removal of switch panel ahead of shifter
 

I've tried a search and haven't found anything... can the switch panel ahead of the shifter with the heated seat, hill descent mode etc switches be removed just by prising it out or is console disassembly required?

You can remove the climate controls and access it from the back there. Simply pushes out.

Thanks for replying. That said removing the climate panel didn't actually help. But knowing that they were simply pushed in I was able to carefully pry out the switches from one side.