2014 GMC SIERRA 1500 Complaints

I'VE HAD MY 2014 GMC SIERRA FOR NEARLY A YEAR NOW, FIRST NIGHT I HAD IT I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW POOR THE LIGHT OUTPUT WAS FROM THE HEADLIGHTS. I'VE HAD NUMEROUS GMC SIERRA TRUCKS OVER THE YEARS AND THIS TRUCK BY FAR HAS THE WORSE HEADLIGHTS I'VE EVER HAD IN A TRUCK. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ONLINE COMPLAINING, I'M DEFINITELY NOT THE ONLY ONE UPSET WITH HOW POOR THESE HEADLIGHTS ARE. THERE ARE A FEW GUYS IN TOWN WITH THIS SAME TRUCK THEY ALL HATE THE HEADLIGHTS TOO. THESE HEADLIGHTS JUST SEEM VERY DIM, THEY DON'T SHINE THE DITCHES UP VERY WELL, THEY DON'T SHINE AHEAD VERY FAR EITHER. I HAVE BETTER LUCK RUNNING THE HEADLIGHTS ON LOW BEAM AND FOG LIGHTS ON, IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE LESS LIGHT ON HIGH BEAM SO I RARELY HAVE THEM ON HIGH, I'VE HAD MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHERE I NEARLY HIT A MOOSE, THESE HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DANGEROUS I'M WORRIED THAT ONE OF THESE DAYS I'M GOING TO HIT A MOOSE OR WORSE A PERSON! I REALLY HOPE SOMEBODY DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THESE HEADLIGHTS GM DIDN'T LISTEN TO ANYTHING I HAD TO SAY. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS TRUCK ARE HORRIBLE. I CAN BARELY SEE THE ROAD OR SIDES OF THE ROAD. AT NIGHT CARS BEHIND/BESIDE ME FLOOD OUT MY LIGHTS. I HAVE THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TURNED COMPLETELY DOWN AND STILL THE LIGHTS ARE VERY WEAK AND DANGEROUS. *TR

THE FACTORY HEADLIGHTS ARE ALMOST USELESS AT NIGHT ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS ANY MOISTURE ON THE ROADS . THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE AT DUSK AND DAWN AS WELL . *JS

THE LARGE 8" INTELLILINK RADIO SCREEN IN THIS TRUCK HAS SEPARATE BRIGHTNESS CONTROL FROM THE REST OF THE DASH LIGHTS, INCLUDING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. DUE TO IT'S SIZE AND COLORED BACKGROUND, THE LCD RADIO SCREEN IS MUCH BRIGHTER THAN THE REST OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS. THE FACT THAT THE SYSTEM HAS NO NIGHT SCHEME, MEANING IT DOESN'T SHIFT TO A MOSTLY BLACK BACKGROUND AT NIGHT MAKES THIS PROBLEM EVEN WORSE. WHILE IT IS POSSIBLE TO LOWER THE BRIGHTNESS USING A DASH-MOUNTED DIMMER SWITCH, THE DIMMER MUST BE LOWERED TO MINIMUM IN ORDER TO GET THE RADIO SCREEN TO BE A COMFORTABLE BRIGHTNESS LEVEL FOR NIGHT DRIVING. AT THIS POINT, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS ARE SO DIM AS TO BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE AND AS A RESULT REQUIRE MUCH MORE TIME AND EFFORT TO READ SPEED INFORMATION. THE ONLY WAY TO COMPLETELY TURN OFF THE RADIO SCREEN IS TO GO THROUGH SEVERAL MENUS INTO SETTINGS AND MANUALLY TURN OFF THE SCREEN. NOT ONLY IS THIS A DANGEROUS DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING BUT IF ANY VEHICLE SETTING SUCH AS RADIO VOLUME, OR HVAC CONTROLS ARE ADJUSTED, THE SCREEN AUTOMATICALLY TURNS BACK ON AND THE PROCESS MUST BE REPEATED. I HAVE CONTACTED GM SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS ISSUE DUE TO ITS DISTRACTING NATURE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND HAVE BEEN TOLD REPEATEDLY THAT THE SYSTEM IS "OPERATING AS DESIGNED." I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE BRIGHT LIGHT IN THE CAB RUINS NIGHT VISION WHILE ALSO DISTRACTING THE DRIVER'S EYES FROM THE ROAD. MY RECOMMENDATION IS FOR A SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE INTELLILINK/RADIO SYSTEM TO BE DESIGNED TO ADD A BRIGHTNESS SETTING IN THE SYSTEM MENU TO ALLOW DRIVER'S TO SET THE RADIO SCREEN BRIGHTNESS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS AND TO ALSO PROGRAM A "NIGHT MODE" COLOR SCHEME THAT WOULD SHIFT FROM THE BLUE ILLUMINATED BACKGROUND USED IN THE DAYTIME TO SOMETHING THAT IS MOSTLY BLACK. *JS

