Headlight Illumination Issues

[Haus_Z71]

Can you post a link for the kit you got? I just want to make sure I get the right ones. I am looking to buy as soon as I can. Thanks in advance for all the info.

 

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/2014-sierra-morimoto-elite.html

 

It's the 2014+ Sierra Morimoto Elite kit.

Selected 35w ballasts, and 4500k bulbs.

Edited October 11, 2016 by Haus_Z71

[theatasigma]

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/2014-sierra-morimoto-elite.html

 

It's the 2014+ Sierra Morimoto Elite kit.

Selected 35w ballasts, and 4500k bulbs.

Got the same kit, easy install but went with the 5500K lights. So much better than the original lights.

[Haus_Z71]

Got the same kit, easy install but went with the 5500K lights. So much better than the original lights.

 

When my 4500k's burn out, i'm going to go with the 5500k. I think I will like the whiter light better than the warm white.

[theatasigma]

 

When my 4500k's burn out, i'm going to go with the 5500k. I think I will like the whiter light better than the warm white.

Here is what mine look like at night:

[DeltaTek]

Has anybody tried the Lumen, or Oracle lighting or Putco led conversion kits if so please message me

[Gdrizzle]

After recently seeing the service bulletin online I took my truck in to have new headlights put in and reprogramming done.

 

After getting home that night it seems as if the driver side shutter is stuck on high mode. You hear both shutters working when flipped to high and low. This will be the third time for me to take the truck back to dealer to have them get something right. Curious to see if anyone else has experienced a problem like this.

 

 

Here is the lights on low - both lights have different patterns. When switched to high it seems as if the driver side hardly changes.

 

 

 

Here is the lights on high. As you can see the driver side hardly changes and the passenger side shoots up as I assume it should.

 

 

 

Tried many different angles of adjustment and end with the same result. Also both bulbs seemed to be seated correctly. Very annoyed with the headlights on this truck.

[jhynes70]

Hi everyone...update on my case. ...GM has refused to acknowledge my problem with my headlights on my 2014 Sierra. Recently, while driving on the highway at night, one headlight burned out, it was horrible to drive, hard to see, and when I replaced the burned out one, the other one had to be replaced as it was dull and had a yellow tint. I was advised that once my warranty ends, I will have to pay for these bulbs myself....at $70 each....having to replace once a year due to getting dull is unacceptable....$55000 for a pickup with substandard lights. When I told my "GM customer care ambassador that I may join a class action lawsuit or go to the media...it did not fizz him one bit. basically GM does not give a s&*t about safety...just getting your hard earned money!

[southern_sierra]

After recently seeing the service bulletin online I took my truck in to have new headlights put in and reprogramming done.

 

After getting home that night it seems as if the driver side shutter is stuck on high mode. You hear both shutters working when flipped to high and low. This will be the third time for me to take the truck back to dealer to have them get something right. Curious to see if anyone else has experienced a problem like this.

 

 

Here is the lights on low - both lights have different patterns. When switched to high it seems as if the driver side hardly changes.

 

IMG_2982-2.jpeg

 

 

Here is the lights on high. As you can see the driver side hardly changes and the passenger side shoots up as I assume it should.

 

IMG_2983-2.jpeg

 

 

Tried many different angles of adjustment and end with the same result. Also both bulbs seemed to be seated correctly. Very annoyed with the headlights on this truck.

Looks like one of the bulbs is not seated right. I would check the one on the drivers side first its easy to get to. When I had the update on my truck the drivers side was seated wrong and putting the lights on high beam would not change it any. Just have the lights on when you untwist the the bulb socket that way you can tell when its seated correctly. The grooves for the bulb socket housing are very fine don't force it.

[Shredzy]

Hi everyone...update on my case. ...GM has refused to acknowledge my problem with my headlights on my 2014 Sierra. Recently, while driving on the highway at night, one headlight burned out, it was horrible to drive, hard to see, and when I replaced the burned out one, the other one had to be replaced as it was dull and had a yellow tint. I was advised that once my warranty ends, I will have to pay for these bulbs myself....at $70 each....having to replace once a year due to getting dull is unacceptable....$55000 for a pickup with substandard lights. When I told my "GM customer care ambassador that I may join a class action lawsuit or go to the media...it did not fizz him one bit. basically GM does not give a s&*t about safety...just getting your hard earned money!

 

Don't bother hoping GM will take responsibility for the poor excuse they call headlights on these trucks, it won't happen.

 

Look into either a LED or HID upgrade which can be done for around $100 & up depending on what you go with.

[SierraRover]

I agree with Shredzy -- the standard bulbs are very poor; the TSB is a tad better but still mediocre. I got the brush off from GM too, to both a letter and a phone call to the CEO's office.

 

For those with the time and money to do it, going with the LED or HID upgrade, ether self-installed or installed at a shop, is worth a try. GM itself does not seem to want to do this, and it looks like the dealers either won't or can't do the work.

 

As for the headlight burnout scenario, yep, the bulbs specified in the TSB (Vosla's) have a very short life -- so it is a good idea to keep an extra bulb in the truck at all times. The driver's side bulb is easy to replace; the passenger's side bulb takes some tools and some time (the airbox has to be removed). But still a good idea to take an extra bulb along with you.

