Dash issues with 3LT???
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 13,602
Likes: 12,865
From: Virginia
Can you not see the fallacy of your flawed logic? It is so clearly apparent. Question: Did you and others not make a decision to purchase a C7 Corvette knowing that the C7 has widely reported problems with bent and cracked wheels?...and also that it could cost as much as 6K dollars out of your own pocket to remedy this repair? Yes you did. Even though it was widely reported and widely accepted on this forum that the C7 had a flawed wheel design problem, you and many others still purchased a C7. Well how did you know the C7 had wheel issues? All the data is not available. What told you this? The C7 forum doesn't represent the entire population of C7 owners? It was not hard to not accept the fact that the C7 does have wheel flaws inherent in its's design. You don't have to poll every single C7 owner to know this. Why then is this claim accepted when all the data is not known??? It's because of what statisticians refer to as the process of deductive reasoning. There are many thousands of posts here where owners have reported wheel issues and there are many reports and published articles written about this issue as well. Well if you accept this reasoning as truth then can't one also assume you would also expect to see vast numbers of posts, threads, and articles related to leather delaminating on C7 dashboards as well? Well, truth be told there are relatively a small number of posts on this forum that mention dash delamination as compared to posts related to wheel problems. I would say there are 2 orders of magnitude fewer reports here for leather issues than there are for wheel issues (you can always research for yourself this topic here if you do not believe this). So why would you recommend, especially when you don't even own a 3LT, that people not consider owning a 3LT/3LZ trimmed C7? When I reviewed this topic 7 months ago I could only find around 100, maybe 125 people on this forum that had issues with leather delamination. There are 70,000+ 3LT/3LZ owners. For you to make a recommendation as you have done here, and also posted on other similar threads, that prospective C7 buyers should not consider purchasing a 3LT/3LZ based on such small numbers of complaints is deeply flawed thinking and you are performing a great disservice to these buyers. Numbers do not support your claim of wide spread problems. You even stated you refuse to take the time to study this topic more thoroughly than you have demonstrated but you still make these bogus claims.
I purchased my C7 over 3 years ago and there was no issue of cracked or bent wheels at that time to my knowledge.
Not sure why you keep wanting to turn this into a cracked/bent wheel discussion.
I'm done wasting my time on you however I would like you to show us where I have recommended that anyone should not purchase a C7 because of risk of cracked/bent wheels or dash issues? I've only identified risk of these issues for certain models and have stated that risk were small.
Oh, one additional thing, you still haven't identified the facts you refereed to and I asked you to share in post 138.
Last edited by Kevin A Jones; Jun 28, 2020 at 11:08 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,285
Likes: 648
Ferrari has a known dash shrinkage problem all models. To fix some cars the windshield must be removed. So: use a leather treatment with a sun screen. Try to keep it out of the sun.Leave Windows cracked and use a proper fitted sun shield.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 797
Likes: 283
But to me, even with the potential (realized!) of leather dash issues I think the benefits outweigh the cons. All of my cars have them because they look, feel, and smell better.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 32,314
Likes: 4,628
This is the dash on my 2014 3LT. It began pulling out last fall after a hot, humid day. When I bought it in February 2019 it was perfect. Now, not so much. A car that spends it's time in the garage, has only 20,000 miles, and this happens. I'm not sure what to do about it.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,285
Likes: 648
My F430's dash shrunk and popped the defroster vents even though I was really good about sunshields and even had a tinted windshield. So I found bought an OEM replacement for $1000 and swapped it out. On the contrary, a friend of mine has never done anything in the way of leather protection yet his F430 remains absolutely perfect. Go figure.
But to me, even with the potential (realized!) of leather dash issues I think the benefits outweigh the cons. All of my cars have them because they look, feel, and smell better.
But to me, even with the potential (realized!) of leather dash issues I think the benefits outweigh the cons. All of my cars have them because they look, feel, and smell better.
