The black surround with the shift letters (P, R, D4 etc) came out with just my fingernails. Pried my nails under the rear of the plate and gently pulled up. Didn't disconnect any wires, just lifted the plate out of the way.

The only tool I used was a pair of bent-nose needlenose pliers to pop the shift plate out. I'm sure that a small flat-blade screwdriver bent at a 90 degree angle about 1/4 inch from the end would have worked perfectly. I just didn't want to sacrifice any of my jewellers screwdrivers until I tried the pliers. They did the trick.


Placed several layers of rag against the woodgrain console to prevent damage while prying out on the passenger side rear. Took some gentle persuasion, but once you get the passenger side popped up, the driver side comes quickly.

I used Lepage's Poly Super Strippa gel. I just globbed a pile of it on, then let it sit for 5 minutes. I didn't want it to completely remove the paint, just soften it up. Blasted it off with a hose, then scratched it all off with my fingernails. I didn't have to use gloves, because I has already washed all the stripper off.

It probably took a little longer, but I didn't want to risk scratching the chrome with any tools.

 

ok thats the same thing i did ... if you would have put more of that stuff on it would of come off alot easier that it did

 

OK people, its a shifter plate, it aint rocket science. just put the goo on and let the chrome be revealed...

 

thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!! just pop it off apply and remove the gunk and then put it on and gawk at how good it looks

 

It will be a rare sight to see a first gen TL with a dull shifter plate in the near future. That is fine by me...it looks much better with chrome.

-will

 

dog it works just buy zip strip just b-careful with razor