Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2015 GMC Sierra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 30 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 30, in the owner's own words
THE PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS ARE INADEQUATE ON A LEVEL ROAD, AND ARE DANGEROUS ON ROLLING TERRAIN ROADS AND CURVES. THEY COULD BE POSSIBLY DESIGNED FOR STATIONARY USE IN A PERFECT ENVIORMENT BUT NOT FOR MOVING VEHICLES, I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT, I FEAR NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT FOR OTHER PEOPLE ON AND NEAR THE PATH OF THIS VEHICLE. MY MIND IS CLEAR, THERE ARE MANY BLOWING THE WHISTLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WAS DEFECTIVE AND DID NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHT COVERAGE. THE CONTACT HAD TO ENGAGE THE HIGH BEAMS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER RAISED THE LOW BEAMS; HOWEVER; THE LIGHT COVERAGE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300. ..UPDATED 05/09/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED RIGHT AFTER HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, WITH THE LOW BEAMS ON, HIS VISIBILITY WAS APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET TO THE FRONT AND SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS WERE ON, HE WAS ABLE TO SEE AHEAD OF HIM, BUT THE VIEW WAS STILL LIMITED TO ONLY 30 FEET. UPDATED 05/16/16.*JB
HEADLIGHTS ARE FAR TO DIM AND DIRECTIONAL TO DRIVE SAFELY AT NIGHT. HAD THE LIGHT FIX DONE AT DEALER. NOW HORIZONTAL BLACK LINE GOING DOWN HILL MEAN YOU CAN ONLY SEE A VERY SHORT DISTANCE IN FRONT OF YOU? HEADLIGHTS STILL INADEQUATE .
THE HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM AND MAKE IT HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL SITUATIONS WHERE AN ACCIDENT WAS MORE LIKELY DUE TO THE DIM LIGHTING.
HEADLIGHT PERFORMANCE IS VERY POOR WITH WEAK YELLOW BEAM BOTH ON LOW AND HIGH BEAMS. DIFFICULTY SEEING DURING NIGHT DRIVING, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN DARK AREAS, IS VERY HAZARDOUS, EVEN WORSE DURING RAIN. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY AND THAT OF MY FAMILY WHILE DRIVING THIS TRUCK AT NIGHT. THE PROJECTOR-STYLE HEADLAMPS ON THE VEHICLE WERE DIM WITH A YELLOW COLOR AND PROVIDED INADEQUATE FRONT AND SIDE ILLUMINATION. THE HEADLIGHT AIM WAS RAISED, WHICH RESULTED IN LITTLE IMPROVEMENT.
PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS ON 2015 SIERRA IS VERY DIM COMPARED TO OTHER VEHICLES. TRIED ADJUSTING BUT DID NOT HELP. VERY POOR VISIBILITY IN UNLIT DARK ROADS AND STREETS AND POSES RISK. I TRIED BRINGING IT TO THE DEALER BUT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I MENTIONED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS INCLUDING A CLASS ACTION LAW SUITE THAT WAS FILED IN CALIFORNIA IN OCTOBER 2015. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE NO OTHER ALTERNATIVES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PURCHASING AFTERMARKET HEADLIGHTS. I WOULD LIKE GMC TO FIX THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THEY DID AS THEY CHANGED THE 2016 MODELS' HEADLAMPS AND INCORPORATED HIGHER LUMENS ON LIGHTING, WHY CHANGE IT IF IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM IN THE FIRST PLACE? IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE PEDESTRIANS AND OBJECTS AT NIGHT.
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW AUGUST 2015. THE HEADLIGHT PROJECTION AND ILLUMINATION ON THIS VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY POOR ESPECIALLY DURING WET ROADS OR RAINING CONDITIONS. I HAVE TO USE THE FOG LIGHTS AT ALL TIMES AND STILL DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE LIGHTING. I FEEL THIS SITUATION CAN AND WILL RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH DUE TO LACK OF PROPER LIGHTING. I WAS APPALLED TO FIND OUT GENERAL MOTORS ONLY USE A SINGLE HALOGEN BULB INSTEAD OF A DUAL FILAMENT LAMP OR A COMBINATION LOW AND HIGH BEAM LAMPS. I PERSONALLY NEARLY HIT A PEDESTRIAN DURING A RAINY SITUATION, AND ALSO FEEL UNSAFE OPERATING THIS VEHICLE AT DARK.
HEADLIGHT DESIGN IS TERRIBLE. I GET AT BEST 40FT. OF LIGHT PROJECTION ON LOW. WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS ARE ENGAGED I GET NO FURTHER PROJECTION BUT I GET A HIGHER PROJECTION. IT DOES A GREAT JOB LIGHTING THE TOPS OF THE TREES BUT THAT'S ABOUT ALL. UNBELIEVABLE SAFETY HAZARD WHILE DRIVING IN RURAL SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE SUFFICIENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,500.
