GM Issues Fix For GMC Terrain Excessive Headlamp Glare Recall
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GM has issued a fix for the headlight glare issue that prompted it to recall all 2010 to 2017 model year GMC Terrain crossovers earlier this year. The automaker was previously denied a request to have the recall dismissed, as the headlamps were found to be in violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards due to their luminosity levels.
The problem: the headlamps in affected vehicles may illuminate areas that are located above the vehicle and outside of the driver’s view with excessively bright light. NHTSA said previously that the headlamps in affected vehicles have a “luminous intensity of 450-470 cd,” which exceeds the limit of 125 cd.
The hazards: the bright reflection from these headlamps may cause glare for other drivers, reducing their visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM’s newly developed remedy for this problem entails installing a headlamp applique that will ensure the headlamps do not exceed the 125 cd limit.
Affected components: headlights.
Affected vehicles:
- 2010-2017 GMC Terrain
Number of affected vehicles: a total of 740,581 vehicles are believed to be affected by this problem.
Owners should: owners of affected vehicles will receive an owner notification letter in the mail with instructions on how to proceed. If owners are unsure whether or not their vehicle is affected by this recall action, they can visit my.gm.com/recalls and type in their VIN to see any open recalls that may be active on it. Affected owners can also reach out to GMC directly using the contact information included below.
Contacts:
- GM recall number: N222363740
- NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V137000
- GMC Customer Service: 1-800-462-8782
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“…installing a headlamp applique…” ?
So not a new redesigned headlight assembly, but something attached to the outside of the housing? …like tint, or something opaque? …and (with tongue in cheek) are eyelashes optional?
This, I gotta see…
So they are going to tint a lens that already may have fogged enough to be in spec?
I see many running in to get this done ….not!
This is kind of like when they cut the Camaro key out of the fob.
When will chips be coming for 2022 and 2023gmc auto.
There are many more vehicles on the road with excessive bright lights that are annoying and dangerous.
Another part of this problem is that the new lights are very bright but they don’t project a beam like the old lights did which makes the new ones inferior in my opinion.
As an owner of a 2015 Terrain bought new and included in this recall, this fix is neither necessary nor acceptable. Never in all the years of ownership have I been flashed for too bright of lights (not to say they may not have affected others), and my forward visibility is already horrendous compared to other vehicles on the road today.
My state (Illinois) also does not allow for any tint to be applied to the head/tail lamps as of June 2021. So if this is a noticeable “applique”, I am susceptible to being pulled over for this, to which I have to convince the officer it was a factory install…likely by having the recall letter in the glove box at all times.
Now we’re assuming this is going on the outside of the lenses for ease of dealer installation. What happens when it begins to wear off in this wonderful intense UV or winter scraping of ice off the headlights?
What if this “applique” is being applied to the INSIDE of the lenses. Now I have to worry about the dealer doing a good enough job of resealing the lenses and not causing me to get condensation buildup.
Look forward to hearing what owners have to say after it is completed. I sure won’t be first in line.
“What if this “applique” is being applied to the INSIDE of the lenses.”
With the time & effort required to open up a headlight housing, as well as the questionable quality of resealing, I can’t see that being the prescribed permanent fix for 740,581 Terrains.
I’d be *hopeful* that they’ve come up with an insert/change for the projector housing, since that’s the only place anything could be changed to alter the light output without messing with the exterior. If they could refocus the existing light output rather than simply dimming it, owners might appreciate the fix, but never have I ever heard a car owner say, “I wish the road wasn’t quite so bright when I’m driving at night.” Terrain owners’ complaints about headlights not shining down the road far enough probably far outnumber concerns about glare. Hard to imagine anyone clamoring to have their headlights doused a bit.
And what’s so unique/problematic about the Terrain’s headlight design, compared with, say, the Equinox of the same vintage, with very possibly the same projector housing wrapped in a different shell? Is the geometry of the housing or headlight cover causing the glare?
Curious to see if any further details surface…
I saw these appliques at dealer today and it is so stupid. Maybe 2×4 inch sticker that Defuses the section of light where they want you to stick. So in my opinion not a permanent fix , just a cheap cop out.
The applique is not going to be applied to the entire headlight. Only the portion of the light that is causing the excessive upward glare. It will most likely be a clear “matte” type of applique that will reduce the amount of light being thrown by the particular area of the headlight causing the issue. It probably won’t even be noticeable to a casual observer after it is applied.
