Shift Console Switch / Light Repair

If you have a dim or burned out light on the shift console, the lights can be replaced. Also, the rubber buttons that control the actions of the switches can sometimes be repaired when the copper buttons fall off the switch. There is a simple circuit board inside the assembly, the switches touch the traces and send signals to the truck computer. After time the rubber wears out and the buttons can fail. Most of these issues can be repaired.

First remove the shifter handle by loosening the torx screw located at the base of the ball on the front of the handle. Once loose, the entire handle slides up and off.

The console is removed by pulling straight up at each corner to release the 4 small metal retainers. See image below for retainer locations circled in light blue. When loosened, carefully pull up and disconnect the connector underneath, then slide unit up and off the shift handle.

For light replacement, you do not need to take anything else apart. The lights can be replaced by using a common blade screwdriver and unscrewing the white bulb bases as shown in red circles below. Small wheat style 4.7 mm100MA replacement bulbs or you can use LEDs to change the color or lamp intensity. Most vehicle speedometer replacement wheat style bulbs will work fine. Note that any replacement lamp will likely have a different output than the stock ones so when you replace, replace all the lights at the same time.

Once the assembly is off, to gain access to the switch internals, remove the 9 torx screws (circled in green) as shown in the below image and the case will split open. The rubber buttons will have small copper tabs on the bottoms of them as shown in the very last image. Each button selection has 2 copper buttons that make contact with 2 sections on the circuit board. When depressed, the switch completes the circuit path for that action. You can take small copper scrap from an old circuit board or jewelry metal and make a replacement button. Then use some RTV or other silicone adhesive to replace the missing tab. Also, inspect the traces on the board and button tabs for corrosion, a simple delicate cleaning with an eraser or alcohol might solve your problem.