20% windshield tint gives a 2007–2013 GMC Sierra 3500 HD an extremely dark exterior appearance while still providing a clear outward view during daylight. On this black 2013 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Duramax Crew Cab, we installed 20% ceramic film over the full windshield and added a 5% sun strip across the top.

The customer’s main goal was maximum privacy. Combined with approximately 5% tint across the side and rear windows, the 20% windshield made the driver and interior almost impossible to identify from outside.

This setup is intended only for someone experienced with dark windshield tint. Nighttime visibility can be challenging, and seeing through 20% becomes considerably more difficult during heavy rain.

This real customer’s windshield installation included:

• 20% ceramic film over the full windshield
• 5% sun strip across the top of the windshield
• Approximately 5% tint across all four doors
• Approximately 5% finished darkness on the back window

The 5% sun strip was installed over the upper portion of the 20% windshield film. It created an even darker band above the driver’s normal forward view to reduce additional light entering near the roofline.

This windshield installation is being covered separately from the truck’s 5% side-window article so each page answers a distinct search question and uses a different URL slug.

This article covers the following heavy-duty Sierra model years:

• 2007 GMC Sierra 3500 HD
• 2008 GMC Sierra 3500 HD
• 2009 GMC Sierra 3500 HD
• 2010 GMC Sierra 3500 HD
• 2011 GMC Sierra 3500 HD
• 2012 GMC Sierra 3500 HD
• 2013 GMC Sierra 3500 HD

The featured vehicle is a 2013 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Crew Cab.

Privacy was the customer’s primary goal. He regularly drives vehicles with dark tint and wanted the windshield to complement the approximately 5% side and rear windows.

He also wanted:

• Reduced glare through the windshield
• Better heat rejection through the largest piece of glass
• Less sunlight entering above the driver’s view
• A consistent dark appearance around the entire cab
• Ceramic performance rather than basic privacy alone

The 20% percentage determined the visible darkness. The ceramic construction provided the higher heat-rejection performance.

The full windshield already had 20% ceramic film, but the customer wanted additional protection from light entering near the top of the glass.

The 5% sun strip created a much darker band across the upper windshield. It can help reduce overhead glare when the sun sits above the driver’s normal line of sight.

The strip does not make the entire windshield 5%. The main viewing area remains 20%, while only the upper section has the additional 5% layer.

Because the two films overlap in that area, the finished strip becomes extremely dark. The customer understood that result and specifically wanted maximum light blockage near the top.

It was extremely difficult to see inside this Sierra through the windshield. From outside, the driver and cabin details could not be identified.

Several factors contributed to the dark appearance:

• 20% film over the full windshield
• 5% tint across the side windows
• Approximately 5% darkness on the back window
• Black interior
• Rainy and overcast weather
• Reduced daylight entering from every direction

A 20% windshield may appear somewhat lighter on a vehicle with clear side windows or a light-colored interior. On this truck, the complete tint setup created an almost blacked-out cabin.

During daylight, visibility through the 20% ceramic windshield remained clear for this experienced customer. The inside-out photographs show that the road, parked vehicles, buildings, and surrounding area remained visible despite the dark exterior appearance.

This difference occurs because the driver’s eyes are viewing a brighter outdoor environment from inside the darker cabin. Someone outside is attempting to look into a dark interior through several tinted windows.

Weather and available light still affect visibility. The rainy conditions reduced outdoor brightness, making the view darker than it would be on a clear, sunny day.

Yes. Twenty-percent windshield tint can be challenging at night, especially for someone who has never driven with dark windshield film.

Streetlights, headlights, storefronts, and other surrounding illumination improve visibility. Dark roads, rural areas, poorly lit neighborhoods, and unlit parking lots create much more difficult conditions.

This setup is not recommended for a first-time dark-tint customer. It is better suited to someone who already understands how 20% affects forward visibility and is willing to adjust driving habits after sunset.

Individual eyesight also matters. A percentage one customer considers manageable may be uncomfortable or unsafe for another driver.

Heavy rain makes a 20% windshield more difficult to see through at night because the driver is dealing with several visibility-reducing conditions simultaneously.

Water on the glass, reflections from headlights, wet pavement, reduced contrast, and limited streetlighting can make road markings and objects harder to identify. The tint further reduces the available visible light.

During daylight rain, this customer still had a usable outward view. At night during heavy rain, however, visibility could become significantly more challenging.

Drivers considering a dark windshield should evaluate more than its appearance on a sunny day. They should also consider how it will perform during nighttime rain, fog, snow, and poorly lit driving conditions.

No. This customer has a New Jersey medical tint exemption, but his approval specifies that he may use only 60% on the windshield.

The installed 20% film is considerably darker than the percentage listed on his exemption. Therefore, the medical waiver does not make this particular 20% windshield compliant with the approved limit.

The customer reported that officers have sometimes allowed him to continue after seeing that he has an exemption. That is officer discretion—not a guarantee that the 20% windshield is legally protected.

He could still receive a traffic stop or citation because the installed percentage does not match the authorization. Drivers with medical exemptions should follow the exact percentage and placement requirements shown on their approval documents.

Read our New Jersey window tint law guide for additional information.

Yes. Window film is installed on the inside surface of the windshield, so exterior rain does not prevent the installation.

The Sierra was brought inside the shop, where the windshield could be cleaned, prepared, tinted, and inspected in a controlled environment. The rainy weather did not affect the film’s percentage or installation quality.

Rain did affect the photographs by reducing the amount of daylight entering the truck. That made the finished windshield appear especially dark from outside.

Read our rain and snow window-tint installation guide for more information.

The featured installation used 20% ceramic windshield film plus a separate 5% sun strip.

The 20% ceramic windshield cost $224.99, and the 5% sun strip cost $84.99, bringing the featured windshield combination to $309.98 before any applicable taxes or additional services.

The full-truck price is the same whether the Sierra has a single-piece back window or a three-piece sliding back window.

This GMC Sierra 3500 HD is not eligible for the $99.99 or $149.99 promotional packages because it is a heavy-duty pickup truck. Those specials apply only to certain qualifying two-door coupes and four-door sedans.

Financing is available for qualifying customers through American First Finance. Approval and payment terms are determined by the financing provider.

The windshield is one of the largest sources of solar energy entering a vehicle. Ceramic film is designed for customers who want the highest heat rejection available from the listed film options.

Standard and carbon films can still reduce glare and provide a tinted appearance. Ceramic is the premium choice when interior comfort and heat rejection are the priorities.

Customers should separate film quality from visible darkness. A lighter ceramic film may reject more heat than a darker standard film, while a 20% ceramic windshield remains dark because of its percentage.

Read our carbon versus ceramic window tint comparison and ceramic tint visibility guide before choosing a film.

Visit our GMC window tint photo gallery to see more real GMC trucks and SUVs tinted by Dope Tintings.

The numbered photographs in this article include exterior views of the dark windshield and inside-out views taken during rainy conditions. These real images provide a more useful reference than a small tint display board.

Dope Tintings has more than 20 years of professional window-tinting experience and has tinted more than 30,000 vehicles.

We help GMC owners compare windshield percentages and film types based on privacy, glare reduction, heat rejection, daytime visibility, nighttime driving, and price.

Dope Tintings serves customers from Pennsauken, Camden, Cherry Hill, Maple Shade, Cinnaminson, Delran, Collingswood, Haddonfield, Marlton, Mount Laurel, Moorestown, and throughout South Jersey.

Dope Tintings
6830 N Crescent Blvd
Pennsauken, NJ 08110
Phone: 856-577-4119