Photo: GMC
Sometimes dismissed as just a piece of colored plastic with bulbs inside, the taillights can be incredibly expensive in the case of the GMC Hummer EV. One owner was shocked when the dealer told him it cost $4,040 to buy the passenger-side taillight.
The GMC Hummer EV is already a very expensive vehicle, bordering the luxury car segment. The fact that some people have no problem paying double the price shows that it is in high demand, despite its six-figure MSRP. Being assembled in such low quantities and given the part supply shortages, you’d expect that replacement parts are expensive. Nevertheless, paying more than $4,000 for one taillight was not what a Hummer owner expected.
The owner complained about the outrageously expensive taillights in a GMC Hummer EV Facebook group. According to their post, they were quoted $4,040 for a new passenger-side rear light, not including labor. According to The Drive’s Rob Stumpf, who picked up the story, this is not a typo. GM’s list price for the taillights is nearly $6,100 for the pair, which is more than 5% of the truck’s MSRP. Certainly, it begs the question of whether one can order it without the taillights for a fat discount.
Funny or not, the high price of the infamous taillights has some justification besides the fact that replacement parts for new models are always expensive. This is especially true when the model is in the luxury or premium segment. In the case of the GMC Hummer EV, we know that GM wanted to create something unique, although not always clever as it seems.
The taillights feature small microcontrollers that are responsible for various light functions. It sounds silly, especially when the car industry struggles with electronic component supplies, but that’s how it is. It doesn’t hurt just the consumers but also the insurance companies paying for accident damages and GMC itself.
In an earlier recall, GMC had to replace the entire lamp assemblies because of a software defect affecting the taillights. Apparently, the software was embedded in the lamps’ microcontrollers, another less-than-smart move on GM’s part.
The owner complained about the outrageously expensive taillights in a GMC Hummer EV Facebook group. According to their post, they were quoted $4,040 for a new passenger-side rear light, not including labor. According to The Drive’s Rob Stumpf, who picked up the story, this is not a typo. GM’s list price for the taillights is nearly $6,100 for the pair, which is more than 5% of the truck’s MSRP. Certainly, it begs the question of whether one can order it without the taillights for a fat discount.
Funny or not, the high price of the infamous taillights has some justification besides the fact that replacement parts for new models are always expensive. This is especially true when the model is in the luxury or premium segment. In the case of the GMC Hummer EV, we know that GM wanted to create something unique, although not always clever as it seems.
The taillights feature small microcontrollers that are responsible for various light functions. It sounds silly, especially when the car industry struggles with electronic component supplies, but that’s how it is. It doesn’t hurt just the consumers but also the insurance companies paying for accident damages and GMC itself.
In an earlier recall, GMC had to replace the entire lamp assemblies because of a software defect affecting the taillights. Apparently, the software was embedded in the lamps’ microcontrollers, another less-than-smart move on GM’s part.
Google News