GMC Sierra Backup Camera Night Visibility Issues: A Common Problem Among Trucks
The GMC Sierra 1500 Denali is renowned for being one of the most luxurious and capable pickup trucks on the market. With its impressive features and capabilities, it’s no wonder that many people would be thrilled to own one. However, there is one significant downside to this otherwise exceptional truck that highlights a larger issue within the automotive industry, and that is its poor backup camera performance at night.
The fourth generation of the Sierra 1500 made its debut in 2019, with a refresh following in 2022. The truck boasts a handsome design that outshines its Silverado counterpart. During a review of the Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate, it was evident that this model is the epitome of luxury with a price tag of $87,190. The exterior features an imposing design highlighted by a dark Vader Chrome grille, exclusive to the Denali Ultimate, along with 22-inch aluminum wheels and bright chrome trim.
Inside the Denali Ultimate, drivers are greeted with a massive 12.3-inch driver gauge cluster display, a 13.4-inch center touchscreen display, a premium 12-speaker Bose surround sound system, heated and cooled 16-way power front seats, a sunroof, and GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving assistance system. Powering this luxury truck is a 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and a four-wheel-drive system.
Despite its impressive array of features, the GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate falls short in one key area – its backup camera system, particularly at night. The Denali Ultimate is equipped with three exterior cameras, including a front camera located under the GMC logo and two cameras at the top of the tailgate. While these cameras offer multiple angles for various tasks like towing and parking, their performance at night is less than satisfactory.
During the day, the backup camera provides acceptable visibility as long as objects are not too close. However, at night, the camera’s performance significantly deteriorates, rendering it nearly useless. The primary issues contributing to this problem are the dark filter applied to the camera, resulting in distorted colors, and the insufficient brightness of the backup lights. Owners have voiced their concerns online for years, indicating a recurring problem with the backup camera system on the Sierra.
The placement of the backup lights in relation to the cameras may also be a contributing factor to the poor visibility at night. The Sierra’s bed measures 71.4 inches wide, with the reverse light positioned just over half that length away from the camera. The low placement of the backup lights within the rear tail lights, coupled with the elevated position of the cameras at the top of the bed, creates a disparity in lighting effectiveness. This issue is not unique to the Sierra, as owners of other popular pickup truck models like the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, and Ram 1500 have also reported similar problems with low light and camera quality.
Regrettably, there is currently no federal mandate regarding the image quality of backup cameras in vehicles. While the government mandated in 2018 that all new vehicles must be equipped with a standard backup camera, there were no specific requirements regarding image quality, only that the camera should provide “distinguishable details observable in an image.” This lack of regulation underscores the need for improvements in backup camera technology and lighting systems on pickup trucks.
To address the night visibility issues with backup cameras on trucks like the GMC Sierra, automakers must prioritize the installation of brighter backup lights to complement the camera systems. Additionally, there is a pressing need for the government to establish standards for backup camera image quality to ensure optimal performance, even in low-light conditions. Until these changes are implemented, truck owners may need to explore aftermarket solutions to enhance the visibility of their backup cameras.
