to remove the dash plate, pull up the plastic cover around your shifter.

If the car is an auto, just remove it. if it's a 5spd, just twist out of the way or something. 

pull the ashtray out and set aside. (use it to hold your screws if there's nothing in it. :)

you'll see one screw on the bottom right corner of the dash plate now, remove that one. there's another in the same place underneath the cig lighter. remove that.

If you've got an auto, remove the P/C switch. gently pry it up with a screwdriver- be careful not to scratch the trim on top. it should pop right out. unplug it and set the switch aside.

the first couple times you do this the switches will be hard to pull out, but it will get easier with time.

once that's done, you should be able to pull the trim panel out from the bottom. the cig. lighter and hazard button are still attached though, just reach behind the trim and disconnect them. no point in removing them from the trim panel.

that's it!