I was heading out after reading your comment, but my curiosity got the best of me, so after checking (only looked up from underneath using a flashlight) I seem to have something very similar on my 2006 - guess its not that unique. Sorry, didn't have time to pull the panel under the steering wheel to see if anything was actually attached to it, but can only assume it serves some purpose (maybe to keep the panel from being pushed too far in accidently???). Hope someone else here has a clear answer because now I'd like to know as well.
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TwoXentrix
"AWOL"
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