Instrument/ Gauge cluster
 

2005 Silverado LT ext. cab, 2wd. with about 82k.

I read a thread about common problems and heard that up to this year the gauges can freak out? ...Well my lights are just going out.
First 1 @ a time, the fuel light dimmed out. A few months later one side of the speedometer would be out 60-120. Then a couple months ago the other side dimmed/burnt out. Idk. I've taken to a dealership for opinion and was told that the entire cluster might have to be replaced which i'm not gonna do(didn't let them look, just asked). $400 = F that. There are about 4-5 different lighted areas out. My buddy says bulbs can be changed. If so thats great.

I'm not just wanting to know how or if it can be fixed cheaply, but also WHAT IS CAUSING THIS? I have seen a button near the stereo (rear defrost) also be off completely once and then it be on working properly and has been ever since. No other problems with gauges that i can recall.

-Ya'll kick a$$ by the way.
Thanks for replys.

IIRC the 05 bulbs are soldered to the pc board, not like the older ones that just had the easy change bulbs. Mine is an '06 and it had the soldered in type bulbs. On my '06 the entire cluster had to be taken apart to get to them. Needles off of gauges and all. I converted them to LEDs but that is a project.

Look at this pic, the yellowish looking things are the LED's, there are two of them in this photo.

Attachment 2786

So basically even if I did get in there and pull the board out, and soldered new ones in the problems could still happen. I've seen my rear defrost button light go out completely and is now on. What is causing that? A few lights for my steering wheel control buttons also are burnt out. If I got an LED cluster would it give it problems?

...Damn these small difficult things.

You may try to just take the cluster out and clean the connection in the back. Plug it back in and try it for a while. You can clean the connectors with a pencil eraser or something, like we used to clean slot car rails.

The clusters complete can be found fairly cheap on ebay and stuff. They have to be programmed for your mileage though. Since the mileage isn't in the PCM, it is only stored in the cluster.

Lights burning out on these trucks are a pain in the butt. I do feel your pain.