2011 GMC Sierra 2500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
53/100
#8 most-complained of 16 Sierra 2500 years
The 2011 GMC Sierra 2500 has a complaint index of 53, ranking 8th worst among 16 model years, with 63 complaints and 4 recalls, so it's rated Caution relative to other Sierra 2500 years.
- Complaints
- 63
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 1 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- —
Top 2011 GMC Sierra 2500 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags20 (32%)
- Structure & Body11 (17%)
- Electrical System9 (14%)
- Engine9 (14%)
- Other8 (13%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires7 (11%)
- Transmission & Powertrain6 (10%)
- Fuel System3 (5%)
- Steering3 (5%)
- Brakes2 (3%)
What owners report
- Airbags failed to deploy in a frontal collision, resulting in occupant injury.
- The dashboard cracked near the passenger-side airbag, raising concern about sharp plastic pieces during deployment.
- The electrical system caused doors to lock spontaneously seconds after exiting the truck.
- A vehicle caught fire while driving with no identifiable cause reported.
- The transmission shifted harshly, including an unexpected downshift that jolted a passenger forward.
- Steering wheel vibrated abnormally at low speed and could not be diagnosed by the dealer.
2011 GMC Sierra 2500 recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- NHTSA 18V267000Apr 26, 2018Other6,154 vehicles
Equipment
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 extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
Risk: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
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 customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. GM's number for this recall is 18146.
2011 compared with other Sierra 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2011 GMC Sierra 2500 reliable?
- NHTSA lists 63 complaints and 4 recalls for the 2011 Sierra 2500, giving it a complaint index of 53 and a rank of 8th worst out of 16 model years, making it a Caution year relative to other Sierra 2500 years.
- What is the biggest problem area for the 2011 GMC Sierra 2500?
- Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 20 of 63 complaints (32% share), with a median failure mileage of 62,000 miles.
- Does the 2011 GMC Sierra 2500 have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2011 Sierra 2500, covering airbags, an electrical jumper harness, and a fire extinguisher replacement, and none are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2011 Sierra 2500 compare to other years?
- The 2011 model's complaint index of 53 is higher than years like 2013 (20), 2014 (7), and 2018 (13), which are rated Best, but lower than 2024 (100) and 2022 (87), which are rated Avoid.