Exterior Lighting Problems of GMC Sierra 1500 - part 1

The entire instrument panel is blacked out. I can not see the speed, how much fuel and no waring lights etc. The screen flashes between black and dark blue and there is a repetative "ding" that I have no idea what is caused from since I can not see any warning lights, etc. This puts me and others at risk due to not being able to see any functions for operation of the vehicle, the speed or any indicator lights of vehicle issues. The dealer has seen the truck, and informed me that this is a known problem and they would have to order parts. According to the service department, parts for replacement will be covered under warranty/recall and they have been on order. It has been 3 weeks and they have no knowledge of when the parts will be in to make repair. There was no warning on this problem, the panel just went out.

See all problems of the 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

Headlights on this vehicle, since purchased, have not cast enough light in order to see in unlit backroads, or extrememly dim areas. I have to drive with my brights on constantly, in order to get enough light thrown onto the road, for the left and right sides, as well as the front. These were not working well since purchase. I took my child to a friends house in rural PA, and I literally could not see the street signs, let alone far enough down the road. I nearly hit a stone wall. . My eyes keep asking to see more, but truck does not produce enough headlight. I even went to the eye doctor, after that situation, thinking it was my vision dimming, but was told I have 20/20. There needs to be a formal recall. I am not the only one complaining about these horrible projection headlights. To replace these headlights would cost over 1000k, out of pocket, which is not something I should have to fix. I am complaining now, because with the light getting darker earlier, am noticing how lousy driving at night really is. . And honestly, being blinded by oncoming led's , without having proper headlights on my truck in order to see when blinded, really sucks. Please address these crappy things. Make headlights great again!.

See all problems of the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

Total loss of power while in motion on highway going 70 when first happened, got video of problem for shop while going lower speeds. Truck will loose all power the dash will turn off and then turn back on sometimes the engine will cut out completely.

See all problems of the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

The reverse lights don’t illuminate camera when you’re in a dark parking lot or area. If and when camera is relied on for reverse, you wouldn’t be able to see a person or anything else. It’s a lighting problem. When you are in an area that is lit (dealer parking lot) you can see fine. I also own a 2014 Chevrolet and camera works fine in dark and lit areas.

See all problems of the 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

Flickering of daytime running lights.

When in a dark area with little to no lights the backup camera is unusable. The taillights/reverse lights do not put off enough light to provide the camera with the lighting it needs to see behind the vehicle in dark situations. If I am in an urban area with a lot of light pollution the camera works fine, but not when I am in a rural are with no lights.

Was driving my 2023 GMC sierra in a mild snowstorm after leaving the grocery store and heading home. It was about 10 minutes after dark and it has just started snowing. I was only 5 minutes down the road and the visibility in front of me suddenly & drastically declined. I could barely see the road. I could barely make out anywhere to turn out to. Once pulled over, I walked to the front of the truck and the headlights and fog lights were completely covered in snow. I wiped them off with my hand and could then see great again. Well, 5ish minutes down the road again and they were back to completely covered. Twice I wasn't able to pull over, due to the steep terrain and no shoulder so, I had to push on, traveling at no more than 4mph. And getting out during one of the 7 cleanings, I almost slipped and fell. It took me 48 minutes to get home. A trip that usually takes 25! the hid headlights on my other truck don't have this problem. And the aftermarket led headlights on another vehicle of mine have built in heating elements. You would think the oem would've thought of this option but, they don't offer it! if it wasn't for my 20+ years experience of driving in the snow, I would've been left stranded or wrecked/totalled the truck due to this major safety oversight!.

Just purchased a new 2025 GMC sierra. The backup camera system is useless at night if not in a well lit parking lot. This make the system unsafe as you cannot detect people or objects in the field of view. I've had many GMC vehicles over the years and this is the first one with this concern.

The contact owns a 2014 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the headlights were dim, reducing the contact's ability to see the roadway while driving. The dealer was notified of the failure and provided an estimate for the headlights' replacement. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption, and there was smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 370,000.

