2002 Volkswagen Eurovan Malfunction Indicator Lamp came on

Along with the indicator lamp coming on and remaining on, the transmission selector lever positions indicator appear bright against a dark background at the same time. My book tells me there is a malfunction in the transmission and the transmission has gone into the "Auxiliary Mode".

Question - is it possible that these two problems could be related?

What is the fix for these problems?

Will I be able to preform the work myself or does it require a specialist?

If so, how much should I expect to pay?

I thank you.

GBC