THE LOW BEAMS ONLY ILLUMINATE 40 TO 50 FEET DOWN THE ROAD. THE HIGH BEAMS PROVIDE VERY POOR VISIBILITY. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SIDE ILLUMINATION. THIS IS A CHALLENGING VEHICLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT.
THE HEADLIGHTS WITH WHICH THIS VEHICLE ARE EQUIPPED ARE DIM AND UNSAFE. I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES, INCLUDING SEVERAL MADE BY GM, AND THIS ONE IS THE WORST. THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ROADWAY IS INSUFFICIENT TO DISCERN HAZARDS ON/NEAR THE ROADWAY AT NIGHT. THIS IS TRUE AT ANY REASONABLE SPEED AND IS MUCH, MUC HWORSE DURING INCLEMENT WX, PARTICULARLY WHEN RAINING.
THE HEAD LIGHTS ON THIS TRUCK ARE VERY BAD. I SPENT 45,000 DOLLARS ON SOMTHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM. ON HIGH BEAMS THE DRIVERS SIDE HEAD LIGHT GOES ALMOST STRAIGHT OUT FROM THE TRUCK. ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE THE HIGH BEAM LIGHT GOES OUT TO LEFT . IT 'S LIKE THE RIGHT SIDE LIGHT IS GOING TO MIDDLE OF TRUCK. YOU CAN REALLY SEE IT ON A DARK ROAD WITH ROAD BANKS OR TREES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD.I TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY CHECKED IT OUT WITH ANOTHER TRUCK. BIG DEAL! THAT TELLS ME THAT BOTH TRUCKS ARE DOING THE SAME THING.( DAHAAA). I CALLED GMC AND FILED A COMPLAINT . THEY CALLED BACK AND SAID THEY TALKED TO THE DEALER AND THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT (.DAHAA.)...I HOPE NO ONE ASKS ME ABOUT THESE NEW TRUCKS????? I NEVER THOGHT I WOULD HAVE A TRUCK FROM THE DARKS AGAIN. I WAS WRONG. PLEASE FIX THE PROBLEM GM... THIS IS STUPID... THANKS FOR NOTHING.
THE HI/LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT USEABLE IN ANYTHING THAN CLEAR DRY WELL MARK ROADS. CAN NOT SEE THE SIDE ROAD TO TURN ON IT. IF I HAD KNOW THEY WERE THIS BAD WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS TRUCK.
90% OF MY DRIVING IS AT NIGHT. I DRIVE ON MIXED ROADWAYS. I FIND THAT THE HEADLAMPS ON MY GMC SIERRA ARE INADEQUATE AT BEST. I BROUGHT THE SIERRA TO THE DEALER, WHO PERFORMED A TSB, AND ALTHOUGH IT IMPROVED THE LIGHTING, IT IS STILL WAY BELOW PAR. IT'S AS IF I'M DRIVING A 20 YEAR OLD CAR WITH YELLOWED OUT LENS COVER. IN RAINY WEATHER, THE HEADLAMPS ARE NONEXISTENT.
THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY VEHICLE ARE UNSAFE FOR NIGHT DRIVING IN UNFAMILIAR ROADWAYS. BESIDES BEING VERY DIM, ANYTHING 60-70 FEET AHEAD OF YOU CAN'T BE SEEN. THERE IS A CUTOFF LINE THAT BLOCKS ROADSIDE OBJECTS AND THE CUTOFF TOP BAR THAT DOESN'T ILLUMINATE ROAD SIGNS OR STREET MARKERS. IMAGINE HOLDING A SHOE BOX TO YOUR FACE WITH BOTH END REMOVED AND THAT DESCRIBES DRIVING WITH THIS UNSAFE SYSTEM. I THOUGHT MINE WAY AN ISOLATED CASE BUT "PROBLEMS WITH GMC HEADLIGHTS" ON THE INTERNET CLEARLY SHOWS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, BOTH LOW AND HIGH BEAM HEAD LAMPS FAILED TO FULLY ILLUMINATE, WHICH DIMINISHED THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. UPDATED 04/06/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE LIGHTS ARE WORKING, BUT THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD WELL ENOUGH. UPDATED 11/21/2017*JS
HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT SAFE TO BE USED IN THE DARK. DRIVING ON CURVY, HILLY ROADS IS VERY DANGEROUS. CAN NOT SEE WELL. HIGH BEAMS BARELY DIFFERENT FROM LOW BEAMS. LIVE IN TOWN SO THIS WAS FIRST TIME OUT ON ROAD AT NIGHT. SCARY. CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE IN RAIN OR SNOW STORM.
THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS TRUCK ARE TERRIBLE. VERY DIM LIGHT, CAN'T SEE TO SIDE WHILE MAKING A TURN. THE HIGH BEAMS DOESN'T MAKE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE. CONTACTED GMC DIRECTLY AND THEY JUST REFER ME TO TH DEALERSHIP. LOOKING INTO AFTER MARKET LIGHTS. LOOKS LIKE THEY MAY NOT BE LEGAL.SO MANY COMPLAINTS WHEN WILL SOMETHING BE DONE?
