GMC Sierra Headlight Bulb Size

GMS Sierra Headlight Bulb Size Chart

The GMC Sierra is a line of pickup trucks that has been produced by General Motors since 1998.

The first generation was based on the GMT800 platform, which it shares with its predecessor, the Chevrolet Silverado. It replaced the previous GMC C/K truck lineup, starting in 1998 for the 1999 year model.

The Silverado and Sierra are the same trucks sold in different markets, with few exceptions.

The second generation of Sierra is based on the GMT900 platform. Introduced in 2006, it shares its chassis with the updated 2007 model year Chevrolet Silverado (previously known as C6).

For the 2008 year model, GMC offered a Denali version of the Sierra, which has improved interior features and specialized exterior trim.

In February 2013, GM updated the lineup with revised exterior styling on most models as well as new engine offerings.

In November 2014, GM announced that they would end production of all their pickup trucks at both Oshawa Car Assembly and Silao Assembly by December 2014.

Production of the Sierra is expected to continue through 2017, at Silao Assembly.

In February 2013, General Motors (GM) implemented significant updates across much of their model lineup, showcasing their commitment to innovation and staying current with automotive trends. These updates included a revision of the exterior styling on several models, giving them a more modern and appealing look.

Alongside these aesthetic enhancements, GM also introduced new engine options. This move was aimed at offering consumers more power and efficiency choices, aligning with the growing demand for performance variability and environmental consciousness in the automotive market.

The 2018 GMC Sierra just marked its last year for the 3rd generation model. We await new and exciting upgrades in its 4th generation.

Keep a lookout for the latest GMC Sierra Lamp Replacement guide as it will feature some of the best LED and HID lighting upgrades.

Having the right bulb size will save you a lot of time when upgrading from your stock incandescent/halogen lamps to LED light bulbs. The GMC Sierra bulb size guide covers models built between 1999 and 2017.

This information is for reference only and owners should consult their Sierra manuals for the right bulb size.

The GMC Sierra is much like the Silverado. Its lighting system features a 4-piece design that includes a turn signal, high beam, fog light, and low beam.

The current LED bulbs produce more light than the ones in the previous models. These, however, can be upgraded with an LED day liner strip, halo ring add-ons or a HID conversion kit.

The older GMC Sierra produced between 2007 and 2015 came with the cheapest headlight setups that were of low quality. Low beams used H11LL bulbs, fog lights used 5202 bulbs while high beams used 9005LL.

The high and low beams produce 1200 lumens on average.

Most owners won’t get the ultimate brightness or luminosity that they may need.

Fortunately, there are multiple LED H11 and HID kits that can be installed in place of the stock bulbs. These are more capable and durable.

Some the aftermarket lighting kits available today produce over 2500 lumens and have LED headlights that can run for more than 50,000 hours. They not only provide enough light but also give your GMC Sierra a sophisticated and stylish look.

Available options include HID, LED, and CCFL conversions; 4-piece and 2-piece headlight clusters; chrome and black-out headlights; and LED Dayliners.

Aftermarket Light Bulbs: Upgrade Options

The GMC light bulb size guide is made to be used by anyone from professional GMC mobile electronics installers to amateur GMC enthusiasts. It makes it easy and less tedious to find the correct automotive light bulb sizes.

However, it’s advisable always to confirm these details.

Some of the best replacement options for your bulbs include LEDs or HIDs. LED lamp operates at low temperatures and can last for more than 50,000 hours of usage.

They give some of the brightest light today. HIDs are similar to standard halogen bulbs but without the heating filament. They use gas and also operate at low temperature.

They don’t last as long as LEDs but are more durable and brighter than halogen bulbs.

LEDs are more affordable than HIDs and are easier to fix. For your GMC, you may need multiple power relays and ballast to install an HID conversion kit.

More expensive Ultra-bright LED adaptive lights are also available and illuminate turns and corners as you drive.

When choosing your headlight bulbs, remember that higher Kelvin means more blue light while more light output means whiter light. None of these two metrics increase brightness.

GMC Sierra Headlight Bulb Replacement

GMC Sierra headlight bulb replacement is necessary for you to keep your GMC Sierra safe on the road. Headlight bulbs typically need replacement after about 20 minutes of use up. This is because it reaches its maximum temperature and burns out quicker than you realize.

This replacement must be done properly in order to avoid accidents when driving at dawn or dusk, during rain, snow, fog, etc., where good visibility is needed most. Here are instructions on how to do this properly:

You will need: flat head screwdriver, needle nose pliers (optional), 1/4″ drive ratchet with 10mm socket (I highly recommend Stanley brand), 3157A (9005) krypton replacement halogen bulb (also known as HB3).

You can also get/order them at AutoZone or AdvanceAutoParts but the price will probably be higher there.

