Hello again, would anyone be able to tell me if there is any positional adjustment on the control panel housing, as it looks like at some point it has been accessed for whatever reason and the centre console does not sit true to the gear shifter which in turn puts the wooden trim panel out, exposing the cut outs when the black bezel is fitted. I don't think it would have come out of the factory like that, i would just like to re-position it. Many thanks. Anthony

 

Hi Ant, picture(s) would be very helpful. May I assume that center console means the wood surrounding the gear shift bezel and gear shift cutouts?

The gear shifter gate, and surrounding shift display (P R D 1 2 3) are pretty hard to remove. Guess I'm talking myself out of the possibility that this is what you refer to.

Can't really picture your situation. The surround that frames the shifter gate is held in place with a tab near each long edge of the corners. This tab grasps a 3 inch long thin metal bracket that screws into the wood surround.
Confusing part is, this black plastic surround Can't be misplaced. The (made up numbers for illustration) 3 inch by 5 inch perimeter of the shift gate sits right in the 3 by 5 inch hole in the center of the surround.

Ant, are you suggesting that the entire console that sits on the transmission tunnel has been reinstalled at a skew? I can't imagine how since the radio and climate controls are perfectly framed by the console.

Well I'm just starting to think out loud. We will help, just need to understand it better.

John

 

Thanks for the reply, yes i am referring to the console that is on the skew when located, and wondered if the climate housing fixing points were slotted to allow movement so i can re-position it. When the console is fitted there is a definite offset when eying the space either side Many thanks. Anthony.

 

Anthony, I thought of you while driving this morning. There is an indent in the dashboard where the perfectly centered console sits!. I'll try to find or take a photo of it later today.

I'm the meantime an idea: goto rear of console. See the rectangular rear end that sits directly below the lid hinges? It is pressed on. Pull it off, you might get eyes on the rear mounts.

John

 

thank you

 

Ok found one Anthony. Look at the white wire from the phone holder. See how it feeds back into the dash between the top of the console and the molded plastic panel behind it?

Enlarge that section. See how the molded panel self centers the console? That's what I referred to.

I think you should probably post a photo or two so we can get better centered with your headache.

Hope it helps, John

 

Argh, I just looked. Seems that we lose detail when posting. Stand by let me go to work. J

 

Better photo. Looks like in 98, you don't have much choice of alignment. Is your different?

John

 

Mine is exactly the same, but the difference between mine and yours is if you look at the climate panel head on and where the the console sits in relation to the trim section on the dash above the top of console the spacing around the trim is offset(out of position) making the shifter trim not fit as it should I feel i need to move the control housing slightly to correct this. Many thanks. Anthony.

 

The center console is separate from the radio and hvac controls, so it is possible that it may have been removed and replaced out of position. I believe there is only 4 bolts holding it in place. 2 at the rear under the pad between the console and rear seat held in place with velcro, and the 2 in the front that is under the j gate wood surround. That panel is very tricky to remove a there is a delicate cover that is held down by 4 clips that you have to use a credit card or similar to undo the clips to access the bolts to remove wood cover to access the front console bolts. It's been a couple years since I had my console out, and this is my recollection of removal. Another member may be able to give more details on jgate surround removal.

 

Thank you for your reply. I have removed the centre console several times now, the problem seems to be where it locates(it fits as it should) around the control panel but the alignment is out. The problem is with the position of the control panel housing. Can this be moved slightly on the fasteners that hold the control panel housing? if so, where are the fasteners that hold it. Many thanks. Anthony.