How do you remove the cobalt's gauge clusters?
How do you remove the cobalt's gauge clusters?
Hey, i was curious how do you remove the cobalt's instrument clusters, maybe if it's easy enough, i was thinking i would change the bulb's colors by caps so it would light up a different color at night! 
New Member
Joined: 01-12-06
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
From: Canada
Its really easy, use a phillips head screwdriver to remove the two screws in the top of the shroud right above the gauges.
Then remove the two side panels, the ones with the foglamps and the other with DIC controls. There are then two 7mm bolts under those panels along with some metal holddowns you need to snap off. Remove everything and take the shroud off. Be Very careful in removing the shroud not to scratch up your interior.
Next there are 4 bolts holding the entire assy in, take those out, rotate the cluster and remove the harness from the back of it, next remove the cluster.
Next remove the 2 phillips head screws on the back of cluster, and remove the white plastic cover. Now our clusters are not the old fashion ones with bulbs, they have non-serviceable LED bulbs so you won't be able to change them.
The way I did it was to use red cellophane sp? on the back of it to change the color to red. Now to do this you will knock all the needles off the gauges. You will then need to line them back up. The best way to do this is plug the cluster back in, turn power on then line the speedo and rev to 0. The fuel gauge you just have to memorize and hope you got right. You have to do it with the key on engine off. The little motors inside the cluster are not indexed and easily moved so you can't do the old trick of taking a digital photo and putting them back because the needles may not stop in the same place every time.
Then remove the two side panels, the ones with the foglamps and the other with DIC controls. There are then two 7mm bolts under those panels along with some metal holddowns you need to snap off. Remove everything and take the shroud off. Be Very careful in removing the shroud not to scratch up your interior.
Next there are 4 bolts holding the entire assy in, take those out, rotate the cluster and remove the harness from the back of it, next remove the cluster.
Next remove the 2 phillips head screws on the back of cluster, and remove the white plastic cover. Now our clusters are not the old fashion ones with bulbs, they have non-serviceable LED bulbs so you won't be able to change them.
The way I did it was to use red cellophane sp? on the back of it to change the color to red. Now to do this you will knock all the needles off the gauges. You will then need to line them back up. The best way to do this is plug the cluster back in, turn power on then line the speedo and rev to 0. The fuel gauge you just have to memorize and hope you got right. You have to do it with the key on engine off. The little motors inside the cluster are not indexed and easily moved so you can't do the old trick of taking a digital photo and putting them back because the needles may not stop in the same place every time.
Originally Posted by Redberet
Its really easy, use a phillips head screwdriver to remove the two screws in the top of the shroud right above the gauges.
Then remove the two side panels, the ones with the foglamps and the other with DIC controls. There are then two 7mm bolts under those panels along with some metal holddowns you need to snap off. Remove everything and take the shroud off. Be Very careful in removing the shroud not to scratch up your interior.
Next there are 4 bolts holding the entire assy in, take those out, rotate the cluster and remove the harness from the back of it, next remove the cluster.
Next remove the 2 phillips head screws on the back of cluster, and remove the white plastic cover. Now our clusters are not the old fashion ones with bulbs, they have non-serviceable LED bulbs so you won't be able to change them.
The way I did it was to use red cellophane sp? on the back of it to change the color to red. Now to do this you will knock all the needles off the gauges. You will then need to line them back up. The best way to do this is plug the cluster back in, turn power on then line the speedo and rev to 0. The fuel gauge you just have to memorize and hope you got right. You have to do it with the key on engine off. The little motors inside the cluster are not indexed and easily moved so you can't do the old trick of taking a digital photo and putting them back because the needles may not stop in the same place every time.
Then remove the two side panels, the ones with the foglamps and the other with DIC controls. There are then two 7mm bolts under those panels along with some metal holddowns you need to snap off. Remove everything and take the shroud off. Be Very careful in removing the shroud not to scratch up your interior.
Next there are 4 bolts holding the entire assy in, take those out, rotate the cluster and remove the harness from the back of it, next remove the cluster.
Next remove the 2 phillips head screws on the back of cluster, and remove the white plastic cover. Now our clusters are not the old fashion ones with bulbs, they have non-serviceable LED bulbs so you won't be able to change them.
The way I did it was to use red cellophane sp? on the back of it to change the color to red. Now to do this you will knock all the needles off the gauges. You will then need to line them back up. The best way to do this is plug the cluster back in, turn power on then line the speedo and rev to 0. The fuel gauge you just have to memorize and hope you got right. You have to do it with the key on engine off. The little motors inside the cluster are not indexed and easily moved so you can't do the old trick of taking a digital photo and putting them back because the needles may not stop in the same place every time.
dude, that's awesome, thanks man!
Senior Member
Joined: 03-02-06
Posts: 620
Likes: 0
From: Fleetwood, PA
Originally Posted by Redberet
Its really easy, use a phillips head screwdriver to remove the two screws in the top of the shroud right above the gauges.
Then remove the two side panels, the ones with the foglamps and the other with DIC controls. There are then two 7mm bolts under those panels along with some metal holddowns you need to snap off. Remove everything and take the shroud off. Be Very careful in removing the shroud not to scratch up your interior.
Next there are 4 bolts holding the entire assy in, take those out, rotate the cluster and remove the harness from the back of it, next remove the cluster.
