GMC · Sierra · 2011
2
Recalls
43
Complaints
4/5
Safety Rating
The 2011 GMC Sierra has 2 recalls and 43 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: air bags (9 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
19.1% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.
Remedy Status
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV; CHEVROLET SILVERADO HD, SILVERADO LD, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; AND GMC SIERRA HD, SIERRA LD, YUKON, AND YUKON XL VEHICLES. THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT ATTACHING BOLTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION.
Remedy Status
GM DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND ENSURE THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BOLTS ARE TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JULY 13, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.
2011 GMC SIERRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN PROVIDED THE NECESSARY PARTS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *JS
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH MY SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL MESSAGE, SERVICE STABILITRAK MESSAGE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGE CAME ON. THE VEHICLE STARTED RUNNING VERY ROUGH IT WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 50 MPH. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES TO GET OFF THE INTERSTATE INTO THE GAS STATION PARKING LOT. I TURNED IT OFF FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY RAN TESTS AND SAID IT WAS THE BATTERY. TWO WEEKS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN SAME THING WHEN I TURNED IT OFF IT WORKED FINE AFTER SITTING FOR 10 MINUTES I GOT HOME AND WHEN I GOT A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT TO DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS OFF. I HAVE READ A LOT AND FORUMS ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE BUT NO RESOLUTION TRULY BEING FOUND. THIS IS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500 WITH THE ALL-TERRAIN PACKAGE AND ONLY HAS ABOUT 60,000 MILES ON IT IT GETS OIL CHANGES REGULARLY. THIS REALLY MAKES ME THINK THIS IS SOMETHING GM SHOULD LOOK INTO.
DASH BOARD CRACK AT CORNER OF PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG AND 2 MORE CRACKS AT DRIVERS SIDE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CONCERN THAT THE CRACK AT AIR BAG COULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN IF EVER DEPLOYED.
RECENTLY THE DASHBOARD HAS STARTED TO CRACK IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, MOST NOTABLY A CRACK AROUND PASSENGER AIRBAG.
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
MY DASHBOARD IS CRACKING REAL BAD.
MY 2011 GMC SIERRA'S DASH BOARD IS CRAKING IN MULTIPLE PLACES. ONE OF THE CRACKS IS NEXT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WHICH IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I ALSO HAVE 2 DOOR HANDLES THAT ARE LOOSE AND ABOUT TO COME OFF THE TRUCK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA. WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT TWO SPARK PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE VEHICLE CONSUMED EXCESS ENGINE OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCV VALVE, VALVE COVER, AND TWO SPARK PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,500.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED LARGE CRACKS ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRACKS WERE EXPOSING PART OF THE AIR BAGS AND HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AFFECTING THE AIR BAG FUNCTIONALITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED AT THE AIR BAG. LIFTERS HAD TO BE REPLACED AND NOW THE CAMSHAFT IS MAKING NOISES. MY TRACTION CONTROL KEEPS SHUTTING ITSELF OFF AND TELLING ME TO SERVICE IT. REALLY BAD WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER PILLAR.
