Missing console piece.....

[canuck37]

Anybody else have this issue?? A small piece of the thin plastic "blind" that is attached to the shifter and moves with it when going between gears to close the opening is suddenly missing.....I think the detailer broke it off recently, but can't prove it.

If anyone has access to a Subie parts catalog I could sure use the number, no dealer anywhere near me to go into. Also, any advice on removing the plastic trim piece around the shifter? I hope I don't have to pull the whole thing apart.......
Thanks in advance for any advice!!

[tomato_88]

That is all 1 piece. I don't think you can order just the insert.

[sfeather11]

Hey there,
Looks like the dealer or previous owner may have done some work the and may have re-installed that piece "upside down". That part of the shifter is just a thin (flimsy) flat piece of plastic used to hide the gap in the shifter gate by sliding up and down inside the shifter. Fortunately that part of the console comes apart fairly easily with only a small flat screwdriver. Unscrew and remove your shift knob (with your hand), pop off the trim bezel around the shifter, twist out the small light bulb on the side of the shifter, and use a small flat screwdriver to pop the tabs off the "prnd321" cover. Lift off the cover and flip it over and take a look at how the flimsy flat plastic piece fits in. It should be pretty obvious how it works with the shifter. The shift rod fits through the hole in the piece and just and is loosely held in there so it can move when you shift. You may just need to slide out the that piece and spin it around so the end that was near the "P" is now on the end near the "1". If I recall, that flat plastic piece is longer on one end that the other (relative to the hole for the shifter rod), so the longer end may hide the gap you currently have...

I would definitely take it apart to try before you purchase another shifter.Tomato88 is right, that flimsy piece is highly unlikely to be sold separately. You'll prob have to get the entire shifter! $$$

Peace!

[canuck37]

Hey there,
Looks like the dealer or previous owner may have done some work the and may have re-installed that piece "upside down". That part of the shifter is just a thin (flimsy) flat piece of plastic used to hide the gap in the shifter gate by sliding up and down inside the shifter. Fortunately that part of the console comes apart fairly easily with only a small flat screwdriver. Unscrew and remove your shift knob (with your hand), pop off the trim bezel around the shifter, twist out the small light bulb on the side of the shifter, and use a small flat screwdriver to pop the tabs off the "prnd321" cover. Lift off the cover and flip it over and take a look at how the flimsy flat plastic piece fits in. It should be pretty obvious how it works with the shifter. The shift rod fits through the hole in the piece and just and is loosely held in there so it can move when you shift. You may just need to slide out the that piece and spin it around so the end that was near the "P" is now on the end near the "1". If I recall, that flat plastic piece is longer on one end that the other (relative to the hole for the shifter rod), so the longer end may hide the gap you currently have...

I would definitely take it apart to try before you purchase another shifter.Tomato88 is right, that flimsy piece is highly unlikely to be sold separately. You'll prob have to get the entire shifter! $$$

Peace!

Thanks for the tips! I'm actually the only owner, and it looks like that part has just broken off (the edge is somewhat irregular, not easily seen in pic). It happened after I had the vehicle detailed last week, so I am pretty sure they broke it somehow while cleaning it. Probably pretty brittle after all these years....
I'll try to remove the cover and see if your trick will work! Can you please clarify what you mean by "use a small flat screwdriver to pop the tabs off the "prnd321" cover"? I don't want to break something on that cover accidentally....

[mikenmel08]

Once you have that piece off it will be self explanatory.

[canuck37]

Hey there,
Looks like the dealer or previous owner may have done some work the and may have re-installed that piece "upside down". That part of the shifter is just a thin (flimsy) flat piece of plastic used to hide the gap in the shifter gate by sliding up and down inside the shifter. Fortunately that part of the console comes apart fairly easily with only a small flat screwdriver. Unscrew and remove your shift knob (with your hand), pop off the trim bezel around the shifter, twist out the small light bulb on the side of the shifter, and use a small flat screwdriver to pop the tabs off the "prnd321" cover. Lift off the cover and flip it over and take a look at how the flimsy flat plastic piece fits in. It should be pretty obvious how it works with the shifter. The shift rod fits through the hole in the piece and just and is loosely held in there so it can move when you shift. You may just need to slide out the that piece and spin it around so the end that was near the "P" is now on the end near the "1". If I recall, that flat plastic piece is longer on one end that the other (relative to the hole for the shifter rod), so the longer end may hide the gap you currently have...

I would definitely take it apart to try before you purchase another shifter.Tomato88 is right, that flimsy piece is highly unlikely to be sold separately. You'll prob have to get the entire shifter! $$$

Peace!

Well, I took your advice and got the console apart this AM and swapped the "blind" around! It does indeed seem to close the gap a bit better. At least it only is open now when in the lower drive gears! I'd still like to find a replacement, now that I know how to take this assembly apart.

Is there anyone on this forum who works at a Subaru dealership that can check and see if it can be purchased separately and if so, access the part number, so that I can try to order one??

Thanks again for your guidance, much appreciated!!

[canuck37]

In case anyone else has this same issue with the broken plastic piece on the shift console, here is the information to get the replacement direct from Subaru:

The part is called a "blind" and the OEM Part # is 35184AE000.

The piece cost less than $20 and was an easy install. Back in business!!