Amskeptic

I have what looks to be a melted "Auto" switch and a thoroughly dead direction switch next to it on my new 1992 LS400.

The steering column position refuses to take orders from anyone but the memory switch position of some prior driver. The steering column is in pretty far. I have a little tilt action when I remove the key or reinstall it. This means I cannot get the clamshell plastic column covers off without also getting the lower dash cover off as well. The lower dash cover I speak of is the one that contains the trunk/filler door switches. I took a few of the 10mm bolts off the lower part of the lower cover, two were directly behind the parking brake, but it looks like there are some buried bolts holding this cover onto brackets up in the nether regions of wiring and steering guts. Please . . . is there a sane and sensible method to removing the lower panel or otherwise gaining access to this frozen "Auto" switch? Can I bypass these dead switches to get the steering wheel fully extended? Please?
It is a lovely car with only 96,000 miles on it that I picked up for $3995.00. I have driven it 100 miles so far, smooth and quiet. The factory manual I have for it is a 1990 manual, and it looks like it is going to be one complicated car to repair and maintain.
Colin