A 2022 GMC Sierra AT4 1500 owner, known as KidGorgeous19, has spent months without the forward collision warning system or adaptive cruise control on his $75,000 truck. The vehicle has been to the dealership six times for the same issue, each visit failing to provide a lasting repair. After the sixth attempt, the truck was left at the dealer for a month, with technicians still unable to identify the root cause of the persistent sensor problem.
Other owners report similar issues, indicating a deeper systemic failure within GM's diagnostic and repair infrastructure for increasingly complex vehicle electronics. GM's own technical assistance team was involved, confirming the problem's severity and complexity, yet it took four visits and extensive testing to pinpoint a basic electrical resistance issue. Its forward collision alert system is designed to warn drivers of potential frontal impacts and is a core component of the truck's safety suite.
When a GMC dealership, even with repeated attempts and parts replacements, cannot resolve a critical safety and convenience feature on a high-trim vehicle, it signals a significant gap between engineering design and service capability. Other owners report similar issues, suggesting a widespread problem that GM's dealer network is ill-equipped to handle efficiently.
"Just venting…The forward collision light on my 2022 AT4 1500 has been on for months. That means the adaptive cruise doesn’t work. I’ve brought the thing into the dealer to get it fixed six f-ing times. They’ve replaced the front camera and one of the side cameras. Each time they call me and tell me it’s fixed. I pick it up, light still on. Six times. Six times, my wife has had to leave early from work to get me to the dealer to take care of it. It’s all under extended warranty, but it’s so frustrating. This time, I left it with them for a whole week since I was out of town. They called me on Wednesday to say it’s ready and really fixed this time. Picked it up Saturday. Light is still on, and now the side camera they replaced is misaligned. This is a 75k vehicle. I’m gonna lose it….So I finally spoke to the head of service at this dealer. He was appalled that I had to keep taking it back. Immediately got me into a loaner, which is a no-frills, work-class Silverado. Whatever, it's a vehicle. But now my Sierra has been at this dealer for 4 weeks. They never call with an update, I always have to call them, get the run around until I finally get someone on the phone. The latest update is that they can't identify the issue and are waiting on a GM Technician to come to the dealership to help identify and fix the issue. This is all related to the forward collision/ACC system. Absolutely infuriating. Some have asked about the Lemon Law. Unfortunately, I bought this used in a different state with about 3600 miles on it, so Lemon Law is out of the question. A $75k truck that has a sensor go bad and can't be fixed? Absurdity."
GMC Sierra AT4: Advanced Safety System Failures
- The 2022 GMC Sierra AT4 1500, with a starting MSRP of around $60,000, can easily reach $75,000 or more in higher trims, making these persistent failures particularly galling for owners. Its forward collision alert system is designed to warn drivers of potential frontal impacts and is a core component of the truck's overall safety suite.
- Adaptive cruise control, which relies on the forward-facing camera and radar sensors, automatically adjusts vehicle speed to maintain a set distance from the car ahead. When the forward collision system malfunctions, adaptive cruise control is typically disabled, removing a key convenience feature on long drives.
- Modern vehicles incorporate dozens of electronic control units (ECUs) and miles of wiring, making electrical diagnostics incredibly complex; a simple voltage drop or high resistance in a ground cable can cause a cascade of seemingly unrelated error codes. This complexity often overwhelms standard dealership diagnostic procedures, leading to repeated, unsuccessful repair attempts.
- The issue of "low voltage errors" affecting camera and image processing modules, as reported by one owner, suggests a systemic electrical design or manufacturing flaw rather than isolated component failures. This points to a need for a comprehensive service bulletin from GM, not just individual dealer troubleshooting.
KidGorgeous19’s experience with his 2022 Sierra AT4 is a textbook example of how a seemingly minor sensor failure can cascade into a significant ownership nightmare, compounded by inadequate dealer service protocols. The repeated, failed attempts to fix the forward collision system, which subsequently disables adaptive cruise control, show a fundamental disconnect between the complexity of modern vehicle systems and the diagnostic capabilities available at the dealer level.
