Hey, I dont smoke and want to mod the ashtray but even when I pull out the astray insert, I still can not get to the light. Anyone know how to change out that light without taking apart the whole center consol?

 

remove the center console trim plate to get to the ash tray. It's really easy. If you have an auto, first put it in drive (use the shift lock button to move the lever). Then just pull down the plastic trim piece on the shifter right below leather shifter button, it should just slide down with little effort. Next there is a metal wire clip that needs to be removed on the exposed white plastic piece, just get a screwdriver and pry it forward and remove. The shifter will not just lift right off. Now you can lift the back end of the console trim piece up to release the clips. Then pull the whole thing back and up and trim piece will come off (no screws are used).

 

There is an assembly that contains the ashtray and hazard light switch. I screws in with 5 screws behind the shifter trim piece. Remove the shifter trim piece, remove the 5 screws, pull the assembly out (it has 2 clips in the back), and on the back of the assembly is a quarter-cylinder type metal piece. Attached to this metal piece is a white little box with a black wire running into it. Twist the little wire thing counterclockwise, pull it out, and the bulb is inside. Go to this site to see how to remove the shifter trim piece (but you don't need to take the shift **** off to do it...that just makes it easier if you're doing a lot of work around the console):
http://www.g-owners.com/article_read.asp?id=19

Oh and BTW, those instructions are for a MT...I'm not sure about removing the AT shifter trim, so use the post above me for that if that's what you have.

2003.5 G35 Coupe 6MT Black/Willow
- Texas Tech Mechanical Engineering -
- Texas Tech Advanced Vehicle Engineering -<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by rwjcp721 on 03/11/04 03:16 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

HM, I saw that thread a while back but I have Automaatic. By the way, anyone know what kind of bulb is in the ash tray before I rip the thing open?