2011 Gmc Sierra 2500 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (14) · Structure:body (9) · Power Train (4)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Gmc Sierra 2500 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
34 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (4)
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2021-02-05 · campaign 21V050000 · 2,641,272 vehicles
Defect: 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
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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. G
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2021-02-05 · campaign 21V054000 · 1,778,128 vehicles
Defect: 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
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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 1-8
Equipment 2018-04-26 · campaign 18V267000 · 6,154 vehicles
Defect: 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,
Risk: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Electrical System 2014-07-02 · campaign 14V407000 · 9,371 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500/3500 trucks manufactured January 18, 2007, to June 22, 2011, and GMC Sierra HD 2500/3500 trucks manufactured January 22, 2007, to June 21, 2011, and equipped with an auxiliary battery. Owners may unknowingly draw too much current through the vehicle's trailer harness resulting in the melting of fusible link for the auxiliary battery.
Risk: If the fusible link melts it may come into contact with adjacent components, damage the electrical center cover, the nearby wiring harness conduit and other vehicle components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners and dealers will replace the jumper harness with one that includes a 40 amp inline fuse, and provide the owner with supplemental Owner Manual information, free of charge. The recall began on August 29, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 14260.
Service bulletins (1,577)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-04 · PIP4902W · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email gds2 session logs into technical assistance.
Unknown Or Other 2026-04-01 · PIT3271Q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
Unknown Or Other 2026-03-09 · PIP6104 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a gds2 session log and upload to a technical assistance case in cx connect.
Unknown Or Other 2026-03-09 · PIP4902V · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email gds2 session logs into technical assistance.
Unknown Or Other 2026-02-16 · PIT4506J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician that some owners of heavy duty trucks and utilities may ask if they can lower their tire pressures. tire pressures being set to the "tire and loading label" will ensure the safe handling and ride characteristics of the
Unknown Or Other 2026-01-16 · PIT6400A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi communications information on an alternative product dealers can use to perform 19-na-255: wax coating on frame peeling, metal shows corrosion/rusting due to issue with getting product from current supplier listed in the bulletin.
Showing the 6 most recent of 1,577 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-09-11 · Vehicle Speed Control“vehicle is being remotely hacked and placed into regen parts have been swapped and truck has been tampered with and continues to be tampered with…”
2025-05-31 · Unknown Or Other“dash board is cracking in various places even after being repaired. concerned that it could disintegrate sending plastic pieces flying in an accident or air bag deployment. …”
2025-05-20 · Electrical System:cybersecurity“vehicle is remotely being hacked into by [xxx] and buddy's, there are many people connected just do your job and ypu find all the evidence for which you need information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)…”
2025-03-25 · Tires · 265,000 mi“the contact owns a 2011 gmc sierra equipped with nitto tires, tire line: n/a, tire size: 285/55r20, dot number: 73bm, and nitto tire tire line: ridge grappler tire size: 285/55r20 and dot number 73 bm the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed the contact noticed the vehicle would vibrate. an independent was made aware of the fa…”
2024-08-16 · Structure · 29,252 mi“the contact called on behalf of a fire department that owns a 2011 gmc sierra 2500. the contact stated that while the fire department technician was performing a routine maintenance on the vehicle, the technician became aware that the sub frame was rusted with a hole in the sub frame. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined tha…”
2023-09-16 · Vehicle Speed Control“on or about [xxx], the transmission control module, failed, on my 2011gmc denali 2500 6.6 diesel. it was a known faulty part .general motors was aware of the issue years ago. this part should have been deemed a safety recall item. imagine, pulling a trailer down a busy freeway, with semi's presence. module goes out, truck goes idle, people hurt or …”
2023-09-04 · Power Train“when vehicle is warm and shut off, upon restart it will not go in to any gear, there was no warning lamps. an independent repair facility determined the transmission control module was defective. general motors has no parts available, and i know fro a fact it is a rather large issue.…”
2023-09-04 · Power Train“tcm failed. couldn’t find the parts required. truck sat 700 miles away from me for four weeks. had to have part repaired in hopes it worked. as of now i still have some issues but would not have the truck at all if i had to wait for a part …”
2023-04-15 · Power Train“transmission control module put my truck in limp mode while drinking down the highway.…”
2022-08-16 · Structure:body“dash is cracked in multiple spots making it a safety concern when airbag is deployed.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.