2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 638 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 19 Silverado 1500 model years with reports.
Of the 2011 reports, 29 involved a crash and 6 involved a fire. 39 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator moduleFeb 5, 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.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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.
Campaign 21V054000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator moduleFeb 5, 2021
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 of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." 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.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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 notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. 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 N212328760.
Campaign 21V050000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rear, axle, spindleJan 6, 2011
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 REAR AXLE. SHOULD THE PIN SHIFT OUT OF POSITION, IT COULD CREATE AN INTERFERENCE CONDITION AND CAUSE THE REAR AXLE TO LOCK.
THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.
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 OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
Campaign 11V007000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rear, axle, spindleDec 17, 2010
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 CAUSE THE REAR AXLE TO LOCK.
THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.
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 OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
Campaign 10V643000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
638 reports, newest first.
Structure, Jun 15, 2022
Rust through the frame. It appears that this is directly related to TSB PI0564K. The rust proofing failure of the vehicle has lead to rust causing holes in the frame of the truck. I have followed the Owners Manuel regarding cleaning of the frame during winter time. There is additional rust on the body rocker panels that are not structural. Repairs will be extensive in scope and cost.
Steering, May 29, 2022
While pulling into a parking spot the steering stopped working almost causing me to crash into another car. I shut the car off and restarted and the power steering was still out.. thank god i wasn’t on the highway
Structure, Apr 1, 2022
Frame is rusted out with only 102,000 original miles. Drivers side frame- can poke holes with a hand held screw driver going completely through frame. Frame is compromised. Personal note- mechanic by profession (18 years experience) in household has NEVER seen 10 year old vehicle no matter the care with rust this bad. This is a safety risk if an accident were to happen.
Structure, Mar 16, 2022
Frame is completely rusted on both sides, big holes. I use the truck for light duty use not a daily driver. Bought used with some known rust on the wheel wells. Had no idea rust would be this bad on frame. Have only had the truck for 3 years. Still owe on it and it seems unfit to drive.
Suspension, Mar 9, 2022
The frame is rusted very bad. I took it to a shop to see if it could be repaired and was told that it can't be repaired it will have to be replaced. This is a 10 year old truck the frame should not be rusted. I have additional photos. It is rusted down both sides of the frame
Structure, Feb 9, 2022
The contact's daughter owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear-end of the vehicle would bounce while driving over speed bumps or potholes. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the sub-frame was improperly coated. The contact was informed that the sub-frame needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Other or unspecified, Jan 3, 2022
There is a crack in the dashboard at the top left hand corner of the passenger air bag.
Air bags, Dec 28, 2021
Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the part to the recall repair was unavailable. A dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts are not available.
Structure, Dec 26, 2021
My brother was putting a trailer onto my hitch and noticed that it was unstable. The factory hitch was rusted out thru the metal. Him being a mechanic he decided to put the truck up on the rack. My FRAME IS RUSTED COMPLETELY THRU!!! BECAUSE they did not rust proof it right to start. I could have been killed along with my GRANDSON whom I have custody of. No one knew my truck frame was rusted out. It's a beautifully kept truck in great condition. I was not aware of this issue of them not recalling a rustproofing error!!!! Omg. A 20k truck is worthless now. Who has to die to fix this!! There is no reason a truck frame should rust through in 10 years!!
Air bags, Dec 17, 2021
2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL AIRBAG INFLATOR SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME COMPLETING THE RECALL THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE REMEDY WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE.
Air bags, Nov 19, 2021
Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving 50 - 60 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the recall but informed the contact that parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,500. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Suspension, Other or unspecified, Oct 6, 2021
I purchased a 2011 chevy silverado on 3/16/20 from a car dealership. 69k miles when purchased.88k now.I recently went to have a fuel pump repaired that happened out of the blue and was told that the frame is completely rusted out. I looked online only to discover that this is a ongoing problem for these trucks. Makes no sense how I have a truck I owe 14k on and now find out my frame is rusted to the point I could have a accident.
Structure, Sep 20, 2021
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact noticed that the front and rear driver’s side floor mat was wet. In addition, the entire rear seats were also wet. The contact stated that water was entering the vehicle. The contact contacted the dealer and was informed to take the vehicle in to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000. The VIN was not provided.
