2022 Denali Perimeter Lighting

[GMCnewbee]

We love our Perimeter Lighting when the retractable floorboards fold down. Problem is that sometimes the lights come on and sometimes they do not. I have been trying to see if there is some logic to it but so far that has escaped me. Does anyone have a good explanation of how and when the Perimeter lights are supposed to come on and when they will not?

 

[Banks22]

If the vehicle is off and u remote start they all turn on, if u unlock the car they all turn on. I think that’s it....? I thought was coolest thing too, didn’t even know the steps had that. I removed started it one night at a friends house and went out to load the car and was like SWEET!

 

[GMCnewbee]

I have seen it do different things. We drove, parked, opened the doors, and the lights came on. We left it unlocked and when we came back to open the doors (in the pitch black) no lights. Guess I am just wishing I could have some control over when they do or do not come on, or maybe just always come on when it is dark and when the floorboards come down. The lights do not always come on. I am still playing with it getting to know how and why they do or do not come on. Thanks for your comment. Let me know what you can figure out.

 

[Stbentoak]

If you click your fob say to unlock even if it’s already unlocked, I believe they will come on. Otherwise how does your vehicle know you are approaching? The key is interaction with your fob. It either has to sense you or you have to activate it. I personally wouldn’t ever leave my vehicle without it being locked anyways. I have my vehicle set up so that my mirrors fold in when I lock it. That way I can always tell visually from a long ways away what status it is in.

 

[Banks22]

If you click your fob say to unlock even if it’s already unlocked, I believe they will come on. Otherwise how does your vehicle know you are approaching? The key is interaction with your fob. It either has to sense you or you have to activate it. I personally wouldn’t ever leave my vehicle without it being locked anyways. I have my vehicle set up so that my mirrors fold in when I lock it. That way I can always tell visually from a long ways away what status it is in.

I’ve only noticed that if u approach the car with fob in pocket the interior lights will come on and that’s it, I might have to go thru settings and see if anything different can be programmed....

 

[GMCnewbee]

Thanks, I will give the Key Fob a try, although my Wife and I did spend about 1/2 hour in the Driveway trying different sequences, including with the Key Fob. Strange thing was that I got it to work once but then could not duplicate it. My Dealer says that GM does have some kind of software that senses that you are just messing around, and disables some things. I guess something like to many commands in a short time so the features take a time out??

 

[Banks22]

Thanks, I will give the Key Fob a try, although my Wife and I did spend about 1/2 hour in the Driveway trying different sequences, including with the Key Fob. Strange thing was that I got it to work once but then could not duplicate it. My Dealer says that GM does have some kind of software that senses that you are just messing around, and disables some things. I guess something like to many commands in a short time so the features take a time out??

If u lock it and remote start they all come on correct? Then if the vehicle is locked and u unlock it with fob they all come on correct? That’s all the sequences mine does

 

[Stbentoak]

If you just walk up to it, but don’t click anything I believe just the interior lights and the GMC at the tailgate will light up. Of course this will only happen at night. But if you click unlock, again only at night, it should light up everything locked or unlocked. It will not light up everything just by walking up to it with the fob…

 

[GMCnewbee]

Like I said I have been playing with it. Here is some of what I have observed and why it is not making sense to me.
1) One night we drove to a store, parked, and turned off the car. We sat for a few minutes before opening the doors. Floorboards fold down, of course, but no lights. Maybe a delay "off"? Maybe too much light from the parking lot overhead lights??
2) We drove to my son's and parked, very dark. Opened the doors right away and there were the lights. Nice!

 

[WalleyeMikeIII]

What is the ambient light level when you are doing the testing. This may be obvious, but if it’s not dark enough, it doesn’t turn on. You can fake it out by covering the ambient light sensor in the center of the dash.

 

[GMCnewbee]

I guess where I have been going with this is to see if mine is working correctly or if there is something that needs warranty attention. I need to do a lot more testing and get more experience with the lighting. Then I'll come back and report anything interesting. Thanks all for your comments and your help!

 

[Quark]

It would seem that a dealership should be able to explain vehicle functions and if they don't know demand they find out. We make too many excuses for poor service.

 

[Mike Diaferio]

If you click your fob say to unlock even if it’s already unlocked, I believe they will come on. Otherwise how does your vehicle know you are approaching? The key is interaction with your fob. It either has to sense you or you have to activate it. I personally wouldn’t ever leave my vehicle without it being locked anyways. I have my vehicle set up so that my mirrors fold in when I lock it. That way I can always tell visually from a long ways away what status it is in.

He is right. They are controlled by your Fob!

 

[WalleyeMikeIII]

He is right. They are controlled by your Fob!

Well, there is some "proximity" function that happens w/ out clicking. If I walk out into my garage w/ fob in my pocket, the GMC logo for the kick to open liftgate turns on, and some noises are heard (which I think are the fuel pump priming the fuel system in prep for a start).

 

[GMCnewbee]

The Dealer tells me that the 2022 Denali has some "new stuff" meaning new electronic features that they are still learning about. I'm not sure but I think the Perimeter lighting is one of them.

So far every time I have seen the lights come on it has not been from the Key Fob, it's been opening a door from inside the vehicle or just pushing the button on the door handle. I have tried it with the Key Fob and had it work and had it not work. Strange

Here is another inconsistent thing it is doing, and I may start a new thread for this. Sometimes when I push the Park button the Parking Brake will activate. But not always. Same with going to Reverse when I have the Parking Brake set. Sometimes it will release, sometimes it will not and I have to push the release button. Not a big deal but you have to pay attention to what is or is not happening.

 

[WalleyeMikeIII]

There is a setting under Vehicle that says “vehicle locator lights.” Clicking that off will disable the exterior lights on fob unlock/door button unlock. I believe this is configurable per driver/fob? May check both profiles to ensure it’s on.

The proximity lighting when you get nearby with the fob is limited to interior lights and the kick to open the tailgate. I suppose this makes sense in case you were just walking near your vehicle at night, may not want all the lights to pop on.

 

[Danimalx87]

Did you ever find a way to get the power step lights to come on with the doors opening? I wish they would stay on so long as the door is open. The interior lights do, but the ambient and interior lighting in my 23 is abysmal.

It would be really slick, if they could use the fob to gradually increase the intensity of the exterior lights as you approached. My 2016 RX did this and it always felt very inviting.