YearToAvoid

2011 GMC Sierra 2500 Airbags Problems

NHTSA lists 20 airbag complaints for the 2011 GMC Sierra 2500, 32% of all complaints for the year. Two related recalls (21V050000, 21V054000) cover the front passenger airbag inflator, and the median mileage at failure was 62,000 miles.

Airbags complaints
20
32% of 63
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
62,000 mi
Related recalls
2

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Owners report dashboard cracking near the passenger-side airbag panel, with some worried that broken plastic could become a projectile if the airbag deploys.
  • Some drivers describe waiting over a year for a Takata-related passenger airbag inflator repair after receiving a recall notice, with dealers reporting no remedy parts available.
  • One owner reported a frontal collision where neither the driver nor passenger airbag deployed, resulting in the vehicle rolling and the driver suffering head lacerations and chest bruising.
  • A few owners describe the Takata inflator's electric connector failing, disabling the front passenger airbag entirely.
  • Some owners say dealers told them the airbags were fine and advised them to ignore the recall notice despite visible dashboard cracking.

When 2011 GMC Sierra 2500 airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Jun 26, 2016, latest May 3, 2021.

2011 GMC Sierra 2500 airbags complaints: complaints filed per month2Jun 2016Apr 2017Oct 2017Dec 2018Aug 2019Mar 2021
20 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jun 2016 to May 2021; peak Jul 2017 (2).

Airbags recalls for the 2011 GMC Sierra 2500

  1. 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.

  2. 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 Sierra 2500 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20053 (3%)
  2. 20063 (5%)
  3. 200749 (59%)
  4. 200839 (62%)
  5. 20095 (16%)
  6. 20102 (20%)
  7. 201120 (32%)
  8. 20128 (26%)
  9. 20137 (15%)
  10. 20146 (20%)
  11. 20153 (3%)
  12. 20163 (5%)
  13. 20172 (5%)
  14. 20180 (0%)
  15. 20190 (0%)
  16. 20201 (1%)
  17. 20212 (4%)
  18. 20221 (2%)
  19. 20230 (0%)
  20. 20241 (1%)
  21. 20252 (7%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does the 2011 GMC Sierra 2500 have?
NHTSA lists 20 airbag complaints for the 2011 Sierra 2500, which is 32% of the 63 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there an airbag recall for the 2011 GMC Sierra 2500?
Yes. Two recalls, 21V050000 and 21V054000, cover the front passenger airbag inflator, which GM will replace free of charge according to the remedy listed with each campaign.
At what mileage do airbag problems usually show up on the 2011 Sierra 2500?
The median mileage at failure for airbag complaints on this model year is 62,000 miles.
Did any 2011 Sierra 2500 airbag complaints involve a crash or injury?
NHTSA data shows 1 crash and 1 injury linked to airbag complaints for this model year, with no fires reported.
How does the 2011 Sierra 2500's airbag complaint rate compare to other years?
At 32% of complaints, 2011 has the highest airbag complaint share among the model years listed, compared to 26% in 2012 and 20% in both 2010 and 2014.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.