GM Pickup Headlight Issue Validated By IIHS Testing

[Gorehamj]

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
10-25-2016

You're not crazy. The headlights in your Silverado, Colorado, and Canyon are sub-par. In a just-released test by IIHS, only the Sierra Denali with LED projector beam headlights scored above poor. The SLT trim equipped with Premium Plus package, Denali trim equipped with Enhanced Driver Alert package, and the Denali trim equipped with Intellibeam Headlights package scored Acceptable. The Sierra Denali with LED projector beam headlights scored Marginal. All other Sierra trims with the HID headlights scored Poor. Check out this link to see just how detailed IIHS headlight test reports are.

 

Every Chevy model truck and the GMC Canyon all scored Poor on the evaluation. If you think IIHS is bashing GM, guess again. In its video summary below, IIHS says "The Ford F-150, the best-selling vehicle in the U.S., was one of the worst performers." IIHS says that neither the standard, nor LED lights of the F-150 performed adequately in any of its tests. IIHS says that the worst headlights of all the pickups it tested were on the base Chevy Colorado. By contrast to the Colorado, the Ridgeline's headlights allow a driver to see almost three times as far. The Ridgeline was the only truck on the market to score a Good rating.

 

Our previous headlight story about owners suing GM over poor headlights was one of the most popular in the GM-Trucks.com news forum history. Owners have known all along there was issue, and now IIHS has confirmed that suspicion.

 

 

[SkiDooNick700]

I'm kind of happy to see there will now be more pressure on the automotive companies to produce vehicles with better lighting.

 

Maybe my next truck I won't necessarily feel like I NEED a 32" LED bar behind the grille for back country driving!

[rocnrol]

I just heard this on the news!

 

Sent from my STH100-1 using Tapatalk

[rowland76543]

_{Call me crazy, But I don't have any problems with my headlights. I run the back roads all the time here in Texas late at night and in the early morning with no problems. I don't even use my bright lights.}

[Rob Tavarus]

WTF are they smoking? My 16 Silverado projector headlights are kickass. When I'm on the highway in the middle lane, my lights far outpower ANYTHING that passes me. I even aimed them down a bit because my truck is lifted. IIHS is losing credibility in my book, with comparison to my personal experience...

[dino688]

I had a 16 Denali loaner for a night and that was the first thing I said to the dealer that I couldnt see 20 feet in front of the truck at night. Felt like there was a piece of black tape on the top of the headlamps. This had the Intellibeam system too.

[C6Bill]

WTF are they smoking? My 16 Silverado projector headlights are kickass. When I'm on the highway in the middle lane, my lights far outpower ANYTHING that passes me. I even aimed them down a bit because my truck is lifted. IIHS is losing credibility in my book, with comparison to my personal experience...

 

 

then they must be better than the projectors in the 2014, they were horrible. And I can confirm their Tundra finding, poor at best. But at least in those you can swap the bulb. I put in SilverStar zXe, big improvement.

[crushNchowda]

WTF are they smoking? My 16 Silverado projector headlights are kickass. When I'm on the highway in the middle lane, my lights far outpower ANYTHING that passes me. I even aimed them down a bit because my truck is lifted. IIHS is losing credibility in my book, with comparison to my personal experience...

You're confusing a raised seating/cab position relative to most else on the road - and subsequently light beams that appear to project further straight ahead w/ GOOD headlights.

 

My wife's Acura MDX would put your truck to absolute shame when it comes to night visibility & lighting. That is a vehicle w/ nice headlights, our trucks - particularly @ the price point they're geared toward in high trim - are embarrassing. Period.

[ThompsonZ71]

WTF are they smoking? My 16 Silverado projector headlights are kickass. When I'm on the highway in the middle lane, my lights far outpower ANYTHING that passes me. I even aimed them down a bit because my truck is lifted. IIHS is losing credibility in my book, with comparison to my personal experience...

I couldnt agree more. If they were talking about the 14-15 models maybe... but my 16 has unbelievably bright headlights, to the extent that ive been hi-beamed by others thinking i have my hi-beams on on at least one occasion. They must be smoking some good stuff or have never actually looked at a 16 silverado headlight..

[dryttri]

This is why I ripped out the stock projectors on my 14 Silverado LTZ and installed Morimoto FX-R HID projectors w/50w ballasts. They were a PIA to fit in the factory headlight buckets, but worth it.

[Towerhog]

My 17 with LED's are great. Makes me wonder why they can't design LED's into all vehicles. And before anyone says it, (I know) money.

[MichBlueEagle]

That's crazy! My 2016 are way too bright. I was thinking of posting my "Too bright headlights" question on this forum. I get flashed all the time from opposing traffic. A neighbor a road over from me hollered about my lights being to bright. That's through my yard the persons behind me yard and another road over.

[MichBlueEagle]

I've even been turning my headlights off pulling in my driveway now.

[SouthernSilveradoGuy85]

I have the normal headlights on my '14 LT and never had a problem with them. Just seems like now a days manufacturers are making them so bright that they're too bright and sometimes it makes me think the person upgraded to aftermarket to something too bright when in fact it's the manufacturer. If someone wants to upgrade to make the headlights brighter then just do it to the high beam, low beams don't need to be super bright, hints being called low beam. I do understand that the '14-'15 Sierra lights weren't good to where you couldn't see the side of the road. I can understand those people not being happy with the headlights, but others just want low beams too be super bright when it doesn't need to be.

[peculiarmike]

My 2011 GMC Sierra 2500 HD has good lights. Not projector. My 2015 GMC Yukon XL has the projectors and they do not compare with my Sierra. Not as bright. The Yukon is a half ton pickup with a different body. Not just the pickups have the issue.