I live in an area that gets ice and snow…in all of the decades that I have been driving in such weather I have NEVER used a scraper to remove ice off of headlights. That’s a quick way to destroy your headlights. I turn the headlights on while I remove snow and ice from the rest of the car. By the time I have done that, the headlights are warm enough that any snow and ice just slides right off of them.
Dealers don’t have the time nor equipment to remove headlights assemblies, heat them up to crack them open, fix them, then reseal them. GM is looking for the cheapest fix possible for vehicles that aren’t even in production any longer. This will be a quick and easy application of an applique to the exterior of the lights and then they will send customers on their way.
Owners that were hoping to get brand new assemblies to replace their cloudy old lights will be the ones truly disappointed by this solution. I doubt dealers will even bother applying the applique to such lights.
Truly happy to have found your opinion! I was contemplating the recall fix before trading up or selling outright. Glad that I didn’t have to find out the hard way if this would have been a deal-breaker for me in some way : )
I was told that new headlamps are being installed. Got mine ordered for my 2012 Terrain
Now if they could do something with those new Ford trucks!
few people will be inconvenienced and bring it in for this recall,if you bring it in for service the writer may suggest if the have the part
2017 terrain owner here. I can’t remember getting flashed by oncoming traffic for too bright of lights. No way in hell will I take my car in to get jacked with.
Seems like the more car companies charge for their overpriced garbage..the cheaper they become when it’s time to stand behind their vehicles quality. Way to show the customer you give a crap about anything but their money. My Mom has a GMC Terrain, and if THAT vehicle is “professional grade” I’ll eat my underwear!
Forget about the headlights. What about the main seal and rear seal leaks that plague the Terrain ? I’ve seen many complaints from Terrain owners yet GM doesnt acknowledge this very pricey problem. Even after the expensive repairs, the problem has resurfaced on some models. Rear seal leaks are a known fire hazard yet no recall. Guess headlight appliques are a cheaper fix
Headlight appliques are inadequate and will not last the life of the vehicle. New assemblies are needed at the very least.
I have been calling in and waiting for this headlight fix. I just spent $20 on a cleaning kit to remove the fog and completed that. The headlights look better than they did before but I could have done a better job. I’ll get it right the second time. I did not want to buy another set of headlights cuz I was waiting for this fix to come through and maybe I can get new lights. It is exactly what I figured would happen some dinky little fix that really is not a fix just a way for them to get out of the whole thing. The little guy loses again. I will have to buy a cleaning kit once a year and that will be my fix I guess. I’m not even going to go into the GM dealer and have this stupid thing put on my headlights. At least I don’t want to. Maybe I should have it done for any kind of legal consequence.IDK
I’ve been flashed, when i didn’t have my high beams on. THIS APPLIQUE on the outside of the lamp, MAKES MY CAR LOOK BAD. It’s cheesy. GM you need to do better than this poorly aesthetic thing on my headlight cover.
The application they put on the outside is not enough how many car washed will it take to make it fall off they need to do better and get a new headlamp assembly don’t waste your time to go get it done.
Damn I should’ve done mi homework and looked into this first. I dropped it off and I am waiting for them to call me when its done , they said it will take a couple hours to do. I can’t imagine it taking that long to put some kind of tint on the headlights. Had I known before hand , I never would have taken it at all
Got my headlight repaired today. So glad my car now looks crappy with a sticker on each headlight. Wonder how it will affect my resale value.
Took my 2013 Terrain in for the recall for the headlights and it took Moran Chevrolet dealer 4 hours to stick on the cheap appliques. I thought the whole headlight assembly was being replaced. A waste of my time and energy🤨!
That must have been a big letdown for you. The guy comes and says your car is done and you’re expecting to see brand new headlights. You see some stupid thing pasted on it and the old headlights still there. That must have sucked. I thought I might get new headlights which would also fix the fogging problem. I’m not even going to go in to get that sticker put on. I knew it was going to be like this. That would have caused you I’m a lot of money to replace all those headlights so you know they squeeze this little make believe thing through.
My Terrain now has cataracts.
The sticker solution looks like straight up trash and I’m not leaving them on my vehicle. It seriously looks ridiculous.
It looks like sh!t!! and a waste of time