Next remove the 2 phillips head screws on the back of cluster, and remove the white plastic cover. Now our clusters are not the old fashion ones with bulbs, they have non-serviceable LED bulbs so you won't be able to change them.
The way I did it was to use red cellophane sp? on the back of it to change the color to red. Now to do this you will knock all the needles off the gauges. You will then need to line them back up. The best way to do this is plug the cluster back in, turn power on then line the speedo and rev to 0. The fuel gauge you just have to memorize and hope you got right. You have to do it with the key on engine off. The little motors inside the cluster are not indexed and easily moved so you can't do the old trick of taking a digital photo and putting them back because the needles may not stop in the same place every time.
Then remove the two side panels, the ones with the foglamps and the other with DIC controls. There are then two 7mm bolts under those panels along with some metal holddowns you need to snap off. Remove everything and take the shroud off. Be Very careful in removing the shroud not to scratch up your interior.
Next there are 4 bolts holding the entire assy in, take those out, rotate the cluster and remove the harness from the back of it, next remove the cluster.
Next remove the 2 phillips head screws on the back of cluster, and remove the white plastic cover. Now our clusters are not the old fashion ones with bulbs, they have non-serviceable LED bulbs so you won't be able to change them.
The way I did it was to use red cellophane sp? on the back of it to change the color to red. Now to do this you will knock all the needles off the gauges. You will then need to line them back up. The best way to do this is plug the cluster back in, turn power on then line the speedo and rev to 0. The fuel gauge you just have to memorize and hope you got right. You have to do it with the key on engine off. The little motors inside the cluster are not indexed and easily moved so you can't do the old trick of taking a digital photo and putting them back because the needles may not stop in the same place every time.
New Member
Joined: 07-06-06
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
Originally Posted by Redberet
Its really easy, use a phillips head screwdriver to remove the two screws in the top of the shroud right above the gauges.
Then remove the two side panels, the ones with the foglamps and the other with DIC controls. There are then two 7mm bolts under those panels along with some metal holddowns you need to snap off. Remove everything and take the shroud off. Be Very careful in removing the shroud not to scratch up your interior.
Next there are 4 bolts holding the entire assy in, take those out, rotate the cluster and remove the harness from the back of it, next remove the cluster.
Next remove the 2 phillips head screws on the back of cluster, and remove the white plastic cover. Now our clusters are not the old fashion ones with bulbs, they have non-serviceable LED bulbs so you won't be able to change them.
The way I did it was to use red cellophane sp? on the back of it to change the color to red. Now to do this you will knock all the needles off the gauges. You will then need to line them back up. The best way to do this is plug the cluster back in, turn power on then line the speedo and rev to 0. The fuel gauge you just have to memorize and hope you got right. You have to do it with the key on engine off. The little motors inside the cluster are not indexed and easily moved so you can't do the old trick of taking a digital photo and putting them back because the needles may not stop in the same place every time.
Then remove the two side panels, the ones with the foglamps and the other with DIC controls. There are then two 7mm bolts under those panels along with some metal holddowns you need to snap off. Remove everything and take the shroud off. Be Very careful in removing the shroud not to scratch up your interior.
Next there are 4 bolts holding the entire assy in, take those out, rotate the cluster and remove the harness from the back of it, next remove the cluster.
Next remove the 2 phillips head screws on the back of cluster, and remove the white plastic cover. Now our clusters are not the old fashion ones with bulbs, they have non-serviceable LED bulbs so you won't be able to change them.
The way I did it was to use red cellophane sp? on the back of it to change the color to red. Now to do this you will knock all the needles off the gauges. You will then need to line them back up. The best way to do this is plug the cluster back in, turn power on then line the speedo and rev to 0. The fuel gauge you just have to memorize and hope you got right. You have to do it with the key on engine off. The little motors inside the cluster are not indexed and easily moved so you can't do the old trick of taking a digital photo and putting them back because the needles may not stop in the same place every time.
How did you remove those side panels? Flathead screwdriver?
New Member
Joined: 01-12-06
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
From: Canada
No thats a standard cluster bulb, the ones in the cobalt are High Flux LEDS, at least in my dash. They look like this
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/5049387...ranha_LED_.jpg
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/5049387...ranha_LED_.jpg
hmmmm, any means on how to modify this so i can change my display to blue or red? 
Originally Posted by Redberet
No thats a standard cluster bulb, the ones in the cobalt are High Flux LEDS, at least in my dash. They look like this
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/5049387...ranha_LED_.jpg
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/5049387...ranha_LED_.jpg
I'm old school
Joined: 02-16-05
Posts: 6,905
Likes: 3
From: Nashville
Whoa, revival!
Okay, what you all need to read is the same thread. There is a how to on disassembling the dash. That gets you to the cluster and all the other parts you are asking about.
Click here
This one is limited to just a couple parts, but it get you going in the right direction.
As for swapping to a different cluster (like a base 120 gauge to an SS 160 gauge), you can't. The BCM won't recognize it and it won't function.
Okay, what you all need to read is the same thread. There is a how to on disassembling the dash. That gets you to the cluster and all the other parts you are asking about.
Click here
This one is limited to just a couple parts, but it get you going in the right direction.
As for swapping to a different cluster (like a base 120 gauge to an SS 160 gauge), you can't. The BCM won't recognize it and it won't function.
Junior Member
Joined: 02-21-07
Posts: 448
Likes: 0
From: gastonia
heres a solution www.blackcatcustom.com they have gauges in all sorts of colors
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