These "awesome" headlights helped me hit a deer

AWDAudi · December 22, 2014

He was standing on the side of the road. I saw him too late as he bolted. If I were driving anything else, I'd have seen that deer and slowed in anticipation of such a move.

I'm obviously mad since this just happened, but it may be class action time. I wonder how I start.

502ci · December 22, 2014

j-ten-ner · December 22, 2014

...If I were driving anything else, I'd have seen that deer ...

...but it may be class action time...

?

I hit a deer once too. With another car than a GM truck. Didn't see it in time. I should have known better and driven slower in the first place.

No matter how bad the head lights are. If you can't see drive slower. Simple.

so long

j-ten-ner

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · December 22, 2014

Class action lawsuit? Really? You're insurance will cover it. The only way you'd win is if you could prove the headlights is why you couldn't react to the deer. That would be very hard to do. I think you're just mad that it happened and want to point the finger at something or someone. It happens, people hit and get hit by deer all the time no matter what you're driving.

AWDAudi · December 22, 2014

Thanks for the constructive criticism. Clear night. The lights don't illuminate the side of the road like they should. Once the deer jumped in the road (in front of the truck) I could see him just fine. The Sierra headlights are a poor design. Worst I've owned. I've been outspoken about them on this forum since long before this post. I knew they'd cause me to hit a deer (I live in deer country) and stated so.

EaZ8 · December 22, 2014

this really pisses me off..i spent 7 days hunting this year and using my sierra the whole week and i didnt get anything.

hell i would have sacrificed a bumper for a deer this year.

where were you driving? pics of the deer?

in all seriousness glad you are ok, and yes the lights arent the best. im gonna put on a lightbar for all the side roads.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · December 22, 2014

Thanks for the constructive criticism. Clear night. The lights don't illuminate the side of the road like they should. Once the deer jumped in the road (in front of the truck) I could see him just fine. The Sierra headlights are a poor design. Worst I've owned. I've been outspoken about them on this forum since long before this post. I knew they'd cause me to hit a deer (I live in deer country) and stated so.

Well posting on here won't fix anything, but going to the dealership can (maybe). But, you won't be able to do a lawsuit for it, just get the insurance to fix it and move on. My old 98 didn't illuminate the sides of the road all that great and never hit a deer in the 10 years I had it. Same with my 86 Custom Deluxe. Again I think you're just mad and want to point the finger at something. I know people on here have said how crappy they were on the GMCs, but do something about it instead of just complain about it. And trying to get a lawsuit won't help since I don't think you have anything to back you up. Driving a regular passenger vehicle is the same as a big commercial truck, if something isn't safe then it's the driver's responsibility to get it fixed in one way or the other. If you drive it anyways then it's only your fault for not doing anything to resolve any issue. With a commercial truck if there's a safety issue you're not supposed to even drive it until it's fixed, that's the reason you have to get your passenger vehicle inspected annually.

kstruckcountry · December 22, 2014

Just add some auxiliary lights. It will be cheaper than a lawsuit, trust me. Even a man's bumper will be cheaper than a law suit. Do you know what "class action" means? Are you saying you'll be the representative?

By saying something like "I knew they'd cause me to hit a deer" you have already absolved GM of any fault on their part because you chose to operate the vehicle knowing the headlights weren't great. The best lawyer can't get you out of that one...

People hit deer all the time, no worries.

goose hunter · December 22, 2014

Light bar made mine an all new thing at night...I live in moose Country.Love my truck, would hate what just happened to you.....

GH

AWDAudi · December 22, 2014

Seeing that you own a Silverado I don't expect you to understand. By comparison, it has excellent headlights. I will certainly have insurance fix the truck. That's a given. The headlights are flawed. All you have to do is read these forums and government complaints.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchSafetyIssues - Search 2014 > GMC > Sierra 1500

I avoided driving this truck at night as much as I could for this very reason. I know others on this forum do the same.

GTD · December 22, 2014

AWDAudi sorry what happened. Many here and on other cites know these lights don't belong on a truck. Big money makers at GM/GMC either don't hear customer complaints through there customer service people or maybe they don't care. This time it was a poor deer, when it's a person (hopefully it won't) maybe someone will pay attention to the crap THEY stuck on the GMC trucks,

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · December 22, 2014

Seeing that you own a Silverado I don't expect you to understand. By comparison, it has excellent headlights. I will certainly have insurance fix the truck. That's a given. The headlights are flawed. All you have to do is read these forums and government complaints.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchSafetyIssues - Search 2014 > GMC > Sierra 1500

I avoided driving this truck at night as much as I could for this very reason. I know others on this forum do the same.

Ya the lights on my '14 are great, but in case you didn't read, but I had a 98 Silverado and an 86 Custom Deluxe and their lights weren't exactly that great. The 86 had seal beams and the 98's lights weren't clear from age. So I do know how it is and I drove in the country at night plenty of times in those trucks. You just have to be more aware.

AWDAudi · December 22, 2014

Sealed beans are excellent compared to these headlights. Hitting a deer is an accident you sometimes cannot avoid. It's not the only one I've hit in my life. Most people in these parts have hit several. You cannot be aware if your headlights do not illuminate the side of the road. All you can do is hope.

hurricanoday · December 22, 2014

what year truck is this? I just ordered a 15 sierra denali, are the head lights the same?

Why not get a set of ebay hids? do those fog lights turn on?

j-ten-ner · December 22, 2014

Sealed beans are excellent compared to these headlights. Hitting a deer is an accident you sometimes cannot avoid. It's not the only one I've hit in my life. Most people in these parts have hit several. You cannot be aware if your headlights do not illuminate the side of the road. All you can do is hope.

Lol...where I live we have bears, deers, coyotes, even cougars and tons of squirrels.

I've been lucky so far. But only because I drive only 30km/h if necessary 'til I'm out of the woods.

Yes, sometimes one can only hope. But don't blame anybody else. If the lights had failed...well that might be another story. Depends on the cause I guess.

so long

j-ten-ner