NHTSA Complaint #10378175 — 2007 GMC SIERRA

I CONTINUE TO BE ANNOYED BY A CONDITION I EXPERIENCE WITH THE GMC VEHICLE I PURCHASED NEW THREE YEARS AGO. THE PROBLEM IS ONE THAT THE DEALER DOES NOT HAVE A REMEDY FOR. THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED OVERNIGHT OR WHEN IT IS PARKED IN THE SHADOWS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS NOT LIGHTED WHEN ONE DRIVES AWAY SOMETIMES FOR PERIODS OF UP TO THIRTY TO FORTY-FIVE MINUTES. THIS BECOMES PARTICULARLY IRRITATING IN THE CASE OF THE RADIO WHICH CANNOT BE READ FROM THE DRIVER'S POSITION. ONLY AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE BRIGHT SUN FOR SOMETIMES AS LITTLE AS TEN AND OFTEN AS MUCH AS FORTY-FIVE MINUTES WILL THE DASH LIGHTS KICK IN TO WHERE THEY ARE EASILY READABLE. I FIND THIS CONDITION A POTENTIAL HAZARD IN THAT PEOPLE MAY BE STRETCHING TO READ THEIR RADIO OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ADEQUATELY VIEW THEIR INSTRUMENTAL PANEL OTHERWISE. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN ERROR. WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN ELECTRIC EYE OR SIMILAR DEVICE IS IN THE SHADOW OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ASSEMBLY OR THE PILLAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. WHAT HAPPENS THEN IS WHEN THE ELECTRIC EYE IS IN FULL SUN, IT EVENTUALLY SEEMS TO FIND WHERE IT IS AT AND THE LIGHTING IN THE DASH IS INCREASED. IT SEEMS THAT BECAUSE THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION MUCH IN THE WAY OF CELL PHONES, GM OUGHT TO BE MADE TO RECALL AND/OR OFFER A REMEDY TO THE CONSUMER. I FIND THIS COMMENT BEING MADE BY FELLOW OWNERS OF GMC AND CHEVROLET PICK-UP TRUCKS. THE PROBLEM THEN IS NOT ONLY MINE. HOW WIDESPREAD IS IT? *TR