Gear shifter removal "trick"

Technical Advice, Faults and How-To Information.
fastjag1955
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 17, 2021 9:11 pm

Post by fastjag1955 »

I need to remove my gear shifter from my 2015 Ftype R including the assembly with all the buttons. I have the "sticky button" issue and I want to replace some buttons. I have removed the 4 torx bolts through the side knee panels but I can not get the rear of the shifter/button assembly to come out. I hear that there is some "tabs" that need to be released through some slot to get the rear disconnected. I have pushed everything I can find but I con not find the right thing. Does anyone have a picture of what clips in the rear of the assembly are still holding the shifter assembly to the center console???

Mike

jono_h
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2019 7:15 pm

Post by jono_h »

They are a real pig, and I’m not sure a photo will help, as they are quite small.

All I can remember is that they need ‘flicking’ in a way that is counter-intuitive to them releasing, if that makes sense.
cj10jeeper
Posts: 1913
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2017 8:37 pm

Post by cj10jeeper »

Same here. Did it a couple of years back and was a pain to fathom out. Seem to recall the release slots in the side towards the rear. No special tool
All I remember is once done thinking how easy it should have been
Sorry - short of stripping the car to replace the shifter (which was worn and had scratched leather) I hopefully won't need to do it again
2014 MY 3.0 V6S Roadster
Subtle enhancements to create the car I wanted from SVR nose cone, 400 series side skirts & customised 'design' rear bumper, to heated SVR steering wheel and more
fastjag1955
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 17, 2021 9:11 pm

Post by fastjag1955 »

Looking through all the slots on the side plastic "chassis' and I do not see anything that looks like a release "tab". What tool did you use...a screw driver or ???
jono_h
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2019 7:15 pm

Post by jono_h »

Yep, just a small electrical screwdriver. I’ll whip the trim off tomorrow and try to work out what I did.
jono_h
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2019 7:15 pm

Post by jono_h »

Pretty terrible pictures - Sorry!

This is the position of the clip - It's just above the rear Torx screw



I've had a poke around for a couple of minutes, but I can't remember how it unclips (and I haven't undone the Torx screw so that may be holding it in place). I think that you need to push the blade of the screwdriver in towards the front of the car and give it a wiggle / turn.



I can remember it taking awhile, and me swearing at it! I also remember having to do it a second time a few days later and still struggling. Like I said previously it doesn't unclip in the manner you'd expect, so have a good wiggle around.
fastjag1955
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 17, 2021 9:11 pm

Post by fastjag1955 »

Thanx for the pictures...I will look and see if I can find the correct 'slot" to find the relese.
fastjag1955
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 17, 2021 9:11 pm

Post by fastjag1955 »

I got it off....thanx for the pictures. Funny thing is that I am not sure exactly how I got it off. I just pushed and twisted somehow. I did notice that once one side was off that it wass much easier to get the other side free up. I would probably take me a while to "get lucky" and do it again.
Mikeyf
Posts: 61
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2021 9:55 pm
Location: Penrith, Cumbria.

Post by Mikeyf »

So - i had to do this job this weekend on my MY15 so I could swop the bronze-coloured Dynamic / Winter switch for a silver one; as i continue to tweak my F-Type to be how i want it.

As I was reading this thread I gathered some pictures along the way to hopefully make someone else’s life easier than mine!

Remove the trim each side of the centre console – close to the drivers left knee and passenger’s right knee (for Right hand drive car). The trims are about 10cm high and about 1m in length. They are quite flexible - so you need to be careful with them. The trims are held in place with about 12-15 spring clips – so some gentle leverage with your hands can pop them off without breaking them. You might need to have the ignition on and move the seat around a bit to get some good access. The rear-most clip is not actually a clip – but a lug that has a flange on it – and to get this out you need to slide the trim towards the rear of the car horizontally at the same time as pulling it out:

1.jpg

With the trim off – there are two Torx screws (T30) on each side that have to be removed. They were black on my car: one screw is level with the front of the gear-lever assembly:

2.jpg

and the other one is in line with the rear of the assembly. There are also three silver ones on each side too – but don’t get drawn to these; they do not need to be removed to do this job:

3.jpg

Then you need to remove the upper cover that holds the start/stop button and cigarette lighter (?!?) The easiest way to do this is with your finger nails; anything else will actually mark the trim so best avoid using anything else. There are 4 spring clips holding it down so i started mid-way down the driver’s side and then worked around the rearward section and it popped off nice and easily. You can then detach the plug from the back of the start/stop button and the charging point. If you are replacing the start/stop button – then you can stop here!! The button pops out easily with some soft springs easily.

There are two screws low down inside the dash - behind the Start/Stop button… ignore these – they do nothing and you will undo them – find they don’t help and then risk losing them down the gaps!

4.jpg

There are two small Torx screws (T15) at the rear of the assembly that need to be removed. They are deep down so you need a long torx bit – and magnetic so you don’t lose them.

5.jpg

Now comes the famous “clips”: They are not clips at all – they are “Lugs” on the plastic that hold it in place until the two black torx were put in. You are not actually trying to “flick them” – you are trying to apply pressure and leverage to the bottom of them – so the plastic bends and the whole unit pops out. I tried for ages and could not feel anything moving. I also tried to remove the assembly unit before I had removed the two Torx bolts – so nothing was ever going to shift. Having got them out – I now understand why no one can explain how they did it… Brute force is the answer :o

6.1.jpg

6.2.jpg

So – having found the Lugg – you need to apply inboard and upward pressure to bend the plastic and force the rear section upwards.
The front half of the assembly comes easily as there is nothing to stop it.
on the rear half of the assembly you need to push it upwards as there is nothing to hold on to without deforming the plastic - as the top section is not very strong.
Once i got it all apart – I decided to remove the lugs completely with a pair of side-cutters – and then re-assembly and re-removal later is super-easy!
This is a Truly terrible piece of design with no though about the poor sod who would have to work on the car years later!

7.0.jpg

7.1.jpg

Once the centre section is loose – there are about 6-8 sets of cables with plugs & sockets on the bottom of the assembly and so depending on the job you are doing you may need to remove some or all of them to get enough access.
Having done your job - refit everything in reverse.
Last edited by Mikeyf on Sun Sep 19, 2021 9:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.
MY2015 V8 R Coupe
Metallic Black with Black Pack, Black Wheels, Black Leather & Black Callipers.
Debadged apart from black leaper.
Mikeyf
Posts: 61
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2021 9:55 pm
Location: Penrith, Cumbria.

Post by Mikeyf »

Here is my finished console:

9.jpg

:D
MY2015 V8 R Coupe
Metallic Black with Black Pack, Black Wheels, Black Leather & Black Callipers.
Debadged apart from black leaper.
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