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2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

5 safety recalls list the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500, and owners have filed 284 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

5
safety recalls
284
owner complaints to NHTSA
5 / 3
complaints citing a crash / fire
14–21
MPG combined (EPA)

5 safety recalls for the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 21V050000 Reported 2,641,272 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states…

    Remedy: 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 22, 2021. Second…

  2. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 21V054000 Reported 1,778,128 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

    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."…

    Remedy: 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…

  3. Equipment

    NHTSA 18V267000 Reported 6,154 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These…

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC…

  4. Spindle (suspension)

    NHTSA 11V007000 Reported 30,566 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, colorado, express, silverado, suburban, tahoe; and GMC canyon, sierra, savana, yukon and yukon xl vehicles. The rear axle cross pins were not properly heat treated and could fracture and become displaced within the…

    Remedy: Dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin free of charge. The safety recall began on january 11, 2011. Owners may contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and at the…

  5. Spindle (suspension)

    NHTSA 10V643000 Reported 1,262 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 cadillac escalade ext, chevrolet avalanche, silverado ld and GMC sierra ld vehicles. The rear axle cross pins were not properly heat treated and could fracture and become displaced within the rear axle. Should the pin shift out of position, it could create an interference condition and…

    Remedy: Dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin free of charge. The safety recall began on january 11, 2011. Owners may contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and at the…

284 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 have filed 284 complaints with NHTSA; 5 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 11 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 64,068 miles. Complaints peaked in 2017 with 56 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“ABS Randomly turns on with the traction control light… All windows except for driver window will not go down and sometimes it does not unlock or lock sometimes. It started the beginning of 2022 and ha”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 11, 2026 · Electrical system

“Vehicle experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure characterized by a percussive "shotgun blast" noise from the rear chassis, followed by an immediate, total loss of braking power (pedal to the flo”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 13, 2026 · Service brakes

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2011 GMC Sierra (Sierra 15 Hybrid 2WD, Sierra 15 Hybrid 4WD, Sierra C15 2WD, Sierra C15 XFE 2WD, …). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined14–21 mpg
City / Highway12–20 / 18–23
FuelGasoline or E85, Regular
EPA classStandard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD
Engine6/8 cyl, 4.3/4.8/5.3/6/6.2 L
TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios); Automatic 4-spd; Automatic 6-spd

Compare GMC Sierra 1500 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every GMC Sierra 1500 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1994 GMC Sierra 1500013
1995 GMC Sierra 150003
1996 GMC Sierra 150005
1997 GMC Sierra 1500383
1998 GMC Sierra 1500259
1999 GMC Sierra 15001158
2000 GMC Sierra 15001181
2001 GMC Sierra 15002140
2002 GMC Sierra 15001166
2003 GMC Sierra 15001180
2004 GMC Sierra 15002212
2005 GMC Sierra 15000177
2006 GMC Sierra 15000145
2007 GMC Sierra 15002262
2008 GMC Sierra 15002381
2009 GMC Sierra 15004234
2010 GMC Sierra 15004168
2011 GMC Sierra 15005284
2012 GMC Sierra 15003107
2013 GMC Sierra 15003115
2014 GMC Sierra 15009739
2015 GMC Sierra 15009719
2016 GMC Sierra 15008342
2017 GMC Sierra 15006354
2018 GMC Sierra 15007304
2019 GMC Sierra 150010650
2020 GMC Sierra 150012472
2021 GMC Sierra 15007580
2022 GMC Sierra 15006590
2023 GMC Sierra 15003485
2024 GMC Sierra 15001366
2025 GMC Sierra 15001118
2026 GMC Sierra 15002138

Checking a specific 2011 GMC Sierra 1500

How do I know if my 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised GMC dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 10V643000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other GMC models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.