it
won't start again, same symptoms. Got out the Bentley, and on page 37.2 it
shows the neutral/park/backup light contact bridge, and the
neutral/park/backup light contact plate, which has contacts facing toward
the shift lever. Now, on my shift lever I have only a square hole, no
contact bridge as pictured. I am assuming it fell out, and if so it must
have disintegrated, cause I can't find it anywhere. Could someone verify I
am on the right track here, I am pretty sure that I am. Now, if I need this
part, anyone know where I can find it? Bus Depot? Dealer(last resort)?
Thanks!    Jeff