Headlight Illumination Issues

[Imcrazy]

Get the HID kits if you have the older K2 SIerra's I traded mine in on a 2016 SIlverado and what a difference it's been having HIDS

[Spurshot]

Installed the Morimoto Elite 35w/5500k HID kit in my truck yesterday, everything went smooth, working as it should!

 

Definitely worth the time to install as everyone knows ,even GM, that the original lighting in the '14-'15 Sierras is unacceptable!

 

 

Looks like I'll need to upgrade the fog lamps to something that is close to the 5500k of the headlights, any suggestions for some simple plug-n-play bulbs for the fogs?

(May not need to use them much now with the HID's)

TRS has Morimoto LED fog lights that replace the entire reflector housing. Plug n play. They are about 2 1/2 times the rated lumens of the factory fog bulbs. They have a very flat beam that won't blind oncoming traffic if adjusted well, which will come in handy when the Morimoto HID bulbs burn out and you have to wait a week or two for a replacement. Edited September 24, 2017 by spurshot

[Spurshot]

Agree. A reason in favor of leases over purchase.

 

GM has had a lot of recalls. They decided this issue wasn't worth fixing the right way. Shame on them, but they are so fat and sassy that they don't care if you or I buy (or lease) a Ford next time.

 

But everyone reading this forum, who has this problem, should consider writing to the NTSB (or Transport Canada) on their web pages to register a safety complaint, and maybe consider writing to GM. Just for the principle of the thing.

 

In the mean time, a good HID kit is a practical solution for owners. And not that hard to install.

 

NTSB doesn't do this stuff. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is who to file a safety complaint with.

[Shredzy]

TRS has Morimoto LED fog lights that replace the entire reflector housing. Plug n play. They are about 2 1/2 times the rated lumens of the factory fog bulbs. They have a very flat beam that won't blind oncoming traffic if adjusted well, which will come in handy when the Morimoto HID bulbs burn out and you have to wait a week or two for a replacement.

So a person should have a spare set of bulbs on hand??

[Shredzy]

Here are a few pics of the location of the HID components installed. (Used Fondupot's YouTube video as a guide.)

 

Routed the wires to the Pos. & Neg. terminals on the battery along the right fender, using the brace to secure the power wire.

 

Mounted the relay/harness with 2-sided tape to the backside of the grille, just to the right of an opening (to lessen the chance of any water or snow getting directly onto the relays. Also mounted the ballasts on the shroud between the grille & radiator support. (Didn't need to use the extension cable to reach the driver's side ballast.)

 

Pic of the driver's side headlight housing with the igniter mounted on the right side with 2-sided tape. Wires go up to the ballast mounted on the shroud.

 

After reading elsewhere on the forum, I went and changed my vehicle settings to avoid having the HID's come on for short periods of time-turned off the exit lighting and light flash for keyless door lock operation.

Edited September 24, 2017 by Shredzy

[dgstarr63]

I had the same problem with my 2015 Silverado LT. I replaced the bulbs with LEDs and I now have great headlights. Do the low beams first, as they make the largest improvement.

[sk]

I had the same problem with my 2015 Silverado LT. I replaced the bulbs with LEDs and I now have great headlights. Do the low beams first, as they make the largest improvement.

 

Which bulbs did you use? Any pics?

[dgstarr63]

I used Xenon Depot H11-LED- HL for the low beams. For high beams I purchased:

PartsSquare LED Headlight Conversion Kit - High Power Philips Luxeon LED - 5000 Lumen - Copper Belt Heatsink - 9005 (HB3) / H10 (9145) from Amazon. The PartsSquarekit was about 1/3 the price of the Xenon Depot kit. Both have been working great for almost 2 years.

Edited September 25, 2017 by dgstarr63

[dgstarr63]

I used Xenon Depot H11-LED- HL for the low beams. For high beams I purchased:

PartsSquare LED Headlight Conversion Kit - High Power Philips Luxeon LED - 5000 Lumen - Copper Belt Heatsink - 9005 (HB3) / H10 (9145) from Amazon. The PartsSquarekit was about 1/3 the price of the Xenon Depot kit. Both have been working great for almost 2 years.

