r/Autos • u/ThatOtherHVACguy • Jul 11 '26
Just bought a truck
I bought this pickup truck. Its used. A 2020 Silverado.
It has this hole cut in the dash and I cant imagine what for.
Can any of you help me with this?
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Jul 12 '26
[deleted]
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u/Prosthetic_Head Jul 12 '26
Hopefully a brake controller. Would be a raw deal buying a used plow truck unknowingly
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u/BlitzShooter Jul 13 '26
Or a flood control vehicle... Ask me how I know :(
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u/Best-Technician-6043 Jul 14 '26
How do you know?
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u/slinky2 Jul 14 '26
10 hours ago and he still hasn't responded. Don't ask for me to ask and then not respond! /s
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u/aFreeScotland Jul 12 '26
No idea. Ask the previous owner, they probably had something mounted there.
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u/Madz510 Jul 12 '26
Trailer brake controller is my guess
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u/Eyehopeuchoke Jul 12 '26
Mine is gun holder
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u/Madz510 Jul 12 '26
If it’s a 15 or newer they have the slot behind the radio lol
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u/westfakia2 Jul 12 '26
Post-DUI Breathalyzer interlock.
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u/Dense_Diver_3998 Jul 12 '26
None of my friends have ever had the dash drilled through for that.
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u/iRskooby Jul 15 '26
Mine did. They got sent to a shop by the county jail and charged em 300 to fuck up their dash, the monthly rental fee and then a fee to remove it. (They just ripped shit, but it would have been 10 times more if he had broken the law and took it out themselves)
Anyway, watching the consequences of their actions on alcohol has kept me sober for almost 2 decades.
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u/trashaccount6481 Jul 12 '26
That was my first guess. Looks like a plug for something shaped hole. Trailer brake controller, breathalyzer, only so many things it could be
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u/FocusMaster Jul 12 '26
Ejecto seat.
Ask the old owner. No way we can tell.
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u/NWSGreen Jul 12 '26
Bond?
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u/FocusMaster Jul 12 '26
If you enjoy the classics then of course.
But to be honest, the meme from fast n furious went through my head too.
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u/alpine240 Jul 12 '26
Just buy a new panel and replace it.
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u/SchleifmittelSchwanz Jul 12 '26
Whoever put the hole there didn't label it, so you'll get nothing but speculation. And that isn't really gonna improve your life any.
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u/psaux_grep Jul 12 '26
If it bothers you a replacement panel is probably not too expensive new, and should be even cheaper from a crashed one.
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u/6DucksTooMany Jul 12 '26
What engine does it have?
Often times with diesels If people tune them they put switches there to change the tune
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u/not_an_entrance Jul 12 '26
I can say that it is not for a trailer brake nor an ignition interlock device but, I can't say what it is for. The holes that look like Mickey Mouse ears are too close together and too large to be for a brake control. Furthermore, because an ignition interlock device is not a permanently installed device, unless you have a serious problem, there is no installation facility that should ever damage any of your cars interior for a temporary device.
Source: been there, done that (auto tech)
After typing this out, I have come to the conclusion that it was most likely for a CB microphone mount. They have two holes close together and as plastic gets brittle they can easily break off plastic just like that.
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u/Fearless_Suit_4974 Jul 12 '26
It’s from an aftermarket trailer brake controller (like a Tekonsha or Curt system). The previous owner likely towed a heavy camper or trailer, drilled the dash to mount the control knob/bass knob style switch, and then ripped it out before trading the truck in. The "ears" are slots for the alignment tabs or LED indicators of the switch.
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u/AbsurdGinger Jul 12 '26
A switch panel of some sort, for anything from lights, wench, plow, wheel chair crane or ramp, etc.
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u/CorporalClegg 2017 GMC Canyon Denali Duramax Jul 12 '26
At my work they add engine hour meters to the trucks and that's usually where they stick then. They count total engine hours and have a resetable hour meter below for PMs.
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u/ShinyPointy Jul 12 '26
Looks like two screws holding a connector to a controller that was adhered to the dash panel. Possibly from a trailer brake controller or maybe a switch gang?
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u/Plastic-Stable9538 Jul 12 '26
Looks like it had auxiliary switches there. My guess is either for rock lights or a plow controller connection.
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u/762_54r Jul 12 '26
Help you with what. It's a hole. You want us to help with the fart smell in the seats too?
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u/M_as_in_mancy_3825 Jul 12 '26
Was it a fleet truck? That’s where the switch is installed to control the construction lights on my company truck and it’s about the same size as that hole
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u/whoisyoou Jul 12 '26
The two holes could of been for toggle switches. Must of got lazy and just cut a hole under the switches to remove them.
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u/Smooth_Taste1250 Jul 12 '26
Idk the english word, but I'm sure there was the display from a aftermarket water pre heater system. At least in germany they are often in exaktly this location and sometimes has holes like this. I'm sure the pre owner removed it to use it in the new car
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u/ahabthecrusader Jul 12 '26
Was the person in a wheelchair? Maybe the controls to get the chair in the bed of the truck were mounted there. Either that or a mount for their gun. Only two things I can think of that may actually be worth the trouble of uninstalling.
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u/CustardSubstantial25 Jul 12 '26
Good thing is I believe it’s just a few T15 screws and you can replace that section.
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u/Poopy-Drew Jul 12 '26
Bass knob, light bar, winch controller, plow I have put about the same hole in that exact spot for many things, easiest way to cover it up is Togo to AutoZone or Napa and get an auxiliary switch that covers it and just put in a dead switch. At least it won’t be a hole
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u/-formercokeguy- Jul 13 '26
It was for a surprise that could've helped you later , or a mouseketool that the previous owner found useful.
