I went searching in the back for more wires to disconnect and found some smaller connectors that needed to be unplugged.
At that point I grabbed a utility knife and cut the electrical tape that bundled all the wires into one. This will free up the wires running to the panels so they can be removed individually and allow the wires to pass through the small opening in the back of the console.
Finally, the climate control panel with the factory key lock below it are free from the mess that was once the center console.
Here is where we face our next hurdle. The wiring, switches and plugs will not fit through the original hole in the panel. I’m not sure how Porsche installed these parts because no matter how hard you try nothing is going to fit through the hole.
The only real solution is to enlargen the hole until it’s big enough for everything to slide through. I tried using a coarse file but quickly gave up on it because of how slow it was.
This is where the Dremel tool is a savior and works wonders. Just pay attention to the wires so you don’t end up cutting through them but otherwise the bit should allow you to enlarge the hole quickly and effectively.
Size the hole appropriately and you’ll be able to slide the plugs and switches through. Don’t pay too much attention to the shape of the hole you can always clean it up afterwards and this piece of the panel is hidden away from view when it’s installed so it’s not something to concern yourself with.
Before I could remove the button panel there were a final set of plugs that needed disconnecting. These are kinda tricky to unplug and require a bit of force from all sides but once they’re off the plastic panel will finally be free!
To make future installation easier, I grabbed the Dremel tool and further enlarged the pass through hole.
With all that out of the way, the center console can finally be removed!
If you haven’t done so already, remove your shift knob. Mine was held in place by three set screws.
To remove the shifter base, start by lifting up the carpet and unbolting it.
