Introduced in 2007 to U.S. buyers, the Pontiac G5 has proven to be a popular model, thanks to its handsome styling, impressive performance and good fuel economy. The G5 shares its platform with the equally popular Chevrolet Cobalt. A common modification that G5 owners make to their cars is installing an aftermarket shift knob in place of the stock shift knob. The shift knob on a G5 is easy to remove, though there is a special technique that needs to be used.
Locate the area where the vinyl boot comes up to the shift knob itself. This will be at the base of the shift knob. Grasp the very top of the boot and slide it down the shift lever (not the shift knob) as far as it will go. This will not be very far.
Squeeze the round plastic piece located under the boot manually. This is the piece that holds the shift knob onto the shift lever. While squeezing it, turn the piece counterclockwise about 45 degrees to release the clips from the shift lever. Pull the shift knob straight up and off of the lever.
Install the rubber insert into the shift knob if the knob you are using has a rubber insert. Make sure the insert is the proper size and that it fits firmly over the stock shift lever. Slide the small trim piece for the bottom of the new shift knob onto the shift lever. Slide the new shift knob over the shift lever. Use the Allen wrench that comes with the shift knob to tighten the set screws in the shift knob against the shift lever until the knob is secure. Thread the trim for the lower part of the knob onto the threads on the bottom of the shift knob.
