Common 3rd Gen Issue. That annoying crack up at the windshield - it looks like a simple plastic bar going from pillar to pillar and should be an easy fix. I had to replace my heater core and wanted to post a couple of photos to share what is really going on in there. This bar running across is actually part of the entire dash assembly, and requires complete disassembly to replace or repair. I am currently trying some JB Weld from WalMart on this crack to see if it does any good...at least the color is close...Hahaa...
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I had the Crack. Like we tend to all have. And I bought that plastic overlay that molds over the whole piece. Glues on there and looks great. It's a thin and somewhat flexible piece so I don't see the piece cracking anytime soon.
That area is a heavy stress point on the dash Jake. Seems the passenger side is highly reinforced due to the airbag being mounted in the dash ( one doesn't want the dash to come right along with that airbag when it flies out of its compartment!). The Drivers side airbag is mounted in the steering wheel so that side has very few attachment points. This makes for more flexing on the drivers side than the passenger side and something is eventually gonna snap. I'm guessing that high quality material the dash is made up of (not) doesn't help matters any......
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I am the only person who's never had it crack there? I've had 5 Cavs now..plus two my parents owned.. and not one ever cracked.
my dash cracked in the same spot and I tried JB weld but it cracked within about two months as well. Switched to a 95 dash and have been crack free ever since. Something about they changed the plastic used after 95 and just about all 96+ dashes crack. Go find a dash out of a 95 from the yard and swap it in.
John - You are one lucky fellow!
Austin - I frequent a local yard - you bet I am going to be checking out those '95's. I had seen a few gutted for the dash assembly, but never paid any attention to the year models though. Thanks for the heads up! Always learning something cool here on J-Body!!
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My sisters Cavalier has it, my ex's did, and my dash has 7!
wasnt it because one of the bolts in the dash was over torqued causing stress in that particular area?
CarDomain
Part of the problem is that airbag on the passenger side. The dash on that side is more securely bolted down to take the impact of the deployment. The drivers side has the airbag in the steering wheel and doesn't have as many screws on that side.
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Orlen Brown wrote:Part of the problem is that airbag on the passenger side. The dash on that side is more securely bolted down to take the impact of the deployment. The drivers side has the airbag in the steering wheel and doesn't have as many screws on that side.
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I do not think that has much to do with it. Cheap plastic and heat and cold flexing the plastic.
FU Tuning
Austin Stilwell wrote:my dash cracked in the same spot and I tried JB weld but it cracked within about two months as well. Switched to a 95 dash and have been crack free ever since. Something about they changed the plastic used after 95 and just about all 96+ dashes crack. Go find a dash out of a 95 from the yard and swap it in.
I've heard this multiple times but my 95 had the crack to.
I don't remember if I had a late model 95 or early model 95 but I want to say I had the late model.
- Your not-so-local, untrained, uncertified, backyard mechanic. But my @!#$ runs
where did you get that overlay for that dash crack at?
Maybe we are in a bad area, but mine have all been absolutely shattered...all over. Pad mounting points gone, end screw holes gone. Breaks when you just touch it. Horrible plastic, becomes embrittled. the 1990's Sharp, and Sony TV's did the same thing. Scary when you are carrying a tv, and the case literally disentegrates.
My '02 Cavalier, my boyfriend's '98 Cavalier, my '98 Camaro and my dad's '99 Camaro all have huge cracks in the dash. I've always chalked it up to being GM's choice of plastic for the dash. I realized it wasn't just one little strip of plastic when I took the dash apart to put a new radio in. Saw how it runs underneath everything else and how much of a pain it'd be to replace...so I ordered a tan-colored cloth dash cover and was done with it, haha.
Been contemplating bout trying to fix mine using a krazy carpet. Flexible, easy to cut, glue it down then cover it with a wrap.. Thoughts? Cheap and easy.
ReD RaiN
The dash cover I put on mine was about $35 shipped from eBay and was manufactured to match the dash exactly. They have a lot of color options as well.
Ya that's where I keep it stashed.... Just not in the mood to share
Seriously though Mine has never cracked thankfully...
