2004 siverado Z71

[shawnsorsdahl]

So I have a Z71,  5.3 regular gas extended cab. 3 of the gauges stopped working. I am going to buy a new cluster from Dorman. They need mileage, hours and VIN.

My cluster has 6 gauges. I would like to put a 7 gauge cluster in (for the trans temp). Will it be plug and play as some have said? Or because mine didn't have the trans gauge, when they program with my VIN will it not work?

A friend who worked for a GM dealer says it will not work, that my trans does not have the sensor. 

Online folks say all GM trans have the sensor and it will work.

Others say buy a cluster for a 2500.

I don't want a 2500 gauge cluster (may be the same I don't know)

I just want to buy a replacement cluster, have it programmed with my info and have it work. 

Thoughts?

[vandenbroekjj]

There are guys on eBay that repair them cheaper than you can buy a new one for and upgrade to less I’d check them out


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[Mr. Z71]

Here's a couple of places that will rebuild your cluster and add a temp gauge. Check them out...

 

https://circuitboardmedics.com/2003-2006-chevrolet-instrument-cluster-repair/

 

https://www.gmgaugerepair.com/

 

I'm sure there are others out there, but these are two I found while searching for some place to repair my '03 Sierra ISRV mirror with temp/compass. I used Circuit Board Medics and was quite pleased (1 day turn around). If and when the time comes that I need my cluster rebuilt, I'll use them again and add the temp gauge while they have it.

 

To answer your question about the gauge working, this excerpt is from Circuit Board Medics website...

 

Transmission Temperature Gauge Upgrade

All full sized vehicles (Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe) are equipped with a transmission temperature sensor, but the instrument cluster is not set up to display the information. We offer an upgrade which includes adding the transmission temperature gauge, a new faceplate and calibration of the gauge. This requires no additional wiring or parts for your vehicle. Please give us a call if you have questions regarding this upgrade. If your vehicle currently has the transmission temperature gauge, there is no additional cost associated with the rebuild. 

[Ak_grown]

On my old 2000 SLE 1500 I had a customer upgrade his Yukon Denali gauges to the Escalade gauges and he gave me his old one. It was plug and play and transmission gauges work for me, to answer your question, the will the gauge work.  

[lryfer]

GMGAUGE Repair wont add red LEDs to my IP. They state they will be blurred and fuzzy due to the blue backside of the cluster. You heard of this?

[Ak_grown]

well yeah bloods and crips don't mesh well lol 

 

but seems to me that the back side is a neutral color and the light emitted is blue, remove the blue and replace with red you would have a red hue. i don't remember the actual gauge display sheet being blue why they would respond with red led would cause a blurry/fuzzy hue. did you ask them for pics of previous clusters that where done in red?

[Ak_grown]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dash-Bulb-to-LED-Conversion-Kit-DIY-Red-2003-04-05-06-Silverado-Tahoe-Suburban/281871453194?_trkparms=aid%3D1110001%26algo%3DSPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20190711095549%26meid%3D594a7c2e2c9a4129b9097b061f0b4f8e%26pid%3D100047%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D272301328681%26itm%3D281871453194%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100047.m2108 

 

here is a DIY kit from them, kinda weird they wouldn't provide work they advertise 

[davester]

When I put white LED's in my IP, the dash overlay made all the previously white lines blue.  I had to carefully use acetone to remove some of the coloring applied to the dash overlay to make the white lines appear white with the LEDs.  It's easy to remove other layers or rip the overlay.