2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
431 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 35/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 58,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2011 sits among all Sierra 1500 years
What owners report
“Takata recall my 2011 gmc sierra has been under this recall for its entire existence. Will it get fixed, and if so, when, and, is it safe to continue to drive it?”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sierra 1500
“My 2011 gmc sierra denali dashboard has cracked from airbag on passenger side to the speedometer”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sierra 1500
“Vehicle is up for inspection in February of 2025 and due to the frame rust it will not pass.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sierra 1500
“I was driving on a main route where the speed limit it 45 mph. It was on a straight stretch and my rear end exploded leaving me and my young son stuck. I finally realized that i use 4x4 to get us off the road which thankfully worked.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sierra 1500
“The tbs goes out. Putting the truck into reduced power. I was going 65 mph and the truck slowed down to 15 mph on the freeway. Lose all breaks control , abs goes out to. Almost have been due to gm”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sierra 1500
“When I put the truck in 4wd the dash says service stabilitrak and the traction control light and abs light come on”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sierra 1500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 259 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 55,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 28,978 and 80,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on…
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL,…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain…
Fix: GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at…
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, COLORADO, EXPRESS, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; AND GMC CANYON, SIERRA, SAVANA, YUKON AND YUKON XL VEHICLES. THE REAR AXLE CROSS PINS WERE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW REAR AXLE CROSS PIN FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 11, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT…
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT, CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO LD AND GMC SIERRA LD VEHICLES. THE REAR AXLE CROSS PINS WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND COULD FRACTURE AND BECOME DISPLACED WITHIN THE REAR AXLE.…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW REAR AXLE CROSS PIN FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 11, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Model years named: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Led to recall campaign 22V063000.
Technical service bulletins
1,085 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2011 Sierra 1500 TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
The 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 drew 431 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 35/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 are airbags (123 complaints), other (97), and body & structure (53).
At what mileage do 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 problems around 55,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 28,978 and 80,000 miles.
Does the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.