• 1) Make sure your vehicle is turned off and cooled down, otherwise you might burn yourself while working around the engine bay (not recommended).

Then pop open your hood release under your dashboard to expose your engine bay. If you don’t know where it is, check under both of your front seats for a small plastic slider with a hook on it.

Pull this up to release the cable that holds your hood closed and pull up on the hood itself to prop it open (you should hear some click-acks when locking pins are released).

• 2) Remove your old headlight bulb.

There is a small plastic piece of trim that covers the backside of you light housing, where your headlights emerge from. This is held in place by 2 – 10mm nuts and 1 screw (flathead or phillips).

Just remove them and this cover and set aside to access the backside of your lights. There should be 3 connectors on each light: yellow, black, green/purple. Unplug all 3 of these before attempting to remove your bulbs from the assembly.

Also note that if you have halogens as well as high beams/DRLs they are contained within this same assembly, so don’t touch anything that looks like a DRL unless you want both halogen and HID bulbs in your housing.

• 3) Use the pliers (or 10mm socket and ratchet, if you have them) to loosen the nut on the backside of each light holding it in place so that you can reach your hand around and remove it by pulling straight down.

There should be enough slack in the wiring behind it to get this off with some maneuvering.

BE SURE not to touch anything other than the black/yellow/green/purple connectors and nuts while messing around inside your engine bay! You could seriously injure yourself or damage something if you aren’t paying attention.

• 4) The bulb should now be loose enough for you to twist counter-clockwise and pull out.

Grab ahold of it and twist, then pull straight out (away from the vehicle). This is held in place by some light springs that might try to push it back into your housing.

Just twist, pull, and wiggle as needed until you get it free; this bulb has nothing to do with the electrical system so it doesn’t matter if you drop/damage it or not, just be careful not to lose or damage anything else.

• 5) You should now have the empty socket exposed where your old bulb was.

If there are any broken pieces of glass around inside of there, remove them but most likely they will be left behind after removing the bulb because they will fall apart when touched.

Don’t worry about that at all though because once you install your new bulb it will be protected by your housing. Just make sure to clean out any dirt or debris inside of the socket before you try to put the new one in.

• 6) Now is a great time to check both of your headlights for any cracks, damages, etc.

It doesn’t matter how small they are, just do this next part carefully because this is where most people cut their fingers or hands on broken glass that didn’t come all the way out when you removed your old bulb.

• 7) Grab your replacement light and twist it clockwise until it feels like you can’t twist anymore (you could probably stop now…).

But if you want to do it “right”, continue twisting another half-turn so that there’s a little bit of tension on the bulb itself.

The reason for this is that you don’t want your new light popping out from under higher pressure from being locked into place or starting up when you first turn it on.

It should look just like it did when you twisted it out earlier, except now you’re going to push it back in with a little more force because this time there’s an electrical connection to contend with.

• 8) Before trying to put your new headlight bulb back in, be absolutely sure that both halves of your plastic housing are clean and free from any dirt/debris so nothing gets lodged inside of them during installation.

Also be sure not to touch the glass part (sorry about all the warnings but I’m trying to make you as safe as possible) and make sure everything looks clean.

• 9) Now feel free to plug your wiring harness back into the black/yellow/green/purple connectors and twist your metal light housing pieces back into place over them.

Don’t worry about the way they’re oriented, just put the same orientation back on that you found it in when you first took it off.

Also don’t forget to screw those nuts all the way down so that your fender well doesn’t start rattling from a loose connector or something.

• 10) Put your screws back in and tighten them with a flathead screwdriver(or 10mm socket) until they won’t go any tighter, but not so tight that you strip or damage them.

There should be a little space between the head of your screws and the plastic pieces they’re going into, but not much because if it’s too loose then your housing could start coming apart from vibration when you drive.

• 11) Now try turning on your headlights again to see if everything still works properly. If they don’t work, one thing to check is whether or not both halves of your plastic housing are completely plugged in at all times.

Just push down really hard with a flathead screwdriver(or 10mm socket) over each black connector in turn while trying to turn your lights on so you know for sure that they’re making good contact.

Also just double-check that every screw got tightened all the way down because sometimes they come loose when you’re putting everything back together.

• 12) If your headlights still don’t work, make sure that you didn’t put the metal parts of your light housing back on upside-down (the flat side should be facing directly away from you).

Also make sure that no wiring got pinched or anything like that while putting things back together and double-check every screw to be sure none of them came loose.

• 13) When everything checks out ok, put your wheel back on and get yourself some ice cream (or whatever else makes you happy) because you did it!

See Also:

How To Replace Headlight Bulb On 2015 GMC Sierra

Cracking the Code on Your GMC Sierra 1500’s Shaking and Vibrating Issues

What Size Camper can a GMS Sierra 1500 Tow

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GMC Sierra bulb size