[seabiscuit]

Heya Zookers,

I've pulled apart the centre console of many a vehicle, and unfortunately, this one has me buggered! Mind you, it is very sturdy etc.

Story goes: I just bought a fandangle new FM transmitter to plug my phone into, and when I went to use it in my cigarette lighter sockets, it didn't work... buzzkill! The rearward one on the centre console has worked previously, but the one right next to gearknob hasn't worked since I bought it. I have tested power at the fuse box (which is so far under the dash I almost got lost) fuse in "CIGAR" slot was AOK (weird thing is, it turned off the radio when I pulled it out). So... next is to inspect the plugs going into the cigarette lighters themselves, in the centre console.

I started removing the screws in the centre console compartment, and the ones along the side of it too. This made the centre console section loose, other than where it is connected to the gear lever cover section, so seemed I was doing well.. Where I get stuck is removing the gear lever surround (manual). I could remove the cup holder insert in front of the gear lever, and unclip and flex out (only a smidgen) the very front of it where it is under the dash. When I removed the cup holder insert I found no cable/plug within the vicinity of the cigarette lighter next to the gear lever (Anyone have insight on this?) So the gear lever surround is somehow attached to the radio panel, and the gearbox tunnel... Perhaps with some sort of sorcery, because I cannot for the life of me, flick my wand correctly to remove it.

So my question is: How do I remove the gearlever surround?

[seabiscuit]

Job done. Answer is: Gear lever boot with chrome trim can be pulled out without removing any screws, so does the 4WD selector lever boot, and also a plastic cover that is under/around handbrake and 4WD selector. Then you can access the remaining screws to remove centre console and gear lever surround.