BestCarRank
Gmc

2011 Gmc SIERRA 3500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2011 Gmc SIERRA 3500 has 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 25. The most common issue is air bags problems (33% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2011 gmc sierra 3500. every time the vehicle was started, the air bag warning indicator for both the driver and passenger sides illuminated. the dealer diagnosed that the sensor on both sides failed. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the a. There are 5 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report

24

Total Complaints

5

Recalls Issued

/5

Safety Stars

1.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

AIR BAGS

8 complaints
33%
  • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 3500. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR FOR BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOR ON BOTH SIDES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE A
  • THE DASH HAS CRACKED IN A NUMBER OF PLACES. MY FEAR IS THAT IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS THAT SHARDS OF PLASTIC COULD BECOME AIRBORNE AND THE PROJECTILES COULD INJURE MYSELF OR MY PASSENGERS. SOME OF THE CRACKS ARE AT THE AIRBAG LOCATION. I HAVE CHECKED ONLINE AND THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES
  • TAKATA RECALL - 5/27/2016 NO REMEDY AVAILABLE AS OF YET. HOW DO I GET THIS RESOLVED?
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 3500. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR FOR BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOR ON BOTH SIDES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE A

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2011 Gmc SIERRA 3500

Based on 13 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 98K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage
0-30K
3
30-60K
3
60-100K
1
100-150K
3
150-200K
3
200K+
0

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (5)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE05/02/2021

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, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

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 February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2011 Gmc SIERRA 3500

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.
Full coverage / year
$1,366
Full coverage / month
$114
Liability only / year
$611
vs US avg
-18%
How this estimate is calculated
US base full-coverage premium$1674
× state (US)1.00x
× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x
× theft risk1.00x
× safety rating1.00x
× vehicle age0.85x
= Full coverage estimate$1366

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Gmc SIERRA 3500 Service Intervals

Oil change
8K mi / 12 mo
Tire rotation
8K mi
Brake fluid
36 months
Transmission fluid
45K mi
Engine coolant
150K mi
Spark plugs
100K mi
Cabin air filter
23K mi
Engine air filter
45K mi
Differential (AWD/4WD)
45K mi

Uses GM Oil Life System. Full-size trucks may have shorter differential and transfer case intervals if used for towing.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Gmc New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)
3 yr / 36K mi
Powertrain
5 yr / 60K mi
Hybrid/EV battery
8 yr / 100K mi
Corrosion (rust perforation)
6 yr / 100K mi
Roadside assistance
5 yr / 60K mi

These are the terms for a new Gmc. If you're buying a used 2011 SIERRA 3500, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Gmc dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)
$500
FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)
$500
WHEELS(~50K mi)
$500
OTHER(~50K mi)
$500
BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)
$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 24 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

  • AIR BAGS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 3500. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR FOR BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOR ON BOTH SIDES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE A

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • FUEL SYSTEM: VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING DOWN ACCESS ROAD COMING UP TO INTERSTATE OFFRAMP. RIGHT BEFORE YIELD SIGN BOSCH CP4 PUMP FAILED STOPPING MOTOR. BRAKES AND STEERING AFFECTED. JUST ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO FIGHT TRUCK INTO ADJACENT PARKING LOT RIGHT AFTER RAMP. *TR

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • WHEELS: BAD TIRES ALL WAY AROUND. AND THE OTHER COMPANY TRUCKS I USE HAS BAD BRAKES AND A LOT OF OTHER USDOT INSPECTION WOULD FAIL. I AM CERTIFIED DOT DRIVER AND I AM SCARED THIS COMPANY IS PUTTING COMPANY PROFITS ABOVE HUMAN LIFE

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • OTHER: BAD TIRES ALL WAY AROUND. AND THE OTHER COMPANY TRUCKS I USE HAS BAD BRAKES AND A LOT OF OTHER USDOT INSPECTION WOULD FAIL. I AM CERTIFIED DOT DRIVER AND I AM SCARED THIS COMPANY IS PUTTING COMPANY PROFITS ABOVE HUMAN LIFE

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • RECALLS: Verify all 5 recalls have been completed — free at any Gmc dealer
  • General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)

NHTSA Safety Rating

No NHTSA safety rating available

At a Glance

Complaints
24
Recalls
5
Fire reports
1
Crash reports
0
Injury reports
0
Segment avg
25

Check a Specific VIN

See recalls for YOUR 2011 Gmc SIERRA 3500