How-To: Front Floor Console Replacement

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

Additional info:

The rear power outlet panel is easily removable. The top snaps in / unsnaps with two clips. Then rotate it backwards about 30-45 degrees, as if the bottom is hinged. Lift out.

To replace, insert bottom tabs into holes on console, then rotate forward and snap in.

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

Great information but I would assume that step #1 would be to remover the seats so you could get to those screws on the side of the console?

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

Nope, just slide them fully forward to access the rear ones, and fully backward to access the front ones.

Unless of course you're gonna take the seats out anyhow, so do that first and save the effort. But like SS says, if you pull the seats, there are airbags to be concerned with. The FIRST step to pulling anything with an airbag is to disconnect the battery and wait. He says a couple minutes and that will probably do just fine. When I was a locksmith I was required to pull the negative terminal, attach it to the positive terminal, and wait 10 minutes. That series of events bleeds off any residual energy in the SIR system and helps prevent unintentional triggering. Also, if you remove an airbag (like from the steering wheel), place the airbag facing out, not down. Then, if it triggers, it'll just deploy instead of causing the housing to become a randomly unguided missile.

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

This is off topic, but where do you guys get these diagrams from?

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

If you have to ask you can't afford it...

No, wait, that's for restaurants!

Starship and chevyguy8893 both turn wrenches and have access to these things.

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

Hmm, this is awkward. I'm one of those who never quite fit the mold. I don't actually "turn wrenches" for a living, not now (suffices to say there was a fork in the road). I think I recommended getting a set of factory service manuals from Helm in another thread. Those manuals (~3,000 pages) will have all kinds of diagrams plus theory of operation, teardown, problem determination, etc. One botched job avoided will pay for the set. A less expensive option is an online subscription to DIY sites like alldatadiy.com or eautorepair.net but I found them to be somewhat lacking in the how-stuff-works department. Anyway, there's nothing like the FSM for the curious (that's you, nertil1).

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

Starship said:

Thanks for your input and follow-up. Me, it usually takes more than 10 minutes to track down that last socket, anyway.

The seat removal isn't bad as far as these things go, actually:

1. Disable the SIR System.
2. Move the seat full forward.
3. Remove the seat belt anchor from the front seat assembly.
4. Remove the seat mounting bolts and tilt the seat forward.
5. Disconnect the electrical wire harness and remove the push-in fastener from beneath the seat.
6. Remove the seat.

Tighten seat mounting bolt to 45 N·m (33 lb ft). Don't play with the track assemblies while the seat's out or the tracks may go out of synchronization.

Click to expand...

Starship can you repost this picture? I assume its how to remove the front seat? If it isn't can you please post a picture of the front seat removal. Thanks.

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

dday said:

Starship can you repost this picture? I assume its how to remove the front seat? If it isn't can you please post a picture of the front seat removal. Thanks.

Click to expand...

I edited the post to add the two images that go with that document.

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

Wow, great useful information in this thread. Thank you.

A question - my 2009 2LT Malibu's front console trim plate (#1 in the second diagram, above) is not perfectly flush on the passenger side. On the passenger side facing towards the rear of the car, it lifts up slightly, maybe 1- 2 millimeters. I can look under it a little and see it is not hooked down.

How do I get this side of the trim plate to get into place flush like the driver's side (the way it should be)?

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

Everglades said:

Wow, great useful information in this thread. Thank you.

A question - my 2009 2LT Malibu's front console trim plate (#1 in the second diagram, above) is not perfectly flush on the passenger side. On the passenger side facing towards the rear of the car, it lifts up slightly, maybe 1- 2 millimeters. I can look under it a little and see it is not hooked down.

How do I get this side of the trim plate to get into place flush like the driver's side (the way it should be)?

Click to expand...

Check to see if there is anything in the way keeping it from sitting flush. If it is all clear you should just be able to push down on it to snap it into place, unless a clip broke.

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

There is a guide post underneath on both sides that fits into a little slot on both sides. The guide posts appear to have some sort of nylon clips / covers on them. The driver's side immediately snaps into place when pressed down. The passenger side does nothing.

Hmm...

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

chevyguy8893 said:

I edited the post to add the two images that go with that document.

Click to expand...

Just saw this post, thank you.

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

Out of curiousity, anyone know how to remove the fascia plate on the back of the centre console (where the 12V outlet and change area are attached to)? The clip in the top left corner is broken and the dealership wants $300 to replace it. Figure, if I could, I would take it apart and see if I can find one at a junker or on eBay.

Thanks in advance!

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

It snaps in at the top. Pull to open. The bottom has little L-shaped tabs. When you pull the top, tip it back a little, then lift up.

I had a tech replace one on my '09 at a dealership that I'll never go back to. He broke one of the tabs and left it that way. I discovered it and had to drive back so they could figure out what part needed to be ordered. He never even told his service advisor that he broke it. What a chump! (Garlin at Bob Hook Chevy - if you're reading this you'll remember the car, eh?)

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

can somebody please help..... i cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to get the shifter boot to slide down off of the handle! that darn chrome ring feels loose enough, but i've pushed and pulled in every direction and it does not want to budge. i've already broken a few pieces, i'd rather not break another. somebody please help!

Re: Front Floor Console Replacement

Unplug the large connector that is behind he cover. It supplies power to the 12V outlet and the lights on the shifter.

Rotate the cover 90* and lift up so the boot exposes the shift rod.

Unscrew the bolt that attaches the shift handle and remove handle. It will simply lift off, taking the boot and cover with it.

Once the handle is off you can look at and discover the 2 snaps/clips used to keep the chrome ring in place.