Air bags, Sep 20, 2021
Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not notified of the issue. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and informed the contact that the part was not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Air bags, Sep 8, 2021
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer had been notified about the recall; however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Air bags, Sep 7, 2021
I received a letter in March 2021 stating my 2011 Chevy Silverado 1500 informing me of a safety recall for the passenger airbags. I called when receiving the letter and was told I was put on a waiting list. It’s been 6 months now and I haven’t heard anything. I also have a check engine light on constantly with no codes coming back after being connected to a code reader.
Air bags, Aug 26, 2021
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who stated that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Air bags, Aug 25, 2021
I brought my truck into a certified Chevrolet repair facility for routine maintenence and to have a repair done on my gas tank. Upon pickup of my vehicle, I noticed that my airbag alert light/ indicator was illuminated on my dashboard. I quickly re-entered the repair facility, and asked them why is my airbag light now illuminated, as it was NOT illuminated prior to this visit. The service manager told me there was a recall on my passenger airbag, so they took it upon themselves to install a new one, causing me to now have a "Service Airbag System"message on my dashboard, along with the illuminated Airbag indicator. My vehicle is equipped with "Onstar", which is a very useful tool that gives me real time diagnostics on my vehicle. Through documentation, I can prove the airbag system did NOT have any issues prior to them installing the new one. They did not notify me that they were going to do this recalled airbag. They are refusing to take accountability and liability for what happened to my vehicle. Please help.
Air bags, Aug 6, 2021
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V050000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who stated that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Air bags, Jun 28, 2021
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it diagnosed with the air bag module needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact stated that the failure was due to having NHTSA Campaign number 21V054000 (Air Bags) completed. The failure mileage was 197,271.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jun 26, 2021
**randomly at any given speed ** First the radio system will randomly turn off then moments later… stabiliTrak off flashes followed by abs and traction control lights on dash then suddenly my Chevrolet Silverado has a mind of its own ! The door locks will flicker uncontrollably , and the vehicle just suddenly has a loss of power while rpms and gauges are continuously moving while you are unable to even move the vehicle .. this is a ongoing problem since 2019 , that no one seems to have an answer too .. I’ve taken it to 3 different mechanics and still no answers … when it first started happening it was super random and would happen a few times a day but then not happen for months on end then all of the sudden now it is happening several days a week .. I’m currently scared to even drive it which is horrible considering the amount of money I’ve put into this truck .. it has only 100k miles but somehow I am stuck using my dads old truck with 330k miles on it which seems to be more reliable and is 12 years older … sucks to pay over 500$ a month for “ your dream vehicle “ that you can’t even drive or get any real answers to what or where the problem is coming from … seems that thousands of people online have the same problem but yet no one has any solution .. Now that I’ve almost been in 3 serious accidents I decided I have to say something, 2 of these times were over 70 mph on a California freeway !!! Something must be done !
Air bags, Jun 21, 2021
The possible failure of a faulty passenger side airbag has put the safety of my family at risk of possible injury or death. I recieved this recall notice going on five months ago now. What is Takata doing about this? Is anything being done? I think this criminal. Who is supposed to have answers to these questions? How long does something like this usually take to get resolved? Recall notice N212328800.
Other or unspecified, Jun 13, 2021
The driver's side interior door handle completely broke off. It appears that this is an ongoing issue with 2011 GMC Silverado and other GMC vehicles.
Other or unspecified, Jun 13, 2021
The dashboard on the vehicle is cracked around the area where the passengers side airbag is. The crack originated early on and was minimal and I was advised by the dealership that this was due to warping and not an issue with GMC pickups. I've come to find out from chat boards and other friend, coworkers and family that they have similar issues with their GMC dashboards on both pickup trucks and SUV vehicles.
Air bags, Jun 8, 2021
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle was in process of being serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (AIRBAGS)but the dealer advised the contact that the repair might cause further damage to the dashboard. The contact felt that the recall should have included a replacement dashboard for any additional damage caused by the replacement of passenger-side air bag inflator. The recall was not completed in order to avoid damages. The contact had not experienced a failure.