2014 GMC Sierra 1500 · symptom sheet
Headlights too dim or fail
- 104owner reports
- 23,000median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Aug 27, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026
121 of the 701 complaints on this car are about the exterior lighting. 104 of those describe headlights. Only brake wear is reported more often on this car.
Tick what matches of 104 reports
Headlights on other Sierra 1500 years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Headlight complaints fall into two camps. In one, a headlight goes out, often more than once, or fills with moisture behind the lens. In the other, the lights work exactly as built and the owner still can't see the road at night because the beam is too dim or too short. Owners in that second camp often report a dealer telling them it's normal.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the headlight assembly (89 reports) and the bulb (23 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the exterior lighting covers the 2014 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 5,000 and 40,000 miles, from the 46 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 10 service bulletins or notices for the 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Headlamp, Tail Lamp, License Lamp or Fog/Driving Lamp Damage.
This Preliminary Information communicates to technicians that the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL's) or the auto headlamps will not shut off when using the daytime running lamp disable switch (Which is part of the headlamp switch), if the vehicles was built for ...
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have either the truck or the snowplow's headlights are flickering or inoperative.
This Preliminary Information communicates to techniciansthat the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL's) or the auto headlamps will not shut off when using the daytime running lamp disable switch (Which is part of the headlamp switch), if the vehicles was built for ...
6 more on the 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 page.
What owners wrote
“The high and low beams quit working while driving at night. This caused safety issue for myself and other drivers. Fuses good and bulbs good. Have seen multiple listings online about the same thing happening to other owners.”
Filed Sep 29, 2024
“The headlights are dangerously dim, can't drive the vehicle comfortably at night. There seems to be no solution for fixing them. A TSB has been issued concerning this, but does little to address fixing the problem.”
Filed Apr 16, 2024
“Both headlamps stopped working when driving at night. Neither the low or high beams will work”
Filed Jan 27, 2024
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 104 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 144 reports
- A/C blows warm or the compressor fails 83 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 78 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 75 reports
- Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on 56 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 29 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 27 reports