2015 GMC Sierra 1500 · symptom sheet
Headlights too dim or fail
- 83owner reports
- 12,000median miles
- $300median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Aug 13, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026
93 of the 719 complaints on this car are about the exterior lighting. 83 of those describe headlights. Only brake wear is reported more often on this car.
Tick what matches of 83 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 (72 reports) and the bulb (25 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the exterior lighting covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
What owners paid
8 of the 83 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $200 to $800.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 1,469 and 30,000 miles, from the 37 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 6 service bulletins or notices for the 2015 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 ...
2 more on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 page.
What owners wrote
“Headlights are so dim because of the plastic cover that is made into the OEM headlight assembly. The plastic apparently had no UV protectant and the plastic has turned dingey yellow and clouded where it's affected the light output from the vehicle”
Filed Oct 17, 2023
“The headlights are very poor. Can hardly see at night. They're no better when on high beams.”
Filed Oct 21, 2021
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 83 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 229 reports
- A/C blows warm or the compressor fails 51 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 44 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 40 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 37 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 33 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 33 reports