Automatic (cvtronic) gear surround removal - help

[influencd]

Heya,

I've been hunting down an annoying rattle for quite some time and I'm 99% sure that it's coming from inside the center console, right down under the gear selection lever. Apologies in advance if this has been covered somewhere but have looked pretty hard...

It's an '04 2.2 DTi automatic (cvtronic) SRi

The rattle starts along with higher revs, plastic clicking, enough to completely ruin the engine note and is driving me bonkers. It stops sometimes so I think there's something loose.

I've had some of it apart:

1) Removed the shelf under the CD player
2) Removed ash tray
3) Removed tray under ash tray
4) Removed lighter socket surround
5) Removed the gear lever (chrome bit) surround

Here's where I get stuck. How do you take off the next bit - the selection lever panel. Does the gear knob have to come off?
I've tried prying the panel up and have got it out a bit, but it doesn't seem to go back in properly, there must be a right way of doing it.

Any instructions / advice on how to get to the space below would be well appreciated!

I've got a haynes but helpfully it doesn't cover the cvtronic...

ta!

[influencd]

At the hope of a bump. I'm talking about whipping this bit of grey plastic off:




I can't believe with all the mods / repairs on here no-one has ever taken it off

What's the trick? Need to get this rattle sorted before I'm carted off in a straightjacket!

[paulvectrac]

er it looks as if you put it in ti'p the maybe it might pull off mine is auto but never tryed

[influencd]

Yeah see you can only get it up by half inch or so and it hits on the base of the gear knob. It looks glued together though and I wonder if it will only come apart once...!

[paulvectrac]

that could possibly be it mate but i would of thought it would come apart

[influencd]

Ah well cheers man, I'll keep on tryin. If any tinkering genius can share their wisdom it would be appreciated!

[paulvectrac]

gonna go look at mine

[Aikon58]

I took my auto stick cover off my old car before,it never went back the same and would move about and the plastic gaitor would crease up,so i had to remove it

This man looks like he had more success
http://www.vectra-c.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118768

[omega63]

At the hope of a bump. I'm talking about whipping this bit of grey plastic off:




I can't believe with all the mods / repairs on here no-one has ever taken it off

What's the trick? Need to get this rattle sorted before I'm carted off in a straightjacket!

If you flick out the silver panel at the rear of the g/lever, in side the lever/handle there is a nut. You will need to undo this nut and remove the handle, becareful when removing the lower panel as below there is some "micro wiring loom" below...

[influencd]

What a legend, thank you!
Easy when you know how, I'll give it a bash later.