Headlight complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2 | 8% | 12,000 miles |
| 2018 | 3 | 18% | 4,000 miles |
| 2017 | 3 | 4% | 2,000 miles |
| 2016 | 2 | 6% | 120,000 miles |
| 2015 | 30 | 40% | 1,000 miles |
| 2014 | 64 | 56% | 1,000 miles |
| 2013 | 2 | 4% | 4,000 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 3% | 12,000 miles |
| 2011 | 1 | 1% | 1,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 2% | 4,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1 | 1% | 22,000 miles |
| 2006 | 1 | 2% | 5,000 miles |
| 2005 | 1 | 1% | 43,000 miles |
| 2004 | 3 | 2% | 5,000 miles |
| 2003 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2002 | 2 | 1% | 35,000 miles |
| 2001 | 3 | 1% | 49,000 miles |
| 2000 | 13 | 3% | 120,000 miles |
| 1999 | 8 | 1% | 57,000 miles |
| 1998 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 1997 | 4 | 2% | 12,000 miles |
| 1996 | 13 | 5% | — |
| 1995 | 9 | 3% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra denali. The contact stated that while driving at night, the headlamps failed to adequately illuminate the roadway. The vehicle was taken to murdock Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac located at (1955 main st, logan, ut 84341, [phone]) where the technician attempted to adjust the headlamps however, the headlamps were already adjusted to specs. The contact stated that there was no improvement in visibility while shifting from low beam to hi beam. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact requested that the vehicle be bought back by the manufacturer and the manufacturer refused. The approximate failure mileage was 4,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra denali. The contact stated that the headlights vibrated and bounced while the vehicle was in motion. While driving on rough terrain and also when approaching oncoming traffic, it was difficult for the contact to see the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (murdock manhattan Chevrolet-Cadillac, 600 mccall rd, manhattan, ks 66502, [phone]) where it was determined that there was no failure with the headlights. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 6,181.
The headlights on my new GMC Sierra 2500hd denali are horrible and unsafe for driving at night. The 25 watt rating and 2,000 lumens on the OEM HID bulbs do not provide adequate, safe lighting for operating my vehicle. I already hit a deer with my brand new truck because I couldn't see it well enough in advance of the collision. GMC should be held accountable for putting such a low power, poor quality and unsafe headlight in their $70,000 vehicles. I'm renting a Hyundai while my truck is being repaired and the headlights on this $30,000 foreign car are 10xs better than the ones on my truck. Why?
2017 GMC denali. Consumer writes regarding an inoperative passenger tail light. The consumer stated the after removing the fixture, he discovered there was no bulb. The only way to repair the failure was to remove the entire fixture.
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. …
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.
I purchase this vehicle nov. 2013, and ever since I notice that the headlight on this vehicle do not light the road properly, whether you have them in low or high beam. The distance of the low and high beam appear to be the same (at times it seems the highs) are aiming skyward. Not to long ago I almost ran over a woman and a child who were crossing a street over to my left when I was attempting to make a left turn (this was a dark area). Luckily I was going slow when I was making the turn and was able to see them when the headlights hit them and came into view. By this statement I am trying to point out that there no lighting to either side of the vehicle, I am sure (positive) that if I would have been making a right turn an accident would have happen. Are there any recalls regarding this problem? If not, I think there should one. …
The vehicles headlights are dangerously ineffective. They rarely illuminate the distance between 2 telephone poles. The ineffectiveness of the headlights is amplified on hills or on any turn. The during the transition from decline to incline, you sometimes have barely a trucks length of illumination. Any corner on a dark road requires a severe decrease in travel speed to avoid over driving the lights. I have never driven a vehicle that made me feel more apprehensive to get behind the wheel after dark. I visited the dealer who executed a TSB that increased headlight voltage and replaced the bulbs. It made a negligible improvement and left the vehicle still unsafe at night. I frequently travel on rural roads with no street lights. I have almost hit wildlife too many times to count due to the poor visibility caused by these dangerous headlights. …
NHTSA investigations
HEADLIGHT
Based on the reports received by odi from consumers, failure of the headlight electrical circuit May occur in the subject vehicles, and May result from repeated adjustment ofthe tilt steering wheel in the subject vehicles.repeated adjustment of the steering wheel position May strain the wiring in the headlight circuit to the point of failure where they are attached to the multi-function switch, resulting in the…
HEADLIGHT
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Sierra years have headlight problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2014 (64), 2015 (30), 1996 (13), 2000 (13) and 1995 (9) model years. Headlight complaints make up 56% of all complaints for the 2014.
Is there a recall for GMC Sierra headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for any GMC Sierra model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do GMC Sierra headlight problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 11,000 miles; 94% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the headlights (29 mentions), followed by the tail lights (9).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.