Yeah....oops...... new to the forum, just came across the thread.
I did a similar "oops" on a thread about flickering lights cuz of a bad battery-to-fuse-block lead.

Dang. I've since made a "note to self" : check date of last post before inserting typing hands into mouth.....

Like my smarter half says, "I can't take you anywhere!"
Thanx,
-- Zyg --

The solution that we went through was an entire dash replacement. There was indeed a part that went there but the rest of the dash itself was already breaking up on its own, so we replaced the entire dashboard. so yeah this thread can be "closed".

That looks identical to the dash on my 2002. Pre 2001, there was additional instrument lights in a cluster located there. If I'm correct, that's just an access cover in 2001 and up. I would check Ebay for dash parts or even a salvage yard before I'd go to a dealer for that.