Troubleshooting a gear shifter knob does not involve a lot. The knob is atop the gear shifter, and for most vehicles it is merely a hand hold. For automatic transmissions, the only difference is a button: To move the shifter, you have to press the button. If the shift knob becomes damaged or unsightly, it is more practical to just replace the knob. The same technique can be used for vehicles with stick-shift and automatic transmissions. Even though the knob may feature a button, it comes off as a single unit.
Grasp the shaft of the shifter with one hand, and grasp the knob with the other. Try pulling the knob straight off. In many vehicles, removing the knob is that easy.
Hold the shaft of the shifter with one hand, and the knob with the other. Attempt to "unscrew" the knob. In some vehicles, the knob and shifter shaft have screw threads.
Examine the shifter shaft's back side. There may be a plastic insert holding it in place. This insert can either be removed with your fingers, a strong pair of tweezers, or a needle-nose pliers. Then, try to pull or twist the knob off.
Look behind the shifter knob for a screw that can be removed with a screwdriver or an Allen wrench. Remove the screw and then pull the knob off.
Heat the base of the shifter knob with a blow dryer. Be careful not to scorch, burn or melt the knob. You want to soften the base of the knob. Place a block beneath the knob, and lightly tap the block with a hammer. This will move the knob off the stick. This process is needed in some Ford vehicles.
Install the replacement knob by using the reverse of the method used to remove the knob.
