2011 Chevrolet SUBURBAN

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2011 Chevrolet SUBURBAN has 193 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (34% of all complaints), specifically: dashboard cracked above instrument panel and airbag. *tr.

3 crash reports 10 injuries

193

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

66 complaints

34%

• DASHBOARD CRACKED ABOVE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND AIRBAG. *TR
• THE VEHICLE DASHBOARD HAS DEVELOPED MAJOR CRACKS IN TWO PLACES. ONE CRACK IS ADJACENT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. THE OTHER CRACK IS ABOVE THE STEERING COLUMN. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD WILL BECOME SHRAPNEL IF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS TO DEPLOY. ADDITIONALLY, THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD
• THERE ARE TWO CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD, ONE OVER THE DRIVER CONSOLE AND ONE ON THE TOP LEFT OF PASSENGER AIRBAG....NOTHING HAS OCCURRED TO CAUSE THESE CRACKS, BUT I AM AFRAID IF AIRBAG IS DEPLOYED, THE DASH WILL BREAK UP AND HURT US. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“DASHBOARD CRACKED ABOVE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND AIRBAG. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

46 complaints

24%

• I BOUGHT A GM CERTIFIED SUBURBAN AND LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER THE DASHBOARD CRACKED BEHIND THE AIRBAG. I CALLED THE DEALER AND GM AND ALERTED THEM TO THE PROBLEM AND TOLD THEM I FELT UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT IF THAT AIRBAG DEPLOYS IT COULD SEND THAT
• IN SEPTEMBER 2014, I NOTICED MY DASH ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CRACKING. I PURCHASED THIS CAR AS A GM CERTIFIED USED CAR WITH ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTEE IN APRIL 2013 WITH 60081 MILES ON IT. IN LESS THAN 5 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP IT DEVELOPED THIS CRACK WHILE STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTEE. I TOOK IT
• GOT IN MY SUV THIS MORNING TO LEAVE FOR WORK AND NOTICED A HUGE CRACK MIDDLE WAY OF THE DASH COMING UP TO THE TOP HUMP WHERE CONTROLS ARE LOCATED. AS I HAVE RESEARCHED I SEE THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. WHEN PAYING OVER $30,000.00 FOR A VEHICLE, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPORT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I BOUGHT A GM CERTIFIED SUBURBAN AND LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER THE DASHBOARD CRACKED BEHIND THE AIRBAG. I CALLED THE DEALER AND GM AND ALERTED THEM TO THE PROBLEM AND TOLD THEM I FELT UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT IF THAT AIRBAG DEPLOYS IT COULD SEND THAT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

26 complaints

13%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE REAR LIFT GATE CLOSED ON ITS OWN
• A SMALL CRACK BEGAN ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF DASH BOARD. WITHIN WEEKS, THE CRACK BECAME MUCH BIGGER. AFTER TWO MORE WEEKS, I NOTICED ANOTHER CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE DASH. SOON, IT BECAME MUCH LARGER TOO. NOW, THERE ARE SEVERAL CRACKS ON THE DASHBOARD. THIS AUTOMOBILE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN
• WE OWN A 2011 CHEVY SUBURBAN AND ONE DAY NOTICED TWO CRACKS ON OUR DASHBOARD. ONE CRACK LEADS STRAIGHT INTO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND THE OTHER CRACK IS OVER THE DASH CONSOLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. BECAUSE OUR SUBURBAN IS OUT OF THE 36K MILE WARRANTY WE WERE REFERRED TO GM. WE CALLED GM AND WERE TOL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE REAR LIFT GATE CLOSED ON ITS OWN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

10 complaints

• 1.)WHEN WE WERE DRIVING THRU THE MOUNTAINS OUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STARTED TO GO HAYWIRE AND THE LIGHTS STARTED GOING IN AND OUT AND THE IGNITION STARTED TO ACT UP CAR TURNED OFF A FEW TIMES WE HAD TO RESTART IT WHEN WE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET CHECKED OUT THEY SAID THERE WAS COINS IN THE R
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NONE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS WERE WORKING AND THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILUR
• MY BREAK LIGHTS WONT WORK , DEALER STATES ITS COMPUTER . I HAD THE TRUCK 3 YEARS. I HAD NO IDEA I HAD NO BREAK LIGHTS TILL I TOOK THE TRUCK FOR INSPECTION

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“1.)WHEN WE WERE DRIVING THRU THE MOUNTAINS OUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STARTED TO GO HAYWIRE AND THE LIGHTS STARTED GOING IN AND OUT AND THE IGNITION STARTED TO ACT UP CAR TURNED OFF A FEW TIMES WE HAD TO RESTART IT WHEN WE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET CHECKED OUT THEY SAID THERE WAS COINS IN THE R”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

10 complaints

• THE ACCELERATOR HESITATES WHEN PRESSED. THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE AND WILL THEN ACCELERATE RAPIDLY WHEN AT A STOP AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE THROUGH INTERSECTIONS. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE FOR REPAIRS. RECURRING ISSUE. ALSO HAS A POPPING OR CLUNKING NOISE IN BACK PASSENGER SIDE. DEALER HAS DUPLICATED B
• WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I WAS USING THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE CAR BEGAN TO INCREASE IN SPEED WITHOUT MY CONTROL. IT WENT FROM 65 TO 90 IN A FEW SECONDS AND I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BREAKS TO GET IT TO STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO WE CAN NEVER LET THE GAS GET LOWER THEN A QUARTER OF
• ENGINE WAS IDLING LOW AND HESITATING AT LOW SPEEDS, THEN ENGINE STARTED RUNNING RALLY ROUGH. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, CHANGED GAS IN VEHICLE, PROBLEM CONTINUED. ENGINE RUNNING REALLY ROUGH AND SERVICE STABILITRACK LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TRUCK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE FIRST SPARK PLUG W

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE ACCELERATOR HESITATES WHEN PRESSED. THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE AND WILL THEN ACCELERATE RAPIDLY WHEN AT A STOP AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE THROUGH INTERSECTIONS. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE FOR REPAIRS. RECURRING ISSUE. ALSO HAS A POPPING OR CLUNKING NOISE IN BACK PASSENGER SIDE. DEALER HAS DUPLICATED B”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 193 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: DASHBOARD CRACKED ABOVE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND AIRBAG. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I BOUGHT A GM CERTIFIED SUBURBAN AND LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER THE DASHBOARD CRACKED BEHIND THE AIRBAG. I CALLED THE DEALER AND GM AND ALERTED THEM TO THE PROBLEM AND TOLD THEM I FELT UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT IF THAT AIRBAG DEPLOYS IT COULD SEND THAT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE REAR LIFT GATE CLOSED ON ITS OWN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: 1.)WHEN WE WERE DRIVING THRU THE MOUNTAINS OUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STARTED TO GO HAYWIRE AND THE LIGHTS STARTED GOING IN AND OUT AND THE IGNITION STARTED TO ACT UP CAR TURNED OFF A FEW TIMES WE HAD TO RESTART IT WHEN WE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET CHECKED OUT THEY SAID THERE WAS COINS IN THE R
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)