THE PROJECTOR STYLE HEADLIGHTS THIS TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH ARE INSUFFICIENT FOR SAFE NIGHT DRIVING WHEN NOT IN A CITY DRIVING CONDITION. THE LOW-BEAMS ARE SATISFACTORY FOR LOWER SPEEDS (IE <45MPH) BUT ARE EXTREMELY EASY TO OUT-DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE BEAM PATTERN IS ALSO NOT WIDE ENOUGH TO ILLUMINATE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE AREA DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE HIGH BEAMS ARE EVEN WORSE. THE HEADLIGHTS IN THIS TRUCK USE ONE SINGLE FILAMENT BULB FOR EACH HEADLIGHT. WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS ARE TURNED ON, A MECHANICAL SHUTTER OPENS TO ALLOW MORE LIGHT THROUGH THE PROJECTOR LENS. THE LENS IS DESIGNED SUCH THAT THIS ADDITIONAL LIGHT IS AIMED SO HIGH AS TO BE USELESS. PARKED 20FT FROM A WALL, THE CENTER OF THE HIGH BEAM PATTER IS ALREADY SEVERAL FT ABOVE THE BULB LEVEL ON THE WALL. WHEN DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT AND LEVEL ROAD WITH NO TREES, IT IS ACTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO EVEN TELL THE HIGH BEAMS ARE ON SINCE THERE IS NO EXTRA BEAM TO ILLUMINATE THE SIDES OF THE ROAD AND THE CENTER BEAM IS POINTED UP INTO THE TREES. *JS

HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE ILLUMINATION FOR NIGHT DRIVING. SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY HAZARD TO OCCUPANTS AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. POOR DESIGN AND/OR SPECIFICATIONS ON GM'S PART TO ALLOW THE USAGE OF THIS HEADLAMP CONFIGURATION ON ANY VEHICLE ON THE ROAD TODAY. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RESOLVED ASAP. *JS

THESE ARE THE WORST HEADLIGHTS. I LIVE IN RURAL ALABAMA AND CANT SEE EDGES OF ROAD OR MORE THAN 50' AHEAD. CANT CHANGE THE BULB TO IMPROVE IT. VERY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT FOR ME AND ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD! *TR

WHEN I FIRST STARTED DRIVING MY NEW 14 GMC I HAD NEVER HAD A TRUCK WITH PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS SO I WAS UNSURE IF IT WAS JUST ME THAT HAD TO ADJUST TO THE BEAM OF LIGHT THEY PROVIDE OR IF IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTING ITSELF. AFTER HAVING DRIVEN MY 14 SILEVRADO WORK TRUCK WITH STANDARD LIGHTS I REALIZE THERE IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE GMC PROJECTOR LIGHTS THEY ARE SO BAD IT MAKES YOU THINK THERE IS A FAULTY GROUND WIRE OR SOMETHING EXTRA ORDINARY WRONG WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. IT IS SO BAD THAT I EVEN LOOKED INTO UPGRADING THE BULBS BUT YOU CAN'T EVEN DO THAT BECAUSE PHILIPS OWNS THE RIGHTS TO PRODUCE THEM AND WANTS TO OVER CHARGE THE AFTERMARKET FOR THE USE OF THE DESIGN, SO I AM STUCK WITH A HEADLIGHT SYSTEM THAT IS WORSE THEN A 6V HEADLIGHT FROM THE 40S. *TR

THE PART BROKE IN HALF AT LOW SPEED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN A CONSTRUCTION AREA (MY OWN DRIVEWAY BEING INSTALLED) I HIT SOMETHING AND THE METAL CASING OF THE AXLE WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE FRONT DIFF. BROKE IN HALF. I AM 60 YEARS OLD MY WIFE WAS IN THE TRUCK I WAS GOING SO SLOW THE SPEEDOMETER WAS ON 0. THE DEALER SAID THE PART WAS CRACKED BY THE IMPACT. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A HEAVY DUTY 4X4 P/U, IF I WAS GOING AT 40 MPH OFF ROAD WHAT WOULD HAVE BROKE AND WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RESULT? I THINK THE METAL OF THE CASING WAS FLAWED AND I AM AFRAID TO KEEP THE TRUCK. THE DEALER SAID THIS ISN'T A WARRANTY ISSUE I HAD TO PUT A CLAIM INTO MY INS. THIS IS NOT ONLY A CONCERN FOR SAFETY BUT FOR FINANCES AS WELL. I PAID $44,000. CASH FOR THIS TRUCK, IT IS THE SIERRA SLT NOT ONLY A 4X4 BUT IT HAS 20" RIMS FOR ADDED HEIGHT. THIS WAS NOT HIT HARD ENOUGH TO CRACK A STEEL CASING. THE TRUCK IS AT A GMC/BUICK DEALER IN MOUNT DORA FL. THEY SAID IT MIGHT TAKE AWHILE TO FIND THE PARTS TO FIX IT. I DO NOT THINK GMC MAKES CHEAP TRUCKS OR DANGEROUS TRUCKS BUT I THINK AFTER THIS GETS FIXED I WILL BE LOOKING INTO TRADING IT. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ADEQUATELY ILLUMINATE THE ROAD. THERE IS NO LIGHT TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. I CAME VERY CLOSE TO DRIVING INTO A DITCH. WHEN DRIVING DOWN OR UP GRADES THE ROAD IS IN COMPLETE DARKNESS. NO DISCERNIBLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW BEAMS. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING ON UNLIT COUNTRY ROADS NEAR MY HOME IN UPSTATE NY. WHEN RAINING THE PROBLEM IS EVEN WORSE. THE HEADLAMPS ON ALL 4 OF MY PREVIOUS GM TRUCKS 9JIMMYS, YUKON AND SUBURBAN) WERE FAR SUPERIOR TO THOSE ON MY NEW $55,000 SIERRA. THIS TRUCK SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN AT NIGHT BUT THAT'S UNAVOIDABLE, SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE HURT OR KILLED!!! *TR