Removing the dashboard on a Chevy Express van is a fairly simple process because it involves mostly spring clips on the front panel and 1/2-inch bolts on the back of the dash. Spring clips are fasteners that snap off and on quite easily. Even so, removing a dash is a time-consuming project. Before starting, make sure you have enough light inside the vehicle to complete the task.
Remove the negative terminal from the battery with a socket wrench to avoid an accidental short circuit.
Unsnap the trim panel below the steering column. This small piece of plastic is held on with spring clips. Unsnap the panel from around the instrument cluster, by first moving the shift lever to first gear then rotating the panel counterclockwise and lifting it over the steering column.
Pull off the trim panel around the climate control panel. Remove the three screws from the stereo using a 9/32-inch hex head screwdriver. Pull out the stereo from the center of the climate control panel and disconnect the wire harness and the antenna cable from the back.
Remove all of the knobs and sliders from the climate control panel just below the stereo. Pull out the entire climate control assembly and disengage the cable connected to the brown clip on the back of the unit. Unscrew the three Phillips head screws at the top of the instrument cluster then pull it out. Disconnect the speedometer cable, cruise control wiring, fog lights, headlights and dash light wiring from the back of the instrument cluster.
Unsnap the kick panels at the bottom of the dashboard. Remove the two bolts at the bottom of the storage bin below the climate control panel with a 1/2-inch socket wrench. With the door open, locate the two 1/2-inch bolts on the side of the driver's side dash and two more on the passenger's side. Remove all four bolts.
Remove the three bolts along the top of the dashboard, underneath the windshield. Remove the two bolts on top of the steering column and wiggle the entire dash free. Pull the dash away from the firewall and look behind it to make sure all the electrical connections have been disconnected. Have an assistant help you lift the dashboard assembly out of the vehicle.