 

Instead of the Vosla 55 Watt bulbs, you can substitute Philips 9011 HIR bulbs ($18 at Home Depot or on the web) as long as you clip the tabs to make it fit. Cheaper and may be a little bit brighter.

 

I love my 2014 GMC Sierra but am very cautious when driving it at night -- it is downright dangerous on a dark, wet country road. All you can do is file a complaint with the NHTSB (or the Canadian equivalent at Transport Canada) and hope that the class-action suit wins eventually.

 

My next truck? It may be a GMC, or maybe a Chevy, or even a Ford -- but it gets a test drive at night before I sign the dotted line.

Edited January 8, 2017 by SierraRover

[fpdsniper]

I agree with Shredzy -- the standard bulbs are very poor; the TSB is a tad better but still mediocre. I got the brush off from GM too, to both a letter and a phone call to the CEO's office.

 

For those with the time and money to do it, going with the LED or HID upgrade, ether self-installed or installed at a shop, is worth a try. GM itself does not seem to want to do this, and it looks like the dealers either won't or can't do the work.

 

As for the headlight burnout scenario, yep, the bulbs specified in the TSB (Vosla's) have a very short life -- so it is a good idea to keep an extra bulb in the truck at all times. The driver's side bulb is easy to replace; the passenger's side bulb takes some tools and some time (the airbox has to be removed). But still a good idea to take an extra bulb along with you.

 

Instead of the Vosla 55 Watt bulbs, you can substitute Philips 9011 HIR bulbs ($18 at Home Depot or on the web) as long as you clip the tabs to make it fit. Cheaper and may be a little bit brighter.

 

I love my 2014 GMC Sierra but am very cautious when driving it at night -- it is downright dangerous on a dark, wet country road. All you can do is file a complaint with the NHTSB (or the Canadian equivalent at Transport Canada) and hope that the class-action suit wins eventually.

 

My next truck? It may be a GMC, or maybe a Chevy, or even a Ford -- but it gets a test drive at night before I sign the dotted line.

Same exact experience here. Just had the Morimoto HID Kit installed. Went with the 35w model. Installer just called, and said it went very well. Can't wait until it gets dark, and I can see if my crap headlight problem is gone.

[fpdsniper]

Ok, so I did some driving in the dark last night after getting my HID kit installed. I'm happy to report that my ridiculously bad headlights are now a thing of the past! Why the hell didn't I do this sooner?

[Dapi]

I own a 2015 sierra Denali and I agree with everything said in regards to the terrible headlamps these trucks are equipped with. I had the updated bulbs and re flash performed and there was absolutely no improvement. I found a solution by installing Phillips 9011 standard halogen bulbs. They are 65 watt rather than the stock 55 watts. Lumens are 2300 rather than the 1800 factory upgrade bulbs. You have to shave off an eighth io an inch from one of the bulb alignment tabs in order for the bulb to go into the lamp housing. The 9011 bulb also has two small ridges inside the electrical connector that need to be removed with a dremel bit so the factory plug can be inserted. This only takes a minute to do each bulb. This made a huge difference in the headlight performance! No modifications to the truck required and the bulbs are $12 each on Amazon. I also find it to be a great help to dim the dash lights way down at night. The dash is so bright that your eyes are trying to adjust to bright lights inside the truck while focusing into a dark environment down the road.

[SierraRover]

I own a 2015 sierra Denali and I agree with everything said in regards to the terrible headlamps these trucks are equipped with. I had the updated bulbs and re flash performed and there was absolutely no improvement. I found a solution by installing Phillips 9011 standard halogen bulbs. They are 65 watt rather than the stock 55 watts. Lumens are 2300 rather than the 1800 factory upgrade bulbs. You have to shave off an eighth io an inch from one of the bulb alignment tabs in order for the bulb to go into the lamp housing. The 9011 bulb also has two small ridges inside the electrical connector that need to be removed with a dremel bit so the factory plug can be inserted. This only takes a minute to do each bulb. This made a huge difference in the headlight performance! No modifications to the truck required and the bulbs are $12 each on Amazon. I also find it to be a great help to dim the dash lights way down at night. The dash is so bright that your eyes are trying to adjust to bright lights inside the truck while focusing into a dark environment down the road.

 

I've adopted the same solution. I think it is an improvement, and better than the Vosla bulbs (people should still get the TSB done, though, because it ups the voltage to the headlights). The truck does not seem to mind the extra 10 Watts draw on those two circuits -- especially since that flash to the Body Control Module (the TSB) ups the voltage.

[SierraRover]

Ok, so I did some driving in the dark last night after getting my HID kit installed. I'm happy to report that my ridiculously bad headlights are now a thing of the past! Why the hell didn't I do this sooner?

 

Can you provide data on which kit you used? Your post mentions the 35W kit -- is there a SKU or a specific model? I am sorely tempted to do the same thing! (And I think I'll type up an invoice and send it to GMC's finance office for the cost) (Just kidding).

Edited January 14, 2017 by SierraRover