2011 Chevrolet Suburban Airbags Problems
NHTSA lists 102 airbag complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Suburban, 43% of all complaints filed for the year, with a median failure mileage of 75,000. Two related recalls (21V050000, 21V054000) cover front passenger air bag inflator replacement, though neither is a do-not-drive order.
- Airbags complaints
- 102
- 43% of 235
- Crashes reported
- 2
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 3
- Median mileage
- 75,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 2
Typical airbag symptoms owners report
- Dashboard develops cracks near the passenger-side airbag panel, which owners fear could prevent proper deployment or send plastic shrapnel outward.
- Cracks also appear above the steering column and driver-side console, with some owners noting the dash panel flexes or 'flaps' while driving.
- Some owners describe the cracking recurring across multiple areas of the dash even though the vehicle sees light use or is kept garaged.
- In crash-related reports, front airbags deployed but the passenger-side airbag or seat-mounted unit reportedly failed to activate.
- One owner reported the airbag warning and other instrument panel indicators stopped working alongside an illuminated ABS light.
When 2011 Chevrolet Suburban airbag complaints were filed
First complaint Feb 21, 2014, latest Mar 1, 2025.
Airbags recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Suburban
- NHTSA 21V050000Feb 5, 2021Airbags2,641,272 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
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.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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 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.
- NHTSA 21V054000Feb 5, 2021Airbags1,778,128 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
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.
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 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.
Airbags complaints by Suburban model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many airbag complaints does the 2011 Chevrolet Suburban have?
- NHTSA lists 102 airbag-related complaints for the 2011 Suburban, which is 43% of the 235 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2011 Chevrolet Suburban airbags?
- Yes. GM recall 21V050000, reported 2021-02-05, covers replacement of the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate part, free of charge. A related campaign, 21V054000, applies to other GM trucks but not the 2011 Suburban.
- At what mileage do airbag problems typically show up on the 2011 Suburban?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for airbag complaints on the 2011 Suburban is 75,000 miles.
- Did the airbag issues cause crashes or injuries?
- NHTSA data tied to these airbag complaints shows 2 crashes and 3 injuries reported, with no fires.
- Is the 2011 Suburban worse than other years for airbag complaints?
- Yes, relative to later years. The 2010 and 2011 model years both show a 43% share of complaints tied to airbags, while 2015 and later years drop to single-digit percentages.