Silverado Dash Covers: Finding the Right Accessories for Your Truck

It’s a new truck, all fancy and shiny. It’s even wearing a bowtie on the front… and on the back! Your Chevrolet Silverado may be built like a rock and ready for business, but there’s no reason it can’t look sharp as hell as you’re driving around, right? That’s why you spend hours upon hours polishing the chrome rims and scrubbing every bug splatter off the hood. At least, that’s how it goes for the first few weeks or months. But there aren’t enough hours in the day to keep making your Chevy truck the priority. Instead of washing your Silverado twice a week, it’s once a month. And do you even remember the last time you vacuumed the floor mats, never mind wiped the thick layer of dust off the dash? It might not be the right time to do the white-glove test…

Unfortunately, lack of car care leads to deterioration. That’s as true for your interior as it is for your brakes, tires, engine maintenance, and brakes. If you’ve ever seen a dashboard that’s split down the center or warped like Bobcat Goldthwait’s mind, you can guarantee that it was avoidable. We get it. You don’t think about your dashboard. I’ll bet your search history doesn’t even have ‘Chevy Silverado dash cover’ in it. But Silverado mods and accessories like dash mats are more important than you nay initially realize. Need proof? We have it.

Why a Silverado Dash Cover is a Good Choice

It’s easy to see how some accessories benefit you. Truck floor mats, for example, keep your venti Starbucks mocha-frappa-latte drink from soaking into your tough rig’s carpet when you knock it over (you were only trying to change the station to get the latest news). Running boards and side steps give you a leg up when you’re getting in and out of your truck, plus they’re like jewelry. And performance chips, suspension lift kits, and upgraded brake pads and rotors can drastically change how your Silverado handles.

But dashboard covers for Chevy trucks? What can that do for you?

It Prevents UV Damage

The key reason for a dash mat on any vehicle is the same: that freakin’ sun! It causes wrinkles, bleaching, and spots on your skin, and it affects your truck, too. The dashboard is in the direct line of fire for sunlight and your windshield doesn’t do much to stop it.

If you were to compare a new dash panel for your Silverado with one that’s been exposed to the sun for years – or even just a few months – there would be a noticeable difference in color. If you were to stress test it, it would probably break easier, too. Rather than having a brittle dashboard that might split down the middle, exposing rusty-orange foam underneath, a dash mat can keep it from happening. It’s the last line of defense for your dash.

It Keeps Your Interior Cooler

Ever gotten into a car and immediately felt a bead of sweat run the full length of your spine and settle on your beltline? Chances are you’re parked in the sun, right? As the sun’s ray beat down on your dash, it magnifies the heat on the surface. Feel your Chevy’s dash next time – it’s much hotter than the rest of your interior, isn’t it?

A dash cover doesn’t allow heat to dwell and magnify on the dashboard surface. It reduces heat inside your truck by 34.4%. Ok, maybe we made up that number, but the difference is noticeable. A dash cover’s soft material disperses the heat much more efficiently and you can amplify those effects even more by pairing it with a windshield sun shade.

It Prevents Glare

You’ve racked up the miles, so you’ve had instances where the sun absolutely blinded your view from the glare off your dash. Yeah, maybe it’s just that perfect angle when it happens, and in only the right conditions. But when you have the sun destroying your retinas as it ping-pongs off your dashboard, you totally wish you would’ve prevented it if you could have. A Truck dash covers for Chevy models aren’t glossy or shiny. They aren’t reflective. Meaning your dash won’t inhibit your view of the road, no matter how brief. Dash glare is a thing of the past.

It Has a Custom Look

Visually, dashboard covers for Chevy trucks can do two things:

It can enhance your truck’s interior just how you want it. A bunch of styles and color exist, along with several different materials to choose from. Whether you want a Dash-Topper camouflage dash cover so you blend into the woods better or a carpet dashboard cover that molds to your dash’s curves, it’s going to appear custom.

It covers up old damage. Hey, crap happens. If you didn’t get to buying a dash cover soon enough and the plastic splits, odds are your truck ain’t ever getting a new one installed. And why would you, when a dash cover will hide the damage for a fraction of the price? Your old Chevy could use a few accessories to spruce it up anyway.