2015 GMC SIERRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE HEAD LIGHTS ARE TOO DIM. *SMD
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS LOW BEAM FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHT COVERAGE MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT AND THE HIGH BEAM ALSO FAILED TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT LIGHT COVERAGE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 731.
HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED BY THE DEALER TWICE. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE A SINGLE BULB DESIGN (LOW AND HIGH BEAMS FROM ONE BULB). IF LOW BEAMS ARE ADJUSTED TO ADEQUATELY SEE THE ROAD DURING NIGHT DRIVING THE HIGH BEAMS POINT INTO THE AIR (APPROX. 10 FEET IN THE AIR AT 100 FEET FROM THE VEHICLE). IF THE BEAMS ARE ADJUSTED TO ALLOW THE HIGH BEAMS TO ILLUMINATE THE ROAD PROPERLY; WHEN SWITCHED TO THE LOW BEAMS THERE IS INSUFFICIENT LIGHT ON ROAD TO DRIVE SAFELY AT 55 MPH. *TR
VEHICLE LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS HAVE VERY POOR COVERAGE AND BRIGHTNESS. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THEY BARELY LIGHT THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND COVERAGE SIDE TO SIDE IS VERY WEAK. ADDITIONALLY WHEN IT IS RAINING OUT, IT IS LIKE DRIVING WITH NO HEADLIGHTS ON AT ALL. TO HAVE BETTER HEAD LIGHTS I WOULD HAVE HAD TO BUY SPECIAL LIGHTING OPTION AVAILABLE ONLY ON A HIGHER-UP MODEL OF GMC SIERRA TRUCK. ALL MODELS OF GMC SIERRA 2015 TRUCKS SHOULD HAVE ADEQUATE HEADLIGHTS WITHOUT HAVING TO BUY THE TOP/ MORE EXPENSIVE MODEL TO GET THEM. GMC SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL ALL GMC SIERRA 2015 TRUCKS AND REFIT THEM WITH ADEQUATE LIGHTING BEFORE BAD ACCIDENTS OCCUR AS A RESULT OF THIS DEFICIENCY. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH POOR LIGHTING WITH A VEHICLE DRIVING AT NIGHT OR IN RAIN. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE ON A NEW GMC TRUCK. *TR
THE PROJECTION STYLE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROADWAY SUFFICIENTLY ENOUGH AT NIGHT TO TRAVEL MORE THAN 30 MPH. WHILE TRAVELING ON RURAL AND MOUNTAIN ROADS YOU CANNOT SEE FAR ENOUGH TO SEE OBSTRUCTIONS, WILDLIFE OR PEDESTRIANS AT NIGHT. THE HORIZONTAL CUTOFF LINE OF THE LIGHTS ON LOW BEAM DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO SEE THE TOPS OF SMALL RISES IN THE ROADWAY AS CLOSE AS 30 FEET AWAY. WITH THIS STYLE OF PROJECTION LIGHTING THERE IS NO SPILLAGE OF LIGHT ABOVE ESTABLISHED LIGHT SHADE COVER SETTING ON LOW BEAMS. IT IS COMPLETELY DARK ABOVE THIS LINE WITH LOW BEAMS SELECTED. THIS DOES NOT GIVE THE DRIVER A CHANCE TO SEE OBJECTS IN THE ROADWAY AT A SAFE DISTANCE TO ALLOW FOR SAFE BRAKING OR AVOIDANCE. THE HIGH BEAM SETTING IS PITIFULLY WEAK IN INTENSITY. I MUST STRAIN TO SEE OUT AT THE DISTANCE NECESSARY TO STOP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS MEANS I MUST TRAVEL WITH HIGH BEAMS ON WHEN FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATES. I HAD TWO PREVIOUS TRUCKS OF THIS SAME BRAND THAT HAD WONDERFUL LIGHTING AND I SURE WISH I HAD THAT LIGHTING ON THIS TRUCK. GM IS DOING THE MOTORING PUBLIC A MAJOR DISSERVICE WITH THIS LIGHTING PACKAGE AND ENDANGERING ANYONE AND ANYTHING THAT MAY BE ON THE ROAD AHEAD OF THEIR TRUCKS! *TR
THE HEAD LIGHTS ON THIS TRUCK ARE OF POOR DESIGN AND ARE VERY WEAK. THE LIGHTS DO NOT ADEQUATELY LIGHT THE ROAD AHEAD OR THE SHOULDERS. THEY WILL BECOME A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN CRASHES AND DEATHS UNLESS THEY ARE IMPROVED! I CAN'T BELIEVE THESE HEADLIGHTS WOULD PASS THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ILLUMINATION IF FOLLOW UP TESTING IS DONE IN POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DESCENDING DOWN HILL AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHT PROVIDED POOR VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5. UPDATED 03/30/15*LJ UPDATED 06/23/2015*JS
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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