Removing Plastic Cover Surrounding Base Of Gear Stick

[John14]

Hi,

I have a 58/59 Mk7 Fiesta Zetec. On occasions I'm getting a squeaky / creaky sound when I move the gear lever from 1st to 2nd, or 3rd to 4th or 3rd to 2nd - ie any downward movement. I'm pretty sure all it needs is a bit grease, lubricant or WD40 around the mechanics, but I need to remove the hard plastic cover surrounding the base of the gear lever to get access . It looks like it's in two pieces, but I'm pretty sure all I need is to do is to remove the cover nearest the lever.

I'm assuming this just pulls off as I can't see any screws, (there are some on the larger separate panel nearer the front). It appears very firmly fixed and I'm afraid of doing damage if pull too hard !

Anyone had any experience of removing this panel ? And if so does it require brute force or is there a knack with doing it ?

John

[Mike77]

It does indeed just pull off, try starting from the side closest to the handbrake. Pull hard on each corner left and right and it should pull free, approach with more caution the other 2 clips closer to the heater controls, as I managed to break one of mine on first time removal. ( can't tell once put back together, but either way, I now its there lol ) then you should be able to gain access to the bits required.

[John14]

Thanks Mike,

Managed to pull the plastic cover off - thanks for advice. However, I went one better than you as I managed to break both of the clips that are nearer the heater controls !!

On closer inspection - not a very good design. But as you say, it doesn't make any difference whatsoever when re-fitting as the cover fits very securely without them so I don't really know why they bother with these two clips in first place.

Bad news is that despite applications of grease and silicone lubricant in various places, the squeaky creaking sound is still there. It sound like it's coming from the gear lever itself which is odd. Unless the issue is further down the linkage mechanism and the sound is just reverberating back up the lever ?

[MattJakeT]

I notice mine was doing this but stopped after 5 miles, I think it's a grommet or something

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

[Gulli 069]

How do you get it back on as mine doesn't seem to want to sit flush 

 

[StephenFord]

26 minutes ago, Gulli 069 said:

How do you get it back on as mine doesn't seem to want to sit flush 

 

If you pulled it to remove, you need to push it to return. Just ensure all clips are fully engaged when pressing down...