[Irby1757]

 

I used Xenon Depot H11-LED- HL for the low beams. For high beams I purchased:

PartsSquare LED Headlight Conversion Kit - High Power Philips Luxeon LED - 5000 Lumen - Copper Belt Heatsink - 9005 (HB3) / H10 (9145) from Amazon. The PartsSquarekit was about 1/3 the price of the Xenon Depot kit. Both have been working great for almost 2 years.

 

Any photos of them lit up?

[Mervkirwin]

Do you think it's because you're not used to projector beam headlights? Or is this a known issue with the GMC trucks?

 

I know when I had my first car with projectors I felt this way and had horrible headaches from eye strain for the first month or so. The reason was I was looking just beyond the cutoff line trying to see, I felt like the light should go farther.

 

I got used to it and have had 3 vehicles in my history with projectors (2 with HID projectors.) The HID helps because the line is more crisp and the light below it is brighter, but on a dark country road it falls short of adequate.

 

IMO, you have 2 options here, either adjust your cutoff shields upward (which may get you a ticket if you go too high and blind oncoming traffic) or invest in a light bar to assist in heavy rain/extremely dark areas.

 

It is the headlights, I changed mine out and went with LED’s and what a difference. I wounded if you could get the lights out of a 2017 and you would not be disappointed. I had a 2014 and the lights were dangerously to drive at night. Just find out what the bulbs are in for he 2017 Sierra and put them in your truck. Hope the info helps.

 

 

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[Shredzy]

Changing out a '14-'15 Sierra to the '16-'17 style headlight assemblies is not a cheap fix for what junk GM put in the trucks.

 

If you have a '14 or '15 , spend the $170 and get the Morimoto HID kit or something similar.

No way would I spend what it costs to do the '16 Sierra light swap personally.

[SierraRover]

Shredzy is right. I posted some info on my experiences with the Morimoto kit a couple of pages back in this thread. A complete swap-out to a new headlight housing (2016+) would be difficult because the wiring is different -- and it would be very expensive.

 

By the way, I sold my 2014 - loved the truck, but in the end the vibrations got the better of me. The headlights were a pain for quite a while until I added the Morimoto HID kit, and it worked very well indeed. But those vibrations...

 

This is my last post. I am now driving a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee!

[Mervkirwin]

Today for the first time I drove my 2014 SIERRA TEXAS EDITION in the rain at night....

WOW>>>>>

I had to stop and wait for the rain downpour to let out so I could see where I was going. Not Good.

 

Driving at night is very stressfull and eye straining to the point of taking headache medications once you are done driving.

 

Any wayt to fix this Extremely Dangerous Problem?

I had a 2014 GMC Sierra, had to switch out the light, I bought some on EBay for around $450.00. You can also buy a set of LED Lights from XenonDepot. You will not be disappointed. Worst lights ever.

[Sierra Jon]

Here are a few pics of the location of the HID components installed. (Used Fondupot's YouTube video as a guide.)

 

Routed the wires to the Pos. & Neg. terminals on the battery along the right fender, using the brace to secure the power wire.

HID kit Sierra sm(3).jpg

 

Mounted the relay/harness with 2-sided tape to the backside of the grille, just to the right of an opening (to lessen the chance of any water or snow getting directly onto the relays. Also mounted the ballasts on the shroud between the grille & radiator support. (Didn't need to use the extension cable to reach the driver's side ballast.)

HID kit Sierra sm(2).jpg

 

Pic of the driver's side headlight housing with the igniter mounted on the right side with 2-sided tape. Wires go up to the ballast mounted on the shroud.

HID kit Sierra sm(4).jpg

 

After reading elsewhere on the forum, I went and changed my vehicle settings to avoid having the HID's come on for short periods of time-turned off the exit lighting and light flash for keyless door lock operation.

Great job Shredz. Thanks for the pics and the update!

 

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