Wont shift out of reverse,but the shifter moves up and down freel

If it's in limp in mode it won't shift out of 2nd gear. Get the trouble codes read. The solenoid pack is a pretty common failure. But don't just throw parts at it. Get the codes first.

Sounds like the shifter is stuck in reverse or drive since it will roll.
I would set the parking brake and have someone watch the shift lever on the transmission to see if it and the shifter inside is still connected.

My personal experience is that your gear shifter has an electric actuator, allowing it to move through the gears. However, if the the voltage is NOT supplied, your gear shifter won't move...My Mercury had a fuse that wouldn't indicate it was broken until power was applied, then the shifter wouldn't move. This is a difficult circuit to find.

Need transmission repair. Sorry.

You have to locate where the park ignition switch is located. Some are on the transmission and some are in the column under the dash. It probably got moved.

Ok , so you got home , parked it and when you started it up the next day and shifted it into reverse... backed out... and went to shift into drive , it stayed in reverse ?
Have you checked to see that the cable has not disjoined itself from the shifter to the trans.?
Are you able to engage Park?

It sounds like the lever from the gear shifter has come loose. I would first look at the shifter from under the car. You can also remove the boot (or console) from inside the car and check the linlage. Most linkage is held on by a small clip or cotter pin and somethime they don't stay in place anad the linkage slides off the arm..

There is a little button in front of the shifter. I pushed on this while moving the shifter back and forth. It immediately went down and I was able to put he car in park and then pulled out the key.

99 passat wont shift into reverse from park...locked up

First thing just try to push or pull the 4x4 lever if you get it to move and it feels like it went into some gear try to drive the truck.If this works look on the shifter for the 4x4 and put it in 2 wheel drive (H2 is two wheel drive,H4 is 4x4 high,and L4 is 4x4 low range).Make sure you have the clutch depresed when you try to move the 4x4 lever.If you try this stuff with no fix try and look for clutch adjustment on the transmision you may need to adjust it or your clutch is bad.