It Helps your Silverado Retain Resale Value

Speaking of price… a dash cover won’t send you to the poor house. On the contrary – installing truck dash covers, Chevy lover, will help your truck keep its value higher. With a combination of improved appearance and reduced UV damage, you should be able to command a higher price if and when the time ever comes to flip your truck.

How Does a Chevy Silverado Dash Cover Fit In?

There’s a progression for people buying truck accessories. Admittedly, a dash cover isn’t usually the first and only product they procure to start tricking out their rides. But it definitely fits in when you’ve either bought or thought about buying some of these other truck accessories.

Start with: Truck Seat Covers

Truck owners love seat covers. No doubt about it. One of the most popular truck accessories is a set of custom made Chevy Silverado seat covers, and for good reason. Seat covers serve several purposes including protection against abrasions and tears, resistance to spills and stains, and just improving looks in general. A Silverado dash cover can be selected to either match a new seat cover set or to accent it. And since both are protection-related, they go well together like a burger and BBQ sauce.

Then Add All Weather Floor Mats

Whether you’re someone concerned about keeping your truck as immaculate as the day it rolled off the assembly line or you know how messy your kids (and spouse) can be, floor mats are always a good choice. They’re going to prevent your factory carpet from getting all sloppy from some mystery liquid. But you already knew that. You won’t see Chevy Silverado floor mats and a dash cover side by side in the store, but they’re geared toward the same purposes – keeping your truck clean and protected.

Get Those Performance Upgrades You Want

A horsepower-jacking tuner, a cold air intake, or a SkyJacker suspension lift – it’s clear you take pride in your truck’s looks and performance. You’ve invested in the best performance upgrades for a Chevy Silverado. Naturally, that includes caring for your interior, too. A souped-up truck with oversized rims and a growling exhaust? A dash cover just shows you’ll go the extra mile.

Don’t Forget About Windshield Shades and Covers

If you’re trying to prevent your interior from bleaching out from the sun, or you can’t stand the heat that a dark interior tends to emanate, a Chevy Silverado dash cover and a windshield shade go hand in hand. Between the two, you’ll have near total protection against the sun’s UV rays, when you’re driving and when you’re parked.

What Makes a Good Dash Cover (+ Our Top Picks)

Just pick one that looks good and throw it on the dash, right? Hold your horses there, Speedy. Like any truck accessories, choosing the right Silverado dash cover has a little more to it than that.

Precision Fit

Everyone’s rolled up on a granny with towels neatly folded on her dash. That’s not the look you’re going for, neither with the terry cloth or the fit. A dash cover that doesn’t fit right could slide off when you’re driving, and that’s neither cool nor safe. Choose a Silverado dash cover that’s been designed specifically for your truck’s year and make. Year to year and trim to trim, dash vents, center stacks, and instrument cluster designs will vary. Choose the wrong one and it’s going to interfere with something. Models like the Dash Designs Carpet Dashboard Cover fit perfectly and won’t interfere with safety systems like passenger airbags.

High-Quality Material

If you buy cheap, knock-off accessories for your truck, it’s going to show sooner or later. High-quality manufacturing and materials make all the difference when you’re dressing up and protecting your Chevy Silverado. Dash covers are quite commonly available in carpet like the Coverking Carpet Dash Cover, but there are several other options. Simulated suede is used in a handful of options including the Dash Designs Suede Dashboard Cover while velour and polyester DashTex are also available.

Secure Installation

A molded carpet dash mat might stay in place, but it might not. Would you rather your hula girl dances on the dashboard or tumbles to the floor? Choose a Chevy Silverado dash covers that have some sort of method to keep them where they’re supposed to be – on the dashboard. Most products like the Dash-Topper Camo Dashboard Cover come with Velcro pads that are stuck to your dash and hold the cover securely. A rubberized backing would also keep a dash cover in place, but a mat that’s molded and has no other method to fasten it? Take a pass.

The Takeaway

If you’re keen on keeping your Chevy truck looking its best, you’ll do things to protect it. Investing in a Silverado dash cover is a great option. Whether you’re looking for dress-up gear for your rig or high-performance parts and accessories, you’ll find them at AmericanTrucks.