Replacing DSG gear knob on an R36?

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Hi all

Can anyone advise the part number for a replacement for the gear knob on an R36, and indeed what other vehicles at the time used the same part? Mine has the chrome flaking on the top of the button part and catches every time I got to move it from Park.

I know it's a pain to replace the knob and this is the only part I need (but can buy it with the leather boot if necessary) but any advice, part number of guidance on what other models used the same rounded leather DSG knob would be helpful?

Thanks

[Lucas_R]

Have a look on Bold Sports website - they have several DSG gear knobs for sale.

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Thanks - just not sure how easy it will be to replace them and ideally I;d prefer to keep the same type just for consistency sake. I think a trip to the dealer is called for and no doubt some ridiculous price.

[Horace01]

Dsg knob is easy to remove. Pull out the button until it clicks into place then just pull the whole knob straight up. It takes quite a bit of force. Under no circumstances should you push the button in once you've removed it from the shaft as its a PITA to put back on if you do. Not an issue if your replacing it anyway.

Check out aliexpress for aftermarket replacements. The quality is very good and 1/4 of the price from a dealer.

Edit: Don't forget to use some trim removal tools and lift the surround that the DSG shifter boot attaches to before you try to pull the knob off.

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Thanks Horace01 - have now received my DSG knob from Aliexpress and will give it a go when I can. Thanks so much for your help...

[Guy_H]

Actually the correct way to remove it is:

Pull up the surround including the PRNDS section and boot. Then lift the boot up over the head of the gear knob. You will see a plastic sleeve - push / pull this and the gear knob will come free.

As above, try to resist pushing the button again once its off - BUT if you do, the easy way to "reset" the lever is to back out the small strip of leather (where your hand rests), you can see the plastic cam there & easily reset it with a small screwdriver.

The first one had me stumped, but now I have done it 30 odd times its a 5 minute job

[pat_ballam08]

To piggyback off this. My DSG surround at the bottom seems to have a few clips broken/loose so that when I change from Park, the front of it lifts and won't clip back down. Anyone know where I can find a right hand drive replacement? Possibly not in chrome...

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Ok, so I made an attempt at replacing my DGS knob yesterday and ended up giving up. I could remove the entire knob with the boot without issue, but the actual method of removing the knob from the boot had me stumped. The replacement knob I have is all I could find which is a B7 DSG knob (so less rounded) but it has a different mechanism internally (it has a large red plastic part hanging down that my R36 model does not. So my idea was to just change the actual known onto the existing shaft - and this is where (on both the original and the replacement) I found it impossible with actually remove the knob from the boot. Anyone ever done this?

[Horace01]

........ Then lift the boot up over the head of the gear knob. You will see a plastic sleeve - push / pull this and the gear knob will come free.

I had completely forgotten about this. Good call.

To piggyback off this. My DSG surround at the bottom seems to have a few clips broken/loose so that when I change from Park, the front of it lifts and won't clip back down. Anyone know where I can find a right hand drive replacement? Possibly not in chrome...

I could not find a RHD replacement for mine so just used a couple of spots of plastic glue to hold it in place. Plastic glue is pretty weak so if you need to remove the surround again its pretty easy to break the glue spot without causing any other damage.

Ok, so I made an attempt at replacing my DGS knob yesterday and ended up giving up. I could remove the entire knob with the boot without issue, but the actual method of removing the knob from the boot had me stumped. The replacement knob I have is all I could find which is a B7 DSG knob (so less rounded) but it has a different mechanism internally (it has a large red plastic part hanging down that my R36 model does not. So my idea was to just change the actual known onto the existing shaft - and this is where (on both the original and the replacement) I found it impossible with actually remove the knob from the boot. Anyone ever done this?

The red piece of plastic is only there to stop the button from being accidentally pushed in whilst in transit. You need to remove it before fitting your knob to you existing shaft (no pun intended).

Removing the boot from the knob is a PITA. I used a small screw driver to manipulate the plastic outer piece off. I did this to my existing boot first as I was replacing it with a leather, red stitched one. The clip stretched but was still usable. I have heard of guys just cutting the clip off and using a zip tie to hold the boot on instead.

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Thanks Horace... The red piece of plastic... what a total muppet I am. There's me thinking I'm clever because of course i played with the button on both units and needed the red plastic to reset the button! Should have thought... As for the pun. Fnarr fnarrr!

I guess it makes no difference at all how the boot is actually attached given it's hidden. More violence needed me thinks. It's fortunately pretty easy to get access to everything as now I want to change it and I've made a ruddy mark on the leather of the existing knob which is going to bug me more. Thanks again