Hey everyone,
Finally got up the courage to take the leap and dismantle my console so that it could be wrapped. I don’t have to go into detail, see many threads on this forum complaining about gloss black, but I detest the gloss black interior trim and needed to get rid of it.
After doing some research I found a few good resources to start the process:
These two links we’re a great starting basis but left some steps unknown. So for anyone else who’d like to venture into this DIY, I’ve tried to create a more detailed step-by-step guide to wrapping your console.
⚠ Disclaimer ⚠
Please use this information at your own risk, there’s a chance for damaging your interior if not careful!
Step 1: Purchase a good quality vinyl wrap and a wrap tool kit (if you do not already have the proper tools).
I went with the following VViViD wrap:
And I also picked up this wrap tool kit (which really came in handy):
And finally, you’ll want some trim removal tools (very useful for removing window switches) and a heat gun (I used the wife’s hair dryer).
Step 2: Remove console
In order to remove the console, you must first remove the gear shifter. To remove the gear shifter, first put the car in neutral (for automatic trans, not sure about the manual). Then the chrome cap (for the button you press when shifting) needs to be removed by prying it out from the little square hole using a screw driver. BE CAREFUL not to scratch this chrome cap, as it is easy to do (learned the hard way). I would suggest putting some tape on the top to try and prevent scratching. The removal of this cap for some reason wanted to fight me and was potentially the most difficult part of this whole procedure.
Next step to remove the shifter is to remove a little clip (that was previously hidden by the chrome cap).
The easiest way I found to remove this metal clip is to use a screw driver and pry the clip down (put your screwdriver just above the clip where the green arrow is pointing). Once the metal clip clears the black plastic piece in the center, it will become loose. I then used a small set of needle nose pliers to fully remove the metal clip.
⚠ WARNING ⚠
Do not put the car back in park, unless you want to awkwardly have to re-attach the four cables in order to get the car out of park again. Without the shifter being in neutral the console will not fit back on
(Learned this the hard way as well)
Next you need to move back the center arm rest, and start lifting up the console by pulling straight up on the both sides as pointed to in the pic below.
Then pop the rest of the clips on both sides out until the whole thing can be removed.
Finally got up the courage to take the leap and dismantle my console so that it could be wrapped. I don’t have to go into detail, see many threads on this forum complaining about gloss black, but I detest the gloss black interior trim and needed to get rid of it.
After doing some research I found a few good resources to start the process:
These two links we’re a great starting basis but left some steps unknown. So for anyone else who’d like to venture into this DIY, I’ve tried to create a more detailed step-by-step guide to wrapping your console.
⚠ Disclaimer ⚠
Please use this information at your own risk, there’s a chance for damaging your interior if not careful!
Step 1: Purchase a good quality vinyl wrap and a wrap tool kit (if you do not already have the proper tools).
I went with the following VViViD wrap:
And I also picked up this wrap tool kit (which really came in handy):
And finally, you’ll want some trim removal tools (very useful for removing window switches) and a heat gun (I used the wife’s hair dryer).
Step 2: Remove console
In order to remove the console, you must first remove the gear shifter. To remove the gear shifter, first put the car in neutral (for automatic trans, not sure about the manual). Then the chrome cap (for the button you press when shifting) needs to be removed by prying it out from the little square hole using a screw driver. BE CAREFUL not to scratch this chrome cap, as it is easy to do (learned the hard way). I would suggest putting some tape on the top to try and prevent scratching. The removal of this cap for some reason wanted to fight me and was potentially the most difficult part of this whole procedure.
Next step to remove the shifter is to remove a little clip (that was previously hidden by the chrome cap).
The easiest way I found to remove this metal clip is to use a screw driver and pry the clip down (put your screwdriver just above the clip where the green arrow is pointing). Once the metal clip clears the black plastic piece in the center, it will become loose. I then used a small set of needle nose pliers to fully remove the metal clip.
⚠ WARNING ⚠
Do not put the car back in park, unless you want to awkwardly have to re-attach the four cables in order to get the car out of park again. Without the shifter being in neutral the console will not fit back on
(Learned this the hard way as well)
Next you need to move back the center arm rest, and start lifting up the console by pulling straight up on the both sides as pointed to in the pic below.
Then pop the rest of the clips on both sides out until the whole thing can be removed.