Escalade Shifter Install

Superperv23 · April 12, 2011

One of the things that has annoyed me about my truck is the hard rubber shifter, I know it is a pick up truck not a luxury vehicle but I found it just made it feel cheap. I got to thinking I could buy the denali shifter and put that on but I did not like how it has the stitching on the front of it, then I found on the escalade has the stitching on the back. I ordered one, pn 25807853 cost $75, about $100 total once I paid shipping a duties to get it here to Canada.

Install was pretty straight forward, remove the tilt handle by gently prying it out, then remove the top half of the column cover by pushing in on both side at once and then it will pop off. The lower portion then pulls off, it helps to have the wheel tilted all the way up for this to angle it out. Gm actually has an interesting design for the column cover, you can put two screws in it if you break the plastic tabs that hold it in so you should check to see if they are there first. Next comes the wire for the shifting and tow mode, this runs underneath the passenger side to the drivers side of the column, I used a small screw driver to release the clip then pull out the two plastic mounting barbs and it comes out no problem. You have to pay attention to how the wire is routed around another wire to hold it up though for the install. A single T-30 torx bolt holds in the shifter, on mine it was on there quite tight, I had to use a ratchet to loosen it. Once that is out the shifter pulls straight out and you swap the boot to the new shifter and start to reverse the process. The cable is a little hard to plug in as it is very tight space, the bottom cover was also a bit hard to get in just right and you have to be careful not to force it and break the tabs or you will be looking for screws to put in it. For the top start at the right rear corner where the boot is and it will be a lot easier.

I likely took me longer to write this than install it haha Very easy process and I find it does look better but for me it not feels a lot nicer when you use it, no more cheap plastic feel.