Chevy Cobalt Console Trim Removal.
So you decided to remove the console trim. This is easy if you have the right tools and know where to pull at, but also can be done just yanking at things for the most part if you feel strong enough. I don't recommend using a screw driver though you can, I say buy the tools, because I didn't know how to remove the trim piece above the ignition switch next to the radio and dented it on the ridges with a screw driver. If you are aware how, you can use a screw driver though as my other pieces are fine.
1.) The passenger side bar above the glove box has 4 metal clips in it.
2.) The middle console square has 6 clips in it. There is one tab top right and top left making it so this is the last piece to remove.
3.) The small trim panel with 2 buttons in it, between the radio and steering wheel on the right hand side next to the steering wheel above the ignition is tricky. You need to pull the large plastic in the top right which is easy to free up the built in ridge bar of the upper trim panel that is being hidden behind the large plastic. Grab it in the corner.
4.) The left side trim piece. On the left of the steering wheel. This has the light dimmer knob dial and some other light thing for fog lights I guess if you have it. It has a clip left and right.
HOW TO:
STEP 1:) The middle square console trim piece around the radio and AC controls is the last piece to remove since the other 2 pieces have a overhang design covering it and the middle piece also has tabs that poke out each side so you can't just remove the middle piece, you have to remove all 3 mentioned above.
1A.) So first take off the passenger side bar above the glove box. Just yank it off. Or slide a trim removal piece in it. There are 4 metal clips in it spaced evenly.
STEP 2:) The left side of the radio/dash/console trim piece next to the steering wheel with the 2 buttons in it. This one has 2 clips in it. One left side and one right side also...
there is a ridge on the bottom of it that sits behind the knee plastic underneath the trim piece, talking about the larger plastic contoured panel that runs under the entire steering column.
In the top right corner you have to pull just the top right corner free. Otherwise the trim piece above will 'never' come free because of the ridge on the bottom of it.
So pull the plastic below, then pull the trim panel itself. I was able to get a large trim removal tool piece in-between the trim piece in the middle and another on the left and on the right and yanked it off.
STEP 3.) Remove the middle console piece by yanking at it, has about 6 clips holding it in.
INFO:) The metal clips are like arrow heads they snap into the plastic rectangular holes, so you are trying to yank an arrow out basically. Hence the difficulty. Best to pull straight back not so much side to side. I put some pictures below of trim removal tools made of plastic. The orange ones are pretty basic user friendly, however the ones with a claw are even better because with the tiny trim piece above the ignition you can slide in an orange then yank back with a tool with a claw. So look for that when shopping.
Once you undo the top right of the white panel, use the trim tool to pry the small trim panel from the top to pry the trim down and away until it pops off. Best method it is to use a tool with a claw. You need to loosen the white panel because the small trim panel has a ridge in the bottom hidden behind the white panel. Just yanking at the small trim panel will never get it off. See other picture above for the ridge.
So you decided to remove the console trim. This is easy if you have the right tools and know where to pull at, but also can be done just yanking at things for the most part if you feel strong enough. I don't recommend using a screw driver though you can, I say buy the tools, because I didn't know how to remove the trim piece above the ignition switch next to the radio and dented it on the ridges with a screw driver. If you are aware how, you can use a screw driver though as my other pieces are fine.
1.) The passenger side bar above the glove box has 4 metal clips in it.
2.) The middle console square has 6 clips in it. There is one tab top right and top left making it so this is the last piece to remove.
3.) The small trim panel with 2 buttons in it, between the radio and steering wheel on the right hand side next to the steering wheel above the ignition is tricky. You need to pull the large plastic in the top right which is easy to free up the built in ridge bar of the upper trim panel that is being hidden behind the large plastic. Grab it in the corner.
4.) The left side trim piece. On the left of the steering wheel. This has the light dimmer knob dial and some other light thing for fog lights I guess if you have it. It has a clip left and right.
HOW TO:
STEP 1:) The middle square console trim piece around the radio and AC controls is the last piece to remove since the other 2 pieces have a overhang design covering it and the middle piece also has tabs that poke out each side so you can't just remove the middle piece, you have to remove all 3 mentioned above.
1A.) So first take off the passenger side bar above the glove box. Just yank it off. Or slide a trim removal piece in it. There are 4 metal clips in it spaced evenly.
STEP 2:) The left side of the radio/dash/console trim piece next to the steering wheel with the 2 buttons in it. This one has 2 clips in it. One left side and one right side also...
there is a ridge on the bottom of it that sits behind the knee plastic underneath the trim piece, talking about the larger plastic contoured panel that runs under the entire steering column.
In the top right corner you have to pull just the top right corner free. Otherwise the trim piece above will 'never' come free because of the ridge on the bottom of it.
So pull the plastic below, then pull the trim panel itself. I was able to get a large trim removal tool piece in-between the trim piece in the middle and another on the left and on the right and yanked it off.
STEP 3.) Remove the middle console piece by yanking at it, has about 6 clips holding it in.
INFO:) The metal clips are like arrow heads they snap into the plastic rectangular holes, so you are trying to yank an arrow out basically. Hence the difficulty. Best to pull straight back not so much side to side. I put some pictures below of trim removal tools made of plastic. The orange ones are pretty basic user friendly, however the ones with a claw are even better because with the tiny trim piece above the ignition you can slide in an orange then yank back with a tool with a claw. So look for that when shopping.
The center console square trim panel and the passenger glove box trim panel with the glove box panel overlapping the radio panel so that the glove box panel has to be removed first. There is a large tab on the radio panel underneath the glove box panel keeping it from coming off without the glove box first. Is obvious really when you look at it.
Sorry don't recall how to get it off. Is just a flat bar when the glove box is open.
Left side panel never removed it before.