GMC DENALI · model year

2011 GMC DENALI

13 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2011GMCDENALI carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2011 DENALI is unknown or other with 8 filings, followed by air bags (5). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2011 DENALI. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

13
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

13 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
UNKNOWN OR OTHER8
AIR BAGS5

Recent Complaints

20200603UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DASH BOARD CRACKED. IT WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY TO A BRAND NEW ONE BY GM AND IT CRACKED WORST. THE AIRBAG AND A SPEAKER ARE THERE AND IT'S CONCERNING WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE TRUCK. *TR

20180724UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASH BOARD CRACKING. I HAVE A CRACK THROUGH THE DASH AT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND ANOTHER DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER. SHOULD THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOY, PIECES OF THE BROKEN DASH COULD INCREASE THE POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER INJURY

Mileage: 165,000

20180716AIR BAGS

MY DENALI HAS GOTTEN A CRACK ON THE DASH THAT RUNS DOWN TO THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG. THIS HAPPENED WHILE SITTING IN MY GARAGE IN 2016. I HAVE CONTACTED GM ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WASN'T A RECALL ON THIS. IT APPEARS TO ME AND OTHERS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE ALL OF THE DASHES ARE CRACKED ON THE ONE PIECE DASHES (2007-2014) EITHER ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OR AT THE AIRBAG. I'M AFRAID THAT IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS THAT THERE WILL BE PIECES OF THE DASH COMING WITH IT CAUSING INJURY. I KEEP MY VEHICLE GARAGE KEPT OR AT WORK I PUT A DEFLECTOR IN THE WINDOW TO KEEP THE SUN OFF THE DASH. I FEEL LIKE GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THE DASH DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY. (XXXX) PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Mileage: 114,239

20171110AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL - MANUFACTURER UNABLE TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG.

20171106UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY DASHBOARD CRACKED FOR THE SECOND TIME. I ALREADY REPLACED IT THE FIRST TIME IT CRACKED JANUARY 2015. IT HAS CRACKED FOR THE SECOND TIME. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A DEFECT IN THIS PART FOR IT TO HAPPEN 2 TIMES SINCE 2011. I CAN NOT BRING MYSELF TO PAY FOR THIS AGAIN AS IT COST AROUND $1,000.

20171102AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVE A NOTICE STATING THAT TAKATA IS FILING CHAPTER 11 AND ON THE NOTICE IT TELLS ME TO CALL MY GM DEALER AND HAVE MY AIRBAGS REPLACED, AFTER CONTACTING MY SELLING DEALER ON 11/2/2017 I WAS TOLD THAT GM IS NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE TODAY AND THEY WILL NOTIFY ME WHEN THE MATTER IS SETTLED, I'AM GETTING TWO DIFFERENT STORIES, WHAT I S THE REAL STORY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, THANK YOU

Mileage: 40,000

20170815UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED, AS IT HAS DONE ON INNUMERABLE VEHICLES OF THIS AGE RANGE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OCCUPANTS IF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY.

Mileage: 61,000

20170525UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I AM HAVING CONCERNS INVOLVING CRACKS IN MY DASH. I AM AFRAID THAT IN A ACCIDENT THAT THAT SHARDS OF THE PLASTIC DASH WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE KNIVES STICKING UP THAT COULD RIP THROUGH A BODY IN THE CASE OF ME OR A PASSENGER BEING THROWN TOWARD THE DASH AREA. OR THAT IF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING THE DASH TO PIERCE THE AIRBAG, CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE AIRBAG OR DEPLOYING A SHARD OF PLASTIC TOWARD THE DRIVER OR ANY PASSENGER.

Mileage: 117,000

20170525AIR BAGS

THE DASH BOARD ON MY DENALI HAS CRACKED AND GOES DOWN INTO THE AIRBAG. I AM AFRAID IF THE AIRBAG WERE TO DEPLOY THE DASH WOULD FURTHER SHATTER AND CAUSE PARTS OF THE PLASTIC TO COME LOOSE FROM THE DASH CAUSING INJURY TO MYSELF OR ONE OF MY GRANDDAUGHTERS. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DASH CRACKING. I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DASH BOARD AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY GM. I WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM BUT AS OF LATE THERE ISN'T ONE. WITH THE COST INVOLVED WITH THESE VEHICLES THERE SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. I CONTACTED GM BUT I WAS TOLD THEY SAW NO PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT FIX THE DASH BUT WOULD BE GLAD TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT THAT THE COST WOULD BE MINE. PLEASE CONSIDER LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER.

Mileage: 114,239

20170525UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DASH BOARD ON MY DENALI HAS CRACKED AND GOES DOWN INTO THE AIRBAG. I AM AFRAID IF THE AIRBAG WERE TO DEPLOY THE DASH WOULD FURTHER SHATTER AND CAUSE PARTS OF THE PLASTIC TO COME LOOSE FROM THE DASH CAUSING INJURY TO MYSELF OR ONE OF MY GRANDDAUGHTERS. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DASH CRACKING. I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DASH BOARD AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY GM. I WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM BUT AS OF LATE THERE ISN'T ONE. WITH THE COST INVOLVED WITH THESE VEHICLES THERE SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. I CONTACTED GM BUT I WAS TOLD THEY SAW NO PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT FIX THE DASH BUT WOULD BE GLAD TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT THAT THE COST WOULD BE MINE. PLEASE CONSIDER LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER.

Mileage: 114,239

20170502AIR BAGS

WE CURRENTLY OWN A 2011 GMC DENALI. NEAR THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THERE IS A CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD FROM THE MIDDLE SPLIT TO THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT. THIS WEEK, THERE IS A NEW SPLIT OVER THE STEERING WHEEL MAKING ITS WAY UP TO MOST LIKELY MEET THE EDGE OF THE DASHBOARD AT ITS STEERING WHEEL CURVE. IN DUE TIME, THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD IS GOING TO CAVE IN AND CAUSE A DRIVING DANGER. THE VIBRATION OF THE TRUCK IN MOTION SEEMS TO INITIAL THE SPREAD OF THE CRACKS. THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT, ALONG WITH THE INADEQUATE DASHBOARD MATERIAL IS A GROWING PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE INCREASING EVERY DAY. PIECES OF DASHBOARD FALLING INTO YOUR DRIVING CONSOLE AS YOU DRIVE AND SHARP EDGES NEAR THE AIR BAG ARE OF GREAT CONCERN TO ME AND FOR THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS IN MY VEHICLE.

20170502UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WE CURRENTLY OWN A 2011 GMC DENALI. NEAR THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THERE IS A CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD FROM THE MIDDLE SPLIT TO THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT. THIS WEEK, THERE IS A NEW SPLIT OVER THE STEERING WHEEL MAKING ITS WAY UP TO MOST LIKELY MEET THE EDGE OF THE DASHBOARD AT ITS STEERING WHEEL CURVE. IN DUE TIