Have an early build 2015 GMC Sierra and don't like the low beams?

[tedstr]

Thanks for the info. We don't drive that much at night, but my wife has said the lights are terrible and do not extend out far enough at low beams. I'll be taking my truck in for service next week and plan to tell the technician about TSB PIT5374

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by hdmtnrider

Is this just a GMC problem or is it also Chevrolet? I have a 2015 2500 and don't really like the low beam lights as they shine like their is something blocking them from shinning very high. You can see a line of darkness in front of you especially when you go up and down a hill.

Most of the complaints I have seen and read have been for the GMC. Not sure what the difference is between the two but your Chevy has a reflector type light under the projector. Is that a "driving light" that is on all the time?

Your projector light however is the same as the GMC and the line comes from the shiled behind the lense. On low beam that shield is down over the bulb to an extent and that's the line you see, when you hit the high beam the shield raises and the full lens is used.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by win

Attachment 126295

On your Chebby did you have the factory lights down there and just swapped to the Putcos or did you install them from scratch?

I don't have the factory fog/driving lights so would most likely need an aftermarket switch and possibly a relay.

[hdmtnrider]

Mr Havercamp, The top light on my Chevy is a driving light and low beam. The bottom is High beam only.

[Mr Havercamp]

After driving my 15 to work and back all week, in the dark both morning and night, I give what was done per the GM TSB my seal of approval. Perfect no, but I can live with it.

I still intend to add the fog/driving lights in the lower valance. I am debating what it takes, or if it is possible, to buy the headlight switch with the selector on the lower part of the knob for the fog lights and retrofit it to an aftermaket HID or LED set of driving lights in those locations. Not much too lose as its a $30 part.

Anyone know if that switch will work that way or does it require connection to the BCM or something to actually work as a switch? I already assume I'll need a remote relay for the lights themselves.

[DreiHunde]

No clue on the switch but I've ordered parts from these folks and they have always been pretty responsive and helpful to my questions.
Search for Genuine GM Parts by Vehicle

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by DreiHunde

No clue on the switch but I've ordered parts from these folks and they have always been pretty responsive and helpful to my questions.
Search for Genuine GM Parts by Vehicle

Thanks, bought there before. The prices are almost what my BIL gets them for at the dealer with his discount.

Another good one is
GM Parts Direct: Your direct source for Genuine GM Parts

If you check between the two one or the other may be cheaper for different items.

[MillerTime]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

After driving my 15 to work and back all week, in the dark both morning and night, I give what was done per the GM TSB my seal of approval. Perfect no, but I can live with it.

I still intend to add the fog/driving lights in the lower valance. I am debating what it takes, or if it is possible, to buy the headlight switch with the selector on the lower part of the knob for the fog lights and retrofit it to an aftermaket HID or LED set of driving lights in those locations. Not much too lose as its a $30 part.

Anyone know if that switch will work that way or does it require connection to the BCM or something to actually work as a switch? I already assume I'll need a remote relay for the lights themselves.

A lot of gms require programing after replacing switches.
Also the front wiring harness is probably different.
The headlight nob actually pushes in the middle to turn on the fog lamps.

There are upfitter relay and fuse locations in the under hood fuse box. But you will have to find an upfitter manual to find out how to use them.

I would recommend just going completely aftermarket unless you want to really dump some cash into it.
The best thing in the future is to spec or order the truck with them when its new. Very minamal cost at that stage.
Our 2015.5 ( built aug 2015) denali 3500 has pretty good lights, but on the sides, the fog lamps help alot.
Here is without them on and then with them on. Same place just a couple seconds apart

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by MillerTime

A lot of gms require programing after replacing switches.
Also the front wiring harness is probably different.
The headlight nob actually pushes in the middle to turn on the fog lamps.

I guess I'll have to take out the current switch and take a look, I am willing to bet the connector at the switch and wiring harness are common to if it has fog lights or not. I was not planning on using the wiring harness for the actual lights although I bet the connections for the factory fogs are taped up under the bumper somewhere. I was thinking of cutting the wire after the new switch for the factory fogs, and using that to throw the aftermarket relay.

I knew the truck didn't have the fogs but at the time finding a 2500 double cab with 8' bed was not very easy. This one had everything else I wanted and more importantly not the stuff I didn't want. It took me awhile to find it and would of been longer if I would of ordered. Around here all the dealers want to stock is the lower trim WT/LS in white to sell to all the Marcellus shale gas industry companies.

GM used to make a kit to add those lights that came with the switch, dash bezel, and the light assemblies. I added them to a 2007. You still had to get the dealer to program them. To my knowledge they have not come out with a kit for this newest generation of trucks.

[Steve52]

I have a 2014 GMC Sierra 1500. I had the GM "fix" done as soon as it was made available. The "fix" made low beam barely adequate. High beams are a joke. As much as I like the truck, if I had test driven it at night, I would have looked at the Chevy instead. GM has really screwed the pooch on this one.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by Steve52

I have a 2014 GMC Sierra 1500. I had the GM "fix" done as soon as it was made available. The "fix" made low beam barely adequate. High beams are a joke. As much as I like the truck, if I had test driven it at night, I would have looked at the Chevy instead. GM has really screwed the pooch on this one.

Odd, no problem at all with the high beams on my 15-2500 before or after the fix. I always thought the high beams were awesome and had no complaints about those.

[grayfox]

Originally Posted by MillerTime

A lot of gms require programing after replacing switches.
Also the front wiring harness is probably different.
The headlight nob actually pushes in the middle to turn on the fog lamps.

There are upfitter relay and fuse locations in the under hood fuse box. But you will have to find an upfitter manual to find out how to use them.

I would recommend just going completely aftermarket unless you want to really dump some cash into it.
The best thing in the future is to spec or order the truck with them when its new. Very minamal cost at that stage.
Our 2015.5 ( built aug 2015) denali 3500 has pretty good lights, but on the sides, the fog lamps help alot.
Here is without them on and then with them on. Same place just a couple seconds apart

My 2015.5 3500 Denali was an August build also same problem as yours even with the service bulletin high beams were somewhat better side lighting is marginal at best.

[win]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

On your Chebby did you have the factory lights down there and just swapped to the Putcos or did you install them from scratch?

I don't have the factory fog/driving lights so would most likely need an aftermarket switch and possibly a relay.

Mr Havercamp
Mine came with the oem fog lights and I just changed them out.
I think you should be able to buy the harness and switch from your dealer.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by win

Mr Havercamp
Mine came with the oem fog lights and I just changed them out.
I think you should be able to buy the harness and switch from your dealer.

Out of curiosity I priced all the parts at the GMC dealer I would need to install the factory lights yesterday morning. The ABS bezels, harnesses that go from those lights to plugs that are already at the headlights, the factory bulbs and housings along with a module that plugs into the underhood elec center and the inside switch. I would really like to have those lights but not to the tune of $450 in parts, and that is with a good price break my BIL gets. Then it would still need the BCM programmed, probably another $100 bill.

Going to plan B.