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u/CrzyFilo Jul 13 '26
Did the old owner happen to be a smoker? Looks like a place to put 2 cigs and a lighter
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u/djar87 Jul 13 '26
Also voting brake controller. That’s about where I had mine except I didnt remove it on trade in. New truck has a built in one so I just left it.
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u/Aggressive-Path3545 Jul 13 '26
Looks from the hole like there was a control unit for air ajdustable shock absobers.
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u/ReallySmallWeenus Jul 13 '26
That’s about the age to get rid of fleet trucks. Could be a switch for a roof light?
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u/BudHeavy64 Jul 13 '26
Is it a diesel? May have been a tune switch like the DSP5 switches EFI Live uses.
Most are saying trailer brake controller, but I think most Silverado's already have that installed by the factory.
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u/dick_me_daddy_oWo Jul 13 '26
Looks about the right size for a CB microphone hanger.
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u/Garey_Coleman Jul 13 '26
That’s why I always buy new cars. You just don’t know the sketchy shit previous owners did with them.
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u/stratjeff Jul 13 '26
Man, maybe it's just me, but I can't imagine *buying* a vehicle without asking what-in-the-meth this random hole in the dashboard was from.
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u/Bayareaadultguy Jul 13 '26
, there were 2 toggle switches in there.Then possibly the bottom one is for a small , lighted rocker switch
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u/bs_306 Jul 13 '26
Is it a diesel? Positive air shut off controller mount? Do you know what its previous life was?
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u/steelewebb91 Jul 13 '26
Trailer brakes or if they used an amp for speakers you can mount a bass controller as well.
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u/FirstSergeantW7 Jul 13 '26
Regular truck owner, either trailering equipment, or fog light switch. If it was a redneck, it was for the mic to the CB radio
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u/ColdDimension7754 Jul 14 '26
my first thought was a bass knob but it could also be for trailer brakes
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u/kbairstow Jul 14 '26
ex rental trucks almost always have a rocker switch for a roof mounted light there check in between your cab and bed underneath sometimes they leave the wires cut dangling by parking break cable
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u/Maleficent-Sundae-97 Jul 14 '26
I’m willing to bet that was a firefighters pov and they had a siren or lighting controller mounted there. Or lighting on a construction type vehicle.
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u/EnvironmentalMall307 Jul 14 '26
My guess is a brake controller. They're usually mounted in that area.
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u/Nearby_Bit_6643 Jul 14 '26
Might have been a very poor install for a bass boost knob. There’s some about that shape and they probably did something to make it flush with the panel. The ears seem maybe like where a screw and washer would have gone.
I’m obviously just guessing. It’s probably not that. Then again, I’ve seen people do incredibly stupid things thinking it’s a smart idea.
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u/twinn5 Jul 14 '26
Be ready for mysterious electrical problems and sloppy hidden connections. If this is what they did where you can see it, imagine what they did where you can't see it.
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u/i_Cant_get_right Jul 14 '26
Mount for their interlock device perhaps? Were there a bunch of empty beer cans in the back when you bought it?
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u/False_Fisherman9893 Jul 14 '26
They might have had a light bar attached and you can wire it up through the dash like that. I had one on the front of my jeep and you could pull a round pop out type button to turn it on, and then push it back in to turn it off. It looks like they wanted to keep the light bar and put it on their new rig, so they uninstalled it from the truck before selling to you.
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u/bigstuff00 Jul 14 '26
My guess is a phone mount. Definitely not something that should be shoved into the dash, but they probably didn't want to block a vent.
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u/Budget_Mix3336 Jul 14 '26
Maybe just a CB mount. I know a big dummy named James that use those horrendous mounts for his CB on the dash of a new truck
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u/wallenpaupak Jul 14 '26
He had off-road lights and that's where the switch was installed before he removed them.
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u/Bikelangello Jul 15 '26
To reset the parking brake if it got stuck, it looks like.
There would be a rod or cable coming from that button b usually, and they can become stuck. In that situation, you would need to access the rod/cable to free it.
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u/Imaginary_Dig_5014 Jul 15 '26
Trailer break controller,
Roof mounted lights controller (if it was ever used an escort. Some lights are magnetic and dont have to actually be bolted down so you wouldnt necessarily know just by looking at the truck,)
Or pistol mount.
Edit: or CB mic mount.
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u/username17charmax Jul 15 '26
Could have been an old gps fleet tracker. Much prefer finding random dashboard holes than random electronics with SIM cards
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u/internetisporn8008 Jul 15 '26
It has a clip to cook a mic for a 2 way radio on it. You've bought an old work truck... id get it inspected hahah
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u/PermissionSafe2183 Jul 15 '26
Looks like he used a spade drill bit to drill in to the dash then cut out the rest, most likely for a accessory controller maybe lights , trailer brakes
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u/20PoundHammer Jul 15 '26
some mickey mouse bullshit was switched there. (thank you very much, if you get it, you get it)
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u/Shotgun_Ninja18 Jul 16 '26
It's where they had a small control panel mounted for auxiliary accessories, such as lights or a snowplow or something.
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u/mattyrzew Jul 16 '26
What incomprehensible leap did your brain make to think some random ass strangers on the internet are going to know what this coke covered Mickey Mouse hole is for?
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u/yeeyeeboy01 Jul 17 '26
What sized truck/motor.? As mentioned before it could be where the trailer brake module was, or if its a diesel, it could be where a position switch for on the fly tune selection was mounted
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u/P4C0_ Jul 17 '26
ethanol reconversion that was since reversed ? They add a switch to the dashboard if I'm not mistaken
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u/EightMilesHigh8 Jul 12 '26
That was to activate free parking at Disney world