See all problems of the 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

The reverse lights are too dim to provide sufficient viewing of the rear of the truck when it is dark outside and there is no other lighting. Almost nothing can be seen from the rearview or sideview mirrors, and the backup camera is rendered useless. Gm changed the design of the taillights such that they are now sealed, which means owners cannot upgrade the reverse lights with stronger leds any longer. This lack of lighting is more than an inconvenience; it is a safety issue. This is a known issue and gm is well aware of it. [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The reverse or backup lights do not properly illuminate, as the angle does not allow for viewing dangers behind at night. The lights are angled to aim way too high, and the lights are aealed. No way to adjuat. An adult standing just three to five feet behind truck, the lights illuminate at chest level, meaning a small child could not be seen at all, even with the rear view camera. Speaking of the camera, it not longer displays low light situations. People are going to be injured or killed because of these lights, or lack thereof of. On researching, this is a known defect since GMC went to led tailings in the 2024 1500. This problem was not in my 2024 3500 as they use different lights. This is a dangerous situation.

The reverse lights and high-definition camera system are woefully insufficient for backing up this truck safely in the dark. I have experience several near-misses due to the poor nighttime performance of the video system and reverse lights. This has been ongoing since the vehicle was purchased new. It impacts both the video displayed in the main touchscreen and the video rear view mirror. Furthermore, the reverse lights are sealed led units that are non-serviceable.

The high and low beams quit working while driving at night. This caused safety issue for myself and other drivers. Fuses good and bulbs good. Have seen multiple listings online about the same thing happening to other owners.

At night, when put into reverse, the exterior reverse lights do not illuminate enough to safely use the rear view mirror or backup cameras to safely navigate in reverse. I have owned a new vehicle every other year for many years and I have never experienced this any any other vehicle. I am going to look at aftermarket lighting options to be used when in reverse. This is a very big miss and safety concern on any new vehicle now days, let alone on a $80,000 pickup truck.

The backup camera is useless at night. When backing up at night the camera is so dark you cannot see more than a foot or two behind you. If someone or something is behind you you will never see them before it’s too late. The camera is supposed to be a safety feature! I talked to the dealer service department about this and they said it’s a design flaw with GMC and nothing they could do. I also looked online and see several people complaining about the same thing. This truck has as of today 268 miles on it. I called GMC help center and just got the runaround telling me I would have to go back to the dealer for them to fix the problem even after telling them several times that the dealer said nothing they could do it’s a design flaw with GMC. I believe GMC should be made to do a recall and fix this safety problem.

Extremely poor rear camera quality at night. Common complaint on GMC and chevy 2023/2024 models. Unsafe to reverse at night due to poor camera image quality. Cadillac has already issued a recall on their units which are identical to the GMC and chevy. Many posts on facebook GMC at4 and chevy zr2 owners groups about the safety issue.

Backup lights are very dark making it very hard to see at night while reversing to the point where they are unsafe. Cannot see at all in rainy conditions.

The headlights are dangerously dim, can't drive the vehicle comfortably at night. There seems to be no solution for fixing them. A TSB has been issued concerning this, but does little to address fixing the problem.

Component or system failure: complete failure of the headlights and interior lighting, including the dashboard after post remote start - ignition on. Safety risk: headlights and other interior lighting would not activate leaving the vehicle completely dark. The only remedy was to completely restart the vehicle. Reproduced?: no. The vehicle is brand new with less than 100 miles. Inspected?: no warning messages: there were unpresented in the dic. However, the vehicle also would not shift from drive.

Back up lights and tail light problems my back up lights turn on when the headlights are turned on and do not shut off unless the headlights are off. Also, recently, the rear tail lights were burning out early and would last only two weeks. The source of the problem seems to be in the fuse box. There is no short in the system. It appears to be in the fuse box of the 2014 GMC Sierra 1500. Bulbs were replaced and burned out quickly. Replacement parts are expensive and this problem exists on other Chevrolet and GMC trucks.

Nighttime backing up is to dark to see in the camera. The reverse lights are not bright enough to highlight the area to see correctly. This is a major concern as I almost backed up over my child at night as I could not see them in the camera. Please address with manufacture to resolve the issue. This truck has one piece led lights that can not be pulled and swapped out with a brighter bulb. Would need to replace the entire fixture.

Both headlamps stopped working when driving at night. Neither the low or high beams will work.

