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2011 GMC Sierra 1500Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 284 owner complaints about the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 18V-267 the manufacturer reports only 14% of affected cars repaired.

47
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.1× the Sierra 1500 median · #13 of 28 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Lowest repair rate 14%Owner complaints28413 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage62kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 11, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 has problems

284 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags1133
Structure452
Power train241
Electrical system172
Engine160
Steering100
Fuel/propulsion system100
Suspension90
Vehicle speed control71
13 other systems406

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

5 recalls

2011 GMC Sierra 1500 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

28%repaired · 2023 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 21V-050 · Feb 5, 2021 · 2,641,272 vehicles · 734,119 repaired

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

51%repaired · 2023 Q4

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 21V-054 · Feb 5, 2021 · 1,778,128 vehicles · 900,275 repaired

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

14%repaired · 2019 Q3

Equipment

Recall 18V-267 · Apr 26, 2018 · 6,154 vehicles · 844 repaired

Risk. In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Axle: spindle

Recall 11V-007 · Jan 6, 2011 · 30,566 vehicles

Risk. THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall
–no report yet

Axle: spindle

Recall 10V-643 · Dec 17, 2010 · 1,262 vehicles

Risk. THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with GMC.

Mileage at failure

When do air bags problems start?

62kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 33 air bags complaints. 85% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
4under 30k miles28under 100k miles5100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2011 vs. every other Sierra 1500 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sierra 1500 median. How we score

'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2011 GMC Sierra 1500 safety ratings

2011 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
  • Rollover: 4 stars (18.5% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Pedestrian alert soundsDP22005 · closed Aug 7, 2023
    Led to recall 22V-063
  2. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
In owners' words

What Sierra 1500 owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

Rear shock holder rusted through cross member on frame making top of shock stay forced against bottom of the bed of the truck.
Complaint 11551912 · Oct 25, 2023
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…
Complaint 11489964 · Oct 19, 2022
The contact owns a 2011 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the front passenger's side air bag was replaced; however, the…
Complaint 11458152 · Mar 24, 2022 · 72,000 miles

Own a 2011 Sierra 1500?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.