The Red '96 Z26 (78K Miles)

[DTMAce]

Yeah, its piss easy to remove. Just drop the 4 screws (2 on each rotating knob) and the rest is clipped/fitted. Basically comes right out, I would be careful with the switches, unplug them from their harness, etc.. Swap and replace. Simple.

[2.2H8TA]

So after I get the black piece off, where do I go from there? It just simply unplugs? Is it something that is obvious when you're looking at it? By any chance, would anybody have any photos of something like this? That would be great, but if not, a general explanation would work well I'm sure, and I'd appreciate it.

[DTMAce]

Yeah, its very obvious. I was not sure of it when I removed the one from the red base I had, but I was like.. "Is that all that holds that in?"

Makes it easy to clean the thing too, once its out... LOL

Don't worry. The back of the cluster just plugs into a socket mounted in the dash pocket for the thing. Its not a big deal. Obviously, look for any tight points, if I failed to recall the location of any screws, they should still be obvious to you once the top cover is removed.

[3X00-Modified]

4 screws hold the cluster to the dash assy, but yes take the two screws out from the black pannel pull forward, unplug the lights and wiper switches, put black hood aside and then take the 4 screws out of the cluster. I don't have any pics of the cluster in that form but I can get them if you want, I drove my car today.

[2.2H8TA]

This actually sounds easy enough to to do I think. 3X00, what form do you mean? With the black piece off, or with the cluster out? I know what it looks like out of the car obviously, because I have the replacement, but a picture of what it looks like with the black plastic piece off would give me a good idea of what it all looks like under there. Is it just one plug for everything? Or are there multiple plugs for the different things on the cluster?

[DTMAce]

There are 2 "plugs" and one "socket". The plugs are located on each side for each switch. They just have a latch to unlock like most typical GM harness connectors and you pull them off the switch. The socket is for the cluster and its fixed to the backside of the dash pocket where the cluster sits. So you pull the outer housing by removing the 4 screws on the bottom of the two switches, unplug them and remove the cover and switches out of the way, then remove the 4 screws I think Jon said that hold the cluster in the dash and simply pop it out. Nothing to it. No cables, no other connectors.

As I said its easy, once you have it apart you will be slapping yourself.

[3X00-Modified]

I meant I could take a photo with the black hood off showing the screws that hold in the cluster.

[2.2H8TA]

Ace, thanks, I'm pretty sure I got this now. In the back of the cluster, on the top and directly in the middle there is some sort of contact piece, I'm' guessing that's all that plugs in, so yeah, I'm already slapping myself in the face. I was thinking there'd be a cluster-fudge of wires back there I'd have to disconnect, and then reconnect, that's why I was worried. Gonna be 60 degrees here tomorrow, so I'll be getting this done then. 3X00, don't worry about that picture, I looked at the replacement cluster, and I see where those 4 other screws go. I'll also be swapping the clear plastic from the broken cluster onto the replacement, as it looks 100% better. Thanks for the help everyone, I'll let you know how it goes.
On another note, anyone know where I can get a white face for the cluster? I'd like to do that if possible, I just don't know where I can get one. It doesn't have to be white either, could be red, or a fake carbon fiber looking one, or something like that. If anyone has one they can part with, or knows if and where these are available please let me know.

[2.2H8TA]

Yeah, its very obvious. I was not sure of it when I removed the one from the red base I had, but I was like.. "Is that all that holds that in?"

Makes it easy to clean the thing too, once its out... LOL

Don't worry. The back of the cluster just plugs into a socket mounted in the dash pocket for the thing. Its not a big deal. Obviously, look for any tight points, if I failed to recall the location of any screws, they should still be obvious to you once the top cover is removed.

What do you mean by tight points?
Also should I unhook the battery before I start disconnecting things?

[DTMAce]

Actually I looked close at mine, there are 3 screws on the bottom of each switch, then you have the 4 that hold the cluster in place.

The tight points I guess means that there may be just snug areas of the parts. Don't worry.

[2.2H8TA]

So should I disconnect the battery first? I really hope everything works on this cluster. (Lights etc.)
I'll be washing, waxing, and detailing after I swap the cluster.
I'm also thinking about painting the BERETTA on the filler panel red with some touch up paint I got with the car lol.

[DTMAce]

Naw, it will be fine, but up to you.

[2.2H8TA]

I just got finished swapping the gauge cluster. It was very easy, and took about a half hour.
The odometer and trip meter NOW WORK!
When I got the replacement plugged in, I turned the car on, and the service engine soon light is on.
Took it for a short drive to make sure everything was working, and it is.
The SES light was NOT on before this, and I'm pretty sure the light worked on the old cluster, so I need to know why it's on now. Is there a way to get it to turn off, like disconnecting the battery for a certain amount of time or something?
There is a chance that that light just did not work on the old cluster, and maybe the car really needs to be serviced, but it's a very small chance, as I seem to remember it turning on, along with all the other lights when I started the car.
I have some photos of the process that I will upload later on. But for now, can someone please give me some advice on this SES light thing?

[99GaGT3X00]

you should probably find out why the light is on before you go disconnecting the battery to erase it.

[2.2H8TA]

I'm gonna probably do that. I got a call into someone to hook it up and find out.
Here comes a short story, please bare with me. LOL
I'm just wondering if swapping the clusters could have some how caused the light to pop on, and I can't really see why it would.
In the owners manual it says if the light is on steady an emissions control system malfunction has been detected. I can't remember for sure if the light worked on the old cluster. I should have taken a picture of it lit up before swapping.
I'm thinking also, if the light didn't work on the old cluster, that the O2 sensor may be bad, and I'm pretty sure the mass air flow sensor may be bad also, as I have had a problem with erratic idle and stalling sometimes on cold starts. I'm gonna get it checked before I disconnect the battery, but if I did disconnect it, and cleared the codes, wouldn't it just pop right back on if there is something wrong?
Can someone do me a favor, and get a picture of the gauge cluster lit up right upon start-up, with all the lights lit up, so I can compare it to mine and make sure everything is working. I'd really appreciate it. Oh and it's got to be a full cluster, as I think some of the lights are different on the base clusters.
Thanks.
Another thought just popped up in my head, there were some subtle differences between the 2 clusters. The screws that held the clear plastic on were different. The replacement cluster had an extra screw holding the clear plastic on it. On the old cluster, there was not even a hole for that screw. WEIRD! Also the replacement cluster had a sticker from the factory on the bottom of it, whereas the old one did not. I bought this cluster used from a member, who I believe lived in Missouri. I don't think that they have any different emissions controls there, but the car the cluster came from may have been a California car, therefore it would have had all that crazy emissions crap. So maybe, if that's the case, the cluster is looking for something that is not on my car.
Just a thought, could be onto something, I don't know. I'm gonna try to get in contact with the person I got the cluster from and ask if that car was a California car.