Component or system failure: headlights and interior lighting safety risk: complete failure of the headlight system and all interior lighting, including the dashboard during active driving. System failed during nighttime driving while in motion. Reproduced?: no inspected?: no warning lights/system messages: none present at time of failure.

The contact owns a 2014 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, the passenger’s side headlight became inoperable. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights flashed on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over to inspect the vehicle and discovered that the water pump had failed. Despite the failure, the contact managed to drive the vehicle home. The next day upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated and both engine fans began to run at full capacity. The contact called the dealer and made an appointment for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

I have been trying since day one of my brand new 2023 sierra denali pickup truck hence I spent a $100 k plus oem accessories at the dealer ! this complaint is in reference to the safety part of the brake trailing that disconnect and lose light and brakes ! I have spent insane times at the dealers and have complained to the GMC executive offices with nothing but excuses and absolutely zero help from GMC cooperate but continue to go make appointments at the dealers ! this is safety complaint and they are not taking this seriously at all ! there is defiantly a ongoing issue with either the computer onboard or the trailer module ! I am not a engineer but again this is a safety issue that needs to be looked at ASAP ! I do not feel safe driving the truck !.

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night on an undulating roadway, the contact noticed that due to the narrow vertical area of illumination of the head lights, front visibility was severely reduced, with the lowest portion of the area in front of the vehicle receiving little to no illumination. The contact stated that the failure was not present while driving on a flat roadway. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was unable to provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 1,000.

The contact owns a GMC Sierra 1500 denali. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 22v903000 (exterior lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

See all problems of the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

Fully enclosed led tail light (turn and brake integrated into 1 led "strip") with no visible moisture ingress/egress system showing retained moisture and no longer functional. Dash light for "rear signal brake light failure" appears. This rear light unit is not serviceable or repairable when a light goes out and is fully sealed aside from the reverse light (incandescent bulb and functions fine). Led's should have a lifespan that outlives the vehicle and a major incentive to have led integration with lighting is the lifespan and reduced need for service. Now the taillight and brake light stop working and can not be fixed without spending <$500 per side. This is a safety issue that seems to be closely related to the issues with the GMC yukon's of the same generation.

During winter/snow driving snow accumulates on the headlights and causes a partial to total loss of visibility. This has happened multiple times during winter months. Cleaning the headlights requires exiting the vehicle in a potentially dangerous situation. This may occur after every few miles or less depending on the conditions.

See all problems of the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

Dashboard instrument panel all lights and gauges goes out while driving down the road when vehicle is turned off a clicking noise is made in the dash. This issue causes when driving down the road, not knowing the speed because the speedometer is out or how much gas the vehicle has, or any other readings, and at night all lights go out, not able to see while driving down the road.

See all problems of the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

While making a quick left hand turn at low speed, steering wheel suddenly locked, all lights and electrical went out and engine died. This left me stuck in a busy intersection with no lights. I was able to restart engine after a minute or so. Error message appeared "roll driver side window up, etc. " needless to say, no longer have confidence driving my truck not knowing when this situation may re-occur.

Driver side low beam head lamp is dim, no high beam. No accident nor damage to assembly.

The left rear tail light assembly is subject to direct wheel spray resulting in premature corrosion and failure of the lightbulb and wiring harness. Failure first occurred within 18 months of ownership. I cleaned the contacts and packed the connection with dielectric grease. However after three years the bulb connection is now totally corroded and the circuit has failed requiring harness replacement. The problem is so widespread, replacement wiring harnesses for the left rear tail light assembly are out of stock and unavailable from gm parts. I am now using the vehicle without operating right rear turn signals. Gm-trucks. Com is an owners chat room with many entries about this problem. [xxx], bsme, p. E. Sae information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

This vehicle has poor headlight performance. I changed the bulbs to no avail. There is no way this 2015 GMC passes vehicle state inspections if they really look. There is very little power to the lights, even on the high-beams. After some quick research - gm has a service bulletin pit5374 that addresses this very issue. But the dealerships are using this safety defect as a way to generate service volume. Requiring a $170. 00 diagnosis to identify a problem they already know exists.

The headlights are very poor. Can hardly see at night. They're no better when on high beams.