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2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 29 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500, most often about the air bags (35% of complaints). It is 15th of 27 Silverado 3500 model years by number of complaints and has 5 recalls.
Most common 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 problems
Air bags
10 complaints · 35%Takata recall: I have asked the dealer to replace the dangerous airbags five or six times in the past year & a half as well as telephoning gmc corporate office twice. They keep telling me they don't have the replacement airbags. Consequently, they leave me, my family & passengers in danger of severe injury or death.…
Takata recall. The contact owned a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. While driving 70 MPH, the contact lost consciousness and crashed into several trees. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact was taken to the hospital to receive medical attention. The contact sustained three broken ribs. The…
Fuel system
6 complaints · 21%Tl contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet silverado 3500hd(na). The contact stated that the computer was programmed to limit the speed of the vehicle when the diesel exhaust fluid was too low. He noticed that when he filled the fuel tank, the computer did not recognize that the tank was full and the diesel warning light…
Strong exhaust and or raw fuel smells inside cab and around outside of vehicle engine bay. Especially noticeable when vehicle is regenerating. Smoke billowing out from under right side of hood. A clear liquid and a black liquid running down exhaust pipe from turbocharger exhaust exit. Noticeable leakage on floor under…
Engine
6 complaints · 21%Parts named most often: exhaust system.
Strong exhaust and or raw fuel smells inside cab and around outside of vehicle engine bay. Especially noticeable when vehicle is regenerating. Smoke billowing out from under right side of hood. A clear liquid and a black liquid running down exhaust pipe from turbocharger exhaust exit. Noticeable leakage on floor under…
November 19 2014 I was driving to work when my service exhaust fluid system dic came on, followed with the check engine light. It was taken to our local dealership and they replaced all components of the DEF system. Then on december 11 the exhaust fluid system dic came on again, but with the message that the fluid…
Transmission
5 complaints · 17%The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. While driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle shifted out of the drive position and into the neutral position independently. The vehicle's gauges fluctuated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired.…
Diesel exhaust filter (DEF) and flow reduction tube on duramax lml engine. Fautly DEF requires extremely high temperatures to clean - or regenerate - causing the DEF and reduction tube to fail. High temperatures are a fire hazard to vehicle and grass or other terrain over which the truck is parked. Gm no longer…
Other or unspecified
4 complaints · 14%Ibc ( integrated brake controller ) factory installed is not compatible with trailer braking systems using a eoh ( electric over hydraulic systems) however according to reports on various web sites and going to a gm dealer their recommendation is for owners to have installed at our ( owners ) aftermarket brake…
Diesel exhaust filter (DEF) and flow reduction tube on duramax lml engine. Fautly DEF requires extremely high temperatures to clean - or regenerate - causing the DEF and reduction tube to fail. High temperatures are a fire hazard to vehicle and grass or other terrain over which the truck is parked. Gm no longer…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 recalls
Air bags: inflator module
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. Gm's number for this recall is n212328760.
Full defect summary
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, missou
Air bags: inflator module
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 1-800-222-1020; cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and gmc customer service at 1-800-462-8782. Gm'
Full defect summary
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, sub
Equipment
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.
Full defect summary
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
Fuel system: auxillary tank
Risk: If the front tank overfills, the excess pressure may cause the front tank to expand and contact the driveshaft, possibly resulting in a hole in the tank. The hole will leak fuel, which in the presence of an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Gm has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear tank fuel pump or update the fuel-level sensor software, as well as inspect the front tank, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began december 11, 2017. Owners may contact gm customer service for chevrolet 1-800-222-1020 or for gmc customer service at 1-800-462-8782. Gm's number for this recall is 17399.
Full defect summary
General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain 2011-2015 chevrolet silverado 3500 and gmc sierra 3500 trucks equipped with dual fuel tanks. The low fuel level sensor for the front tank may stick causing the rear tank to overfill the front tank.
Electrical: electrical system
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture
Summary
From 2000 through 2017, takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("psan") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004l. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 blomquist report at www.NHTSA.gov/sites/NHTSA.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
Questions about the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (10 complaints); fuel system (6 complaints); engine (6 complaints).
- How many recalls does the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 have?
- 5 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from February 5, 2021 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2011 a bad year for the Chevrolet Silverado 3500?
- It is 15th of 27 Silverado 3500 model years by number of complaints, with 29 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.