I have a 1997 Audi A4 1.8T only about 73,3XX miles on it.

I have a question that has stumped more than one car person. It was torn apart for ages and I got it for free since it was going to be scrapped. Took me while to get the dash back together and it running.

Once I did I had it driving and took it out for a spin, to move the shifter took some effort (wasn't impossible but was harder than usual) found out about two miles in my heater core was broken with the abundance of antifreeze flowing into my car. I pulled over to examine it.

When I started it back up it shifted hard out of park and then nothing. So I shut it off to take a look at the cable. It wouldn't start after that (clearly it wasn't registering it being in Park or Neutral) eventually I got it to think it was in neutral and it would start but wouldn't shift into park. If i shifted it to drive or reverse nothing would happen either.

I would like to think my transmission isn't shot and some how something got screwed up with the wiring from the antifreeze but I have no idea. Before I buy a new transmission for this I'm hoping it is just something dumb like a fuse. I need all the help I can get!

Anything is appreciated!!!