Replacing cameras without resolving the underlying issue is akin to changing a lightbulb when the wiring is faulty.
The situation becomes even more concerning when considering the financial implications and inconvenience. Six trips to the dealer, with the truck now held for four weeks, represents an unacceptable burden on the owner. This is about lost time, disrupted schedules, and the erosion of trust in a brand that charges $75,000 for a vehicle. The fact that a used purchase with 3,600 miles negates Lemon Law protection in some states adds insult to injury, leaving the owner with little recourse for a truck that is functionally impaired.
This is where the pattern becomes clear. Other owners are reporting similar issues, suggesting KidGorgeous19's plight is not an anomaly but a symptom of a broader problem. Reddit user Janitor_Paul, for instance, offered a concise, ominous observation that confirms the prevalence of this defect: "My red warning light comes on randomly at times, I guess I have something to look forward to."
Janitor_Paul's comment reveals the reality that many Sierra owners are either already experiencing this intermittent fault or are anticipating its arrival. It’s a foreboding acknowledgment that the forward collision system issue is a known quantity within the owner community, creating a sense of dread rather than confidence in their vehicles. This isn't a "random" occurrence; it's a design or manufacturing flaw that GM has yet to comprehensively address.
The most telling insight comes from yungingr, a 2022 Denali owner, who details a nearly identical saga with their forward collision/adaptive cruise system. Unlike KidGorgeous19, yungingr’s dealership has been proactive, working directly with the GM technical assistance team. This is a critical distinction, as it shows that some dealers are better equipped or more willing to escalate these complex issues. "Similar situation, mine has been in the shop four times since Thanksgiving, now with the forward collision/adaptive cruise system. Except my dealership has been ROCK SOLID communicating with me, and the longest they've had the truck in their shop was four days, while they worked directly with the GM technical assistance team to troubleshoot. Usually, my wife drives it to work, they pick it up at her workplace, do the work, and have it sitting in the lot again when she gets off work.
They have replaced the camera module twice, and last week they replaced the image processing module (which is behind the rear seat). GM had them do some additional testing because both the camera module and the image processing module were showing low voltage errors. The last round of testing showed that the negative battery cable and ground strap both had too high a resistance on them, and were causing a voltage drop. It is in the shop as we speak, getting those two cables replaced. We're optimistic this will fix the problem, but I won't be comfortable saying that it did for a month (on average, it "works" for about 10-14 days after leaving the shop)
Mine's a 2022 Denali."
Yungingr’s experience is invaluable because it provides a potential diagnosis: "negative battery cable and ground strap both had too high a resistance on them, and were causing voltage drop." This suggests the problem isn't necessarily a faulty sensor or camera, but a fundamental electrical issue that starves these critical components of proper voltage. This kind of nuanced electrical fault is notoriously difficult to diagnose in a typical service bay, requiring specialized equipment and deep system knowledge. The fact that GM's own technical assistance team was involved points to the severity and complexity of the problem, yet it took four visits and extensive testing to pinpoint a basic electrical resistance issue.
When a high-value truck is sidelined for weeks over a sensor, and dealers resort to trial-and-error parts replacement, it reveals a critical disconnect. GM must either simplify these systems for easier diagnosis or dramatically upgrade its dealer training and diagnostic tools to match the sophistication of its own products. Without such a shift, owners will continue to face unacceptable downtime and a diminished perception of quality, regardless of the vehicle's sticker price.
Image Sources: GMC Media Center
About The Author
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia, covering sports cars, luxury vehicles, and performance culture. His reporting focuses on explaining the engineering, design philosophy, and real-world ownership experience behind modern vehicles.
Noah has been immersed in the automotive world since his early teens, attending industry events and following the enthusiast communities that shape how cars are built and driven today. His work blends industry insight with enthusiastic storytelling, helping readers understand not just what a car is, but why it matters.
Noah is also a member of the Southeast Automotive Media Association (SAMA), a professional organization for automotive journalists and industry media in the Southeast.
His coverage regularly explores sports cars, luxury vehicles, and performance-driven segments of the automotive industry, including the evolving culture surrounding Formula Drift and enthusiast builds.
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