Hello and thank-you for taking the opportunity to read my post.. I currently possess an 01 ES300 and I'm looking to take out the old and wore out leather shift lever and replace it with a new one.. My question that I have is how to go abouts removing off the plastic shaft off where that piece goes under the shift indicator plate.. I have a feeling its the small carved out piece of plastic on front side of the shift lever I presume thats it while pushing in the OD button, but don't want to snap that piece off! Any suggestions or answers is very appreciate to my statement thanks again folks!

 

The three in long square cover directly under the handle slides DOWN to expose two philips head screws.

 

Well may I ask as to what the cover on back of the shift lever is for?