Pontiac introduced the Sunfire in 1995 and produced it until 2005, and it shares a platform with the Chevrolet Cavalier. The 2003 Sunfire is powered by a 2.2-liter Ecotec engine with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transaxle. The console in the Sunfire is not extremely hard to remove, making this a good job for the DIY mechanic. The procedure for manual and automatic transmissions is slightly different.
Park the Sunfire on a level surface and set the parking brake.
Remove the shift knob from the shift lever. For manual transmissions, unscrew the shift knob by hand. If the Sunfire has an automatic transmission, pry the clip from the back of the shift knob with a small flat-head screwdriver. Lift the knob straight up and off the shift lever.
Pry the shift boot out of the console with a trim tool if the Sunfire has a manual transmission. For automatic transmissions, use the trim tool to pry up the gear indicator panel.
Remove the exposed screws with a ratchet and socket. Open the armrest and remove the screws at the bottom of the storage compartment. Lift up the console and disconnect any electrical connectors. Remove the console.
Lower the console into position and connect any electrical connectors.
Install and tighten the screws in the shifter boot or gear selector panel recess and the console storage compartment, using a ratchet and a socket.
Lower the shift boot or gear indicator panel into place. Push down until the boot or panel snap into place.
Thread on the shift knob, or slide the automatic shift knob onto the lever and push in the retaining clip.
