Gear Indicator Lights & Odometer Goes Blank

I am having an issue with my odometer and gear indicator lights. I have a 2002 Avalanche 1500 Z71, 91k miles. Issue popped up last winter - so maybe 5 or 6k miles ago. Mine will just go out while driving. One minute it is fine, the next minute I look down and it is completely black - like it is turned off. If I smack the top of the dash a couple of times, sometimes it will come back on - sometimes it won't. It will do this for a couple of days, then it will stop for a week or two - but the gremlin always returns. I have a co-worker who has a 1999 or 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 - the interior is very similar to my Avvy, at least as far as the dash, gauges, cluster, & console is concerned - and he has the same problem with his truck. His will stay out for days - he won't smack his dash though because he thinks there is a chance that odometer will not register the miles driven while it is out. I don't think this is the case but who knows? Anyway, if anybody else is having this problem and knows of any solutions (besides beating up the dash) please let us know. Thanks!

well, if beating helps(doesn't it always?) - then you have loose contact
1. check with dealership, there was a recall on instrument panel clusters for silverados, might be for avalanches too, same truck pretty much
2. check fuse, cluster has it's own, might be plain loose.
3. pull cluster out, it's not that hard actually, and clean all conatcts with electrician grease, then lubricate with diaelectric grease.