2011 Gmc SIERRA 1500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Gmc SIERRA 1500 has 362 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (31% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2011 gmc sierra 1500. the contact stated that the driver's side air bag failed to deploy after a tractor trailer crashed into the vehicle. the service air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. a police report was filed. the driver and passenger sustained in. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 7 crash reports 3 injuries

362

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

4.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

113 complaints

31%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AFTER A TRACTOR TRAILER CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED IN
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE GAUGES FAILED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL AND AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE WASHER FLUID WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, ALTHOU
• A CRACK HAS APPEARED ON THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF WHERE THE AIRBAG IS. FAILURE IN THIS AREA SHOULD BE A CAUSE FOR CONCERN AND DURING AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, THIS WEAK POINT COULD BE AN AREA OF PROJECTILE. A NUMBER OF OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, AND THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDER

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AFTER A TRACTOR TRAILER CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED IN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

73 complaints

20%

• A VISIBLE AND CONCERNING CRACK APPEARING IN A CORNER OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DASHBOARD. NO PERSONAL -WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR NOT- DAMAGE HAS BEEN MADE TO THE DASH. I HAVE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER OF THIS TRUCK SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT NEW. IT WAS FOUND ONE MORNING AS I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE. IS VERY NOTIC
• THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY VEHICLE, YET THE DEALERSHIP SENT ME A NOTICE SAYING THERE WAS A RECALL. THIS IS HIGHLY MISLEADING AND CAUSED ME TO BELIEVE SOMETHING WAS UNSAFE ABOUT MY TRUCK, CONSIDERING THE DOCUMENT FROM THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.
• MY SIERRA HAS TWO CRACKS IN THE DASH, ONE IN THE MIDDLE AND THE OTHER FROM THE AIRBAG TO THE VENT. THIS IS VERY COMMON IN GM TRUCKS FROM 2007-2013, WITH THE CRACK FROM THE AIRBAG TO THE VENT BEING THE MOST COMMON. THERE IS A FACEBOOK PAGE DEDICATED TO THIS DEFECT WITH THOUSANDS OF EXAMPLES. I BELIEV

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

“A VISIBLE AND CONCERNING CRACK APPEARING IN A CORNER OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DASHBOARD. NO PERSONAL -WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR NOT- DAMAGE HAS BEEN MADE TO THE DASH. I HAVE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER OF THIS TRUCK SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT NEW. IT WAS FOUND ONE MORNING AS I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE. IS VERY NOTIC”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

45 complaints

12%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED UPON ENGAGING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND RELEASING IT, THE HOOD LATCH OPENED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
• MY 2011 GMC SIERRA HAD 40000 MILES ON IT AND THE DASHBOARD ABOVE THE AIRBAG HAS CRACKED. I AM AFRAID OF WHAT MY HAPPEN TO THE DASH IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS. THE DASH MAY SPLINTER AND BECOME PROJECTILES IN THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HEARD THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE AND 1500+ PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED A PETITION A
• A CRACK HAS APPEARED ON THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF WHERE THE AIRBAG IS. FAILURE IN THIS AREA SHOULD BE A CAUSE FOR CONCERN AND DURING AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, THIS WEAK POINT COULD BE AN AREA OF PROJECTILE. A NUMBER OF OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, AND THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDER

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED UPON ENGAGING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND RELEASING IT, THE HOOD LATCH OPENED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

25 complaints

• ON NOVEMBER 18, 2010, RETURNING FROM VACATION, DRIVING A NEW 2011 GMC SIERRA SLE PICK UP WITH LESS THAN 2,000 MILES USE, PULLING A 24' TRAVEL TRAILER. THE TRUCK WAS IN "TOW" MODE DESCENDING A 15% GRADE HILL AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. I WAS NOT ACCELERATING WHEN THE TRUCK DOWN SHIFTED ITSELF AUTOMATI
• ON NOVEMBER 18, 2010, RETURNING FROM VACATION, DRIVING A NEW 2011 GMC SIERRA SLE PICK UP WITH LESS THAN 2,000 MILES USE, PULLING A 24' TRAVEL TRAILER. THE TRUCK WAS IN "TOW" MODE DESCENDING A 15% GRADE HILL AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. I WAS NOT ACCELERATING WHEN THE TRUCK DOWN SHIFTED ITSELF AUTOMATI
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND WAS SLOW TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES AND THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND C

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

“ON NOVEMBER 18, 2010, RETURNING FROM VACATION, DRIVING A NEW 2011 GMC SIERRA SLE PICK UP WITH LESS THAN 2,000 MILES USE, PULLING A 24' TRAVEL TRAILER. THE TRUCK WAS IN "TOW" MODE DESCENDING A 15% GRADE HILL AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. I WAS NOT ACCELERATING WHEN THE TRUCK DOWN SHIFTED ITSELF AUTOMATI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

18 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING UP AN INCLINE APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND PLOWING SNOW IN A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY. WHEN THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AFTER THE CONTACT APPLIED THE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD RATTLING NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ENGINE L
• STARTED TRUCK UP AND LET IDLE FOR TWO MINUTES. UPON TAKE OFF, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WITH A MESSAGE STATING ENGINE REDUCED POWER. THE TRUCK THEN BEGINS TO RUN VERY ROUGH AND WHEN THE BRAKES WHERE APPLIED IT VIOLENTLY AND UNCONTROLL

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING UP AN INCLINE APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND PLOWING SNOW IN A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY. WHEN THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AFTER THE CONTACT APPLIED THE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~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 362 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AFTER A TRACTOR TRAILER CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED IN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: A VISIBLE AND CONCERNING CRACK APPEARING IN A CORNER OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DASHBOARD. NO PERSONAL -WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR NOT- DAMAGE HAS BEEN MADE TO THE DASH. I HAVE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER OF THIS TRUCK SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT NEW. IT WAS FOUND ONE MORNING AS I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE. IS VERY NOTIC
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED UPON ENGAGING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND RELEASING IT, THE HOOD LATCH OPENED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: ON NOVEMBER 18, 2010, RETURNING FROM VACATION, DRIVING A NEW 2011 GMC SIERRA SLE PICK UP WITH LESS THAN 2,000 MILES USE, PULLING A 24' TRAVEL TRAILER. THE TRUCK WAS IN "TOW" MODE DESCENDING A 15% GRADE HILL AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. I WAS NOT ACCELERATING WHEN THE TRUCK DOWN SHIFTED ITSELF AUTOMATI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)