Last edited by GTS Bruce; Jun 29, 2020 at 03:05 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 797
Likes: 283
CF Community Team
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 14,222
Likes: 7,492
From: Pittsburgh
2025 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Unfortunately the C6 dashes had/have the same issues with the 3LT trim, you would think that GM would have fixed the issue on the C7
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 797
Likes: 283
I had a 575M which I bought 10 yrs old with 3000 miles on it. Perfect condition. Added 10.000 over 7 years and sold last fall. Leather was dry but Zaino brought it back to life. Sold it for what I could pick up a 599 for now and of course the c8 I ordered will end up being a 2021.....Loaded z51 in the interim before a ZR1. Anyway on the dealers list in the #1 spot for a ZR1. The ZO6 will be great but before the F car I got used to driving a twin turbo Viper. When you ran out of talent with no nannies it could bite you or kill you in an instant. Nothing like acceleration at 100-whatever like you were in 2nd gear. 750 HP 91 pump gas and 1200 on 100 cam 2. Yes of course it had brakes,suspension,drive shaft,half shafts etc,etc . Expensive but it sure was fun. Finally added the front body clip,rrear wing and diffuser from the Lemans winning cars. A 20 minute car. Fun to drive for 20 minutes, Went the other extreme with the 575M. GTS Bruce
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 13,602
Likes: 12,865
From: Virginia
There's quite a bit of risk of electrical issues, squeaks and rattles if not done correctly. Most larger Chevy dealers probably have quite a bit of experience replacing these dashes. I may be wrong.
If I had the issue I believe I'd go back with a 1LT/2LT dash as they look pretty good.
Last edited by Kevin A Jones; Jun 29, 2020 at 05:16 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 797
Likes: 283
Even though I'm definitely NO fan of Chevy service departments, I'd be a little hesitant to have an upholstery shop do a replacement considering the entire dash, steering column, driver information center, gauge cluster, and center console has to be removed and all the electronics that need to be disconnected and reconnected. There's a photo posted somewhere on here showing a C7 interior torn down getting the dash replaced and it's ugly...........
There's quite a bit of risk of electrical issues, squeaks and rattles if not done correctly. Most larger Chevy dealers probably have quite a bit of experience replacing these dashes. I may be wrong.
If I had the issue I believe I'd go back with a 1LT/2LT dash as they look pretty good.
There's quite a bit of risk of electrical issues, squeaks and rattles if not done correctly. Most larger Chevy dealers probably have quite a bit of experience replacing these dashes. I may be wrong.
If I had the issue I believe I'd go back with a 1LT/2LT dash as they look pretty good.
My Ferrari dash swap. "What did I do??"
Last edited by KM1959; Jun 29, 2020 at 05:33 PM. Reason: typo
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 13,602
Likes: 12,865
From: Virginia
^ Yep, that's pretty much the drill for replacing a C7 dash. Seems it could be made a little less labor intensive. I've replaced dashes/consoles while restoring C2s and C3s which are much easier.
It would be beyond frustrating to do this job only to have if happen again a year latter.
It would be beyond frustrating to do this job only to have if happen again a year latter.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 168
Likes: 91
I'd love to find a shop that would look at mine. I've called the best 3 shops in Indiana and was told effectively the same thing: this happens to a lot of Corvettes and it's not easy or simple to repair without a full rewrap of the dash, which isn't something shops do due to liability - GM uses explosive stitching in the leather to allow the airbag to release and acquiring and using this stitching in the exact same manner as GM leaves room for error and chance for safety/liability which doesn't make it worth it for most shops.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 797
Likes: 283
I'd love to find a shop that would look at mine. I've called the best 3 shops in Indiana and was told effectively the same thing: this happens to a lot of Corvettes and it's not easy or simple to repair without a full rewrap of the dash, which isn't something shops do due to liability - GM uses explosive stitching in the leather to allow the airbag to release and acquiring and using this stitching in the exact same manner as GM leaves room for error and chance for safety/liability which doesn't make it worth it for most shops.
I'd love to find a shop that would look at mine. I've called the best 3 shops in Indiana and was told effectively the same thing: this happens to a lot of Corvettes and it's not easy or simple to repair without a full rewrap of the dash, which isn't something shops do due to liability - GM uses explosive stitching in the leather to allow the airbag to release and acquiring and using this stitching in the exact same manner as GM leaves room for error and chance for safety/liability which doesn't make it worth it for most shops.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 168
Likes: 91
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 797
Likes: 283
With some hunting I was able to find prices at $1250, so after shipping (perhaps we can find it free?) It is close to $1500. Mine hasn't gotten quite bad enough yet (but is raised in the same spot as the photo posted above in this thread, but without the wrinkles) but when I get around to doing the DIY, itd be nice to buddy up with another person who also wants to to it. Would be less stressful with two people.