UPDATED WITH MORE PICS ON POST #11 and 14
Ok, like many other 04 STi owners I hated my center console and dash. The problem was fueled more every day when I tried to use the “cup holders”. My hatred for the center console and climate control was compounded when the 05’s came out…. Ever since I have always wanted to convert my console over to the new style.
Well I knew that I would not be able to buy all the parts new, the cost was going to be outrageous. I kept an eye out for a wrecked 05… Well I finally found all the parts that I needed, for the conversion on eBay. I won the auction and got all the needed parts to do the conversion. All the parts came out of a totaled 05 STi.
Once I got all the parts I was excited to see that I got the 05 E-brake assembly and some miscellaneous brackets to do the swap. I even got the DCCD switches, climate control and an armrest extension. See the attached picture of all the parts that were sent. They were all in great shape with no major blemishes.
The install was pretty straight forward. I first removed the complete 04 console, radio, center vent all the way back to the e-brake. I then removed the e brake.
The fist step was so see it the 05 brake would bolt in. And it does. It will bolt in with two of the existing bolt holes (note the 04 is only bolted in with 2 bolts). Now to get the e brake in you will have to move all the DCCD sensors. So I unplugged them and took them out for now. I bolted in the e brake and I found that the cable was too long, and I was unable to tighten the e brake enough to hold the car. So I went to Lowe’s and bought a coupler for steel cable in 3/16. I then cut the e-brake cable and shortened it by about ¾ of an inch see pics.
I then had the e brake working properly. I Had to lengthen the e-brake wire, nothing major, I did the swap at home and my soldering iron is at work so I had to use a but connector, but I will solder it in this week.
Now there is a metal dash bracket that is screwed to the 04 console plastic and two 10mm bolts hold it to the metal dash. You will have to take it out and install the 05 bracket. Then I installed the upper portion of the center consol, it screws to the metal bracket that was just put in. It just screws in with a total of 4 screws IIRC, but you will have to take out the glove box and the left under dash trim and metal brace under the steering wheel.
Next to install was my radio. I found that the cheap metal brackets that hold the radio to the dash are different from 04 to 05, so I had to order them from the dealer ($7), so no radio for a week. I guess I will listen to all my rattles instead
The radio trim plate goes in next, and yes the climate control plugs in and every thing works properly. Also the 04’s don’t have the AUTO feature for the vent position but the 05 does, Well it works fine. Plug and play.
I just installed the center console radio trim. It snaps in on the top and two screws hold it in on the bottom.
I then installed the center dash vent. The hazard switch plugs right in and the vent snaps in. No biggie.
I then went to permanently install the e-brake. I used a washer to shim the e brake so it did not lean to the left. I put it around on of the studs that is welded to the body and not used. The brake is bolted down with 2 12mm bolts. There is a provision on the far left side of the brake for a 3rd bolt, but there is nothing on the car to bolt it to. Also it was flat with the bottom of the e-brake and hung over the curved part of the tranny tunnel. So I bent it down to fit flat on the tunnel for more lateral support.
Now for the DCCD sensors. There are three sensors in total. I had to move the two rear ones. I just bolted them to the rear bolt of the front sensor. They cleared everything and all the wiring was good to fit. But there is only one bolt holding them in now but they are secure.
There is a metal bracket that holds the rear portion of the console, is goes behind the e brake. It has one bolt to hold it on in the rear and two in the front. It fits tight with the stock e-brake cable, but with the shorter e-brake cable that I hade, the cable collet, was hitting the front left mounting tab, and I had to cut the tab off for room. I will go back later and fab up a new mount for it so it has all the strength that it can have, although the
console is nice and secure and does not move.
Now screw in the bottom of the center console, two screws on the rear bracket mentioned in the last paragraph, one screw behind the shifter in the floor and two screws up front behind the air bag control unit. The holes are already their in the floor for the screws.
Now install the front sides of the console. They clip in at the rear and two screws on each side up front, but leave the bottom screws out because the glove box and under dash trim have to go on before the bottom screw.
Now I put on the e brake cover. I found that the 05 DCCD adjustment switch was backwards of the 04 switch. When I move it up, it moved the DCCD back. So I had to install the 04 switch. My wiring was already long enough because I relocated the switch a year ago next to the other DCCD switch. I had to trim the ear off for the switch go in the hole but nothing a sharp razor blade could not fix. With the 04 switch the DCCD was working normally. Just plug in the switches and move the wires so they are out of the way and put the cover on. Two screws hold it on in the front and two more in the rear.
Then just snap on the shifter trim plate, the cig lighter plugs in.
I left out the mirror switch because I will be getting 05 door panels some time and rewiring the switch to fit in the panels. For now I left the switch out of the car and tucked the wires in the console.
That’s it.
Here are Cliff’s Notes
Remove complete 04 console, Climate control and e brake
Shorted e brake cable about ¾ inch.
Install 05 ebrake
Trim rear console bracket mounting tab if needed
Relocate DCCD sensors
Lengthen DCCD wires
Reuse 04 DCCD roller switch
Install new metal bracket to dash
Install new console
Here are the only problems I found that made it a little more than a bolt in
E-brake cable to short.
My e-brake leaned to the left, I could not tell if it was bent from the car it came out of being wrecked or if that is how it is. I shimmed it and bent it over to sit normally.
DCCD switch for 05 is different
Need to lengthen DCCD wires
Need new radio brackets
Need metal dash bracket for a 05
Need 05 door panels for mirror switch
I am sure that there is many different ways to get around to shorten the e-brake cable, but that was the best I came up with at the time.
Here are pics of the important parts of the install. As putting the console in after the brackets and e-brake are in is pretty simple. I will post final install pics when I get the radio brackets in from Subaru and the radio in. until then these will have to do.
Nick
05 Center console in a 04 updated: COMPLETED WITH PICS & WRITE UP 