DASHBOARD IS CRACKING ALONG SEEM OF PASS. SIDE AIRBAG AND ABOVE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
A FEWS AGO, I NOTICE A CRACK ON THE FRONT DASHBOARD, NEAR THE AIR BAG, IN THE PASSENGER SIDE. IM CONCERN DUE TO THE SAFETY ON MY VEHICLE WITH MY KIDS AND MY WIFE. I DON'T KNOW IF THE AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY AT ANYTIME OR AN ANY IMPACT. VERY CONCERN WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE
FIRST OFF WOULD BE MY DASHBOARD AIR BAG, THE DASHBOARD PLASTIC IS CRACKING WITH THE CONCERN ON FLYING DEBRIS I BROUGHT MY GMC 1500 INTO MY LOCAL SERVICE/SALES CENTER AND HE TOLD ME WITH OUT A RECALL THERE IS NOTHING HE COULD DO FOR ME. SECOND I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH WHAT SEEMS TO EITHER THE POWER TRAIN OR BRAKES FROM DAY ONE I PURCHASED MY TRUCK. WHAT IT DOES IS WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, RELEASE THE BRAKE, AND THEN APPLY THE ACCELERATOR I GET A BIG CUR PLUNK SOUND AND FEELING OF THE TRUCK JERK. THIS IS COMING FOR THE REAR END OF MY TRUCK I WOULD ASSUME THE REAR AXIAL. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP TO MY LOCAL SERVICE/SALES CENTER , MULTIPLE TIMES. HE HAS NOT STOPPED THE PROBLEM AND TELLS ME THERE IS NOT MUCH MORE HE CAN DO WITHOUT THE MANUFACTURER POSTING A BULLETIN OUT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND VEERED TO THE LEFT INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
WE WERE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IN HOUSTON AT APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH APPROACHING A HILL. WHEN REACHING THE TOP OF THE HILL, THERE WAS A PARKED CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND WE SLAMMED INTO THE BACK END OF IT. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS AND WERE NOT TERRIBLY INJURED. JUST REAL JARRED UP.THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. WITH A HIT THAT HARD THEY SHOULD HAVE. *TR
LARGE AND NOTICEABLE CRACK BY MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG ON MY DASHBOARD. COULD SEE THIS BECOMING SHRAPNEL IN THE EVENT OF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYING. GM WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL, NOR TAKE ANY SORT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ERROR.
WHEN MY 2011 GMC DENALI PICKUP WAS NEARLY 4 YEARS OLD, THE DASH STARTED CRACKING. THE FIRST CRACK WAS AT THE FORWARD, LEFT CORNER OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. OTHER CRACKS HAVE SINCE APPEARED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, OVER THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AREA. THE CRACKS ARE CONTINUING TO GROW. THE PLASTIC MATERIAL OF THE DASH IS BECOMING MORE BRITTLE WITH TIME. I AM CONCERNED THAT IN THE EVENT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY, THE BROKEN, BRITTLE PLASTIC DASH PARTS AROUND THE AIRBAG AREA COULD BECOME DANGEROUS PROJECTILES.
MY DASH IS CRACKED AROUND THE AIRBAG. PASSENGER SIDE.
SEVERE FRAME CORROSION (ALL SECTIONS OF FRAME). THE UNDERCOATING IS FLAKING OFF IN ALL SECTIONS EXPOSING BARE METAL WHICH IS RAPIDLY CORRODING THROUGHOUT THE FRAME. THE TRUCK IS IN MINT CONDITION INSIDE AND OUT OTHER THAN THIS ISSUE. GM STATED THAT "RUST" IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY ACTIVE WARRANTY. THIS IS A FAULTY COATING APPLICATION OR A FAULTY METAL ISSUE. THIS VEHICLE WILL BE UNSAFE SOON AND IT JUST HIT 12,000 MILES. I PURCHASED THIS "GM CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED" TRUCK TWO WEEKS AGO FROM THE GM DEALERSHIP AND JUST REALIZED THAT MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED FOR THIS VERY ISSUE. *TR
I WAS SITTING IN A PARKING LOT WITH MY TRUCK RUNNING, I NOTICED MY RPM'S WERE STARTING TO FLUTTER AND MY OIL PRESSURE WAS DOING THE SAME. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OR SO MY TRUCK STARTED SHAKING AND THE RPM'S WERE STILL FLUTTERING. WHILE THIS HAPPENED MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT FLASHED "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" "SERVICE TRACTION" AND THEN "SERVICE STABILITRAK." I THEN SHUT MY TRUCK OFF AND WAITED APPROX. 25 MINUTES. WHEN I TURNED MY TRUCK BACK ON THE RPM'S WERE STILL FLUTTERING BUT THE TRUCK WAS NO LONGER SHAKING. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO AUTO-ZONE THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND HAD A DIAGNOSTIC DONE, THE TROUBLE CODE HAD TO DO WITH THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. AFTER THAT MY COMPUTER MUST HAVE RESET ITSELF AND EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO RUNNING NORMALLY UNTIL ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2011 GMC Sierra has 2 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 43 owner-reported complaints for the 2011 GMC Sierra.
The 2011 GMC Sierra received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2011 GMC Sierra are air bags (9 reports), unknown or other (7 reports), engine (5 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 2 recalls on record for the 2011 GMC Sierra. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.