Hey guys!

Since my VDP came with broken tabs on the shifter bezel, I didn't have to worry about removing it, and installing the new one. The car came with the plain plastic bezel, and I replaced it with a leather covered one. The plastic one comes in one piece, and the leather ones has an additional piece around the cruise/sport buttons.

Well,...today I have to remove the one from my wife's car (installing the climate control with heated seats), and I don't want to pry it off without asking first what would be the right way to do it, in order to preserve the tabs. This bezel is also covered in leather, and has a separate piece around the buttons. Since I don't have another one, this one will have to be removed safely, and reinstalled.

If anyone can share the experience, and give me the instructions, I would appreciate it. I would hate to break this one's tabs, and go searching the junkyards for anothe one.

Thanks.

 

the new one is not leather (Jaguar never made leather bezel for the X308) but rather vinyl/ambla.
The "tabs" are not tabs but vertical pins that goes into some friction bushings. just pull the little plasic bezel around the switchs straight up and then do the same for the larger bezel.
Usually the clear plasic bushings are either missing or sticking on the pins

 

The leather covered piece on my 2003 XJ8 just pops off -- maybe my tabs are broken? Never really gave it much thought since it stays in place and doesn't rattle. I could pop it off and take a photo if you'd like.

 

Is this what you want?
The XK8/R HOW-TO's are a mine of info.

 

Thank you for the correction. I know it's not "leather", but I wanted to distinguish this one, from a plain plastic (no stittching!) one. What is spooking me, is that every single X308 I've seen in person (the few I was trying to buy, the one I own, and quite a few on the junkyards) have this bezel with broken tabs (two or more). The one on my wife's car is SOLID, and I'd like it to stay that way.

I thought there might be a "trick" to pry it off (which corner to start with, what tool to use, etc). I know the cold is the main concern, but our temp will be in the 60s today, and my garage is heated, so that won't be an issue.

 

Thanks Steve. I had a "blond moment". Never occured to me to search Youtube. I should've known! LOL

 

That's from our famous Pastafarian member the Reverend Sam.
The Spaghetti Monster be Praised !

 

All done!

Tabby now has heated seats on the front. Since nobody ever sits in the back, the back seats will remain unheated. This is such an easy mod, I'm surprised more people are not doing it.

I got the climate control off Fleabay for 17 bucks. It had the cut cable, and that's why nobody wanted it. Since all that one needs for the seats to be heated is the UPPER part of the climate control (control has two separate pieces), which does not have a cable on it, the climate control units from Fleabay work! All you have to do is take the upper row of switches off the unit, and replace your upper switches with it. The harness stays with the lower part, and all is good.

If someone wants to do it, drop me a note, and I'll give you the step by step.

Wifey is happy,.....never made a woman this happy with 17 Dollar "expense".

 

Almost makes me wish I lived in a colder climate!

 

Hi danielsand
How about starting a new thread about on adding heat to front seats and post the steps in the thread.

I sure am interested in adding heating to our front seats.

Jim Lombardi

 

The easiest way to remove the bezel is to slide a credit card between the bezel and wood, then use it to gradually ease the bezel away from the wood going all the way around a little at a time.

The sport and cruise buttons can be removed by squeezing the tabs from the back *after* the bezel is lifted.

Too bad you didn't have a good plain black plastic one you were looking to get rid of.