Help me out with a trim issue, please.

[JTrujillo86]

Hey guys. So I was driving around the other night and I realized the light under the gear shift was out...you know, the one that lights up the PRND indicators and the ETS light. Yeah, that one. I know how to get the gear shift itself off, but how to I pull the trim panel off to get to the light?

Any help on this would be great.

Thanks,
Jeremy

[JTrujillo86]

Uuhhhh....anyone?

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by JTrujillo86

Uuhhhh....anyone?

Hi Jeremy. I've never tried replacing them before but it looks like you will need to remove the center console to get at it. That plastic trim is real fragile and I don't think it is held down with clips from the top. I'd be worried about breaking any of it. However, the center console is not that difficult to remove for R&R. Where it meets the dash are access panels to each side. Pop them off you you will see the bolt. On the back part of the console the retaining bolts are located in the little compartment. The bolts/screws will be visible once that piece of rubber laying on the bottom is removed. Once console is off you should be able to see the lamp sockets under the shifter assembly. Sounds like a PITA job but it seems the safer route so no trim is broken. Good luck!

[JTrujillo86]

Thanks for your response; I appreciate it. I think I will first check the dealer and little shops around here, that way if they break something, they fix it. If it's over the top expensive, I'll wait. Its not that big of a deal right now. I may venture to fix it on my own at a later time.

Thanks again,
Jeremy

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by JTrujillo86

Thanks for your response; I appreciate it. I think I will first check the dealer and little shops around here, that way if they break something, they fix it. If it's over the top expensive, I'll wait. Its not that big of a deal right now. I may venture to fix it on my own at a later time.

Thanks again,
Jeremy

Sounds good. Sometimes it is best to leave well enough alone especially on Alero trim issues. That stuff is cheeeeeeeap.

[JTrujillo86]

Oh I know what you mean. After having my dash replaced recently, the GM techs have broken about 6 different parts while trying to fix rattles that have came up. Everytime they fix one thing, they break another...right now I'm waiting on the lever for the steering column to come in. Yeah, they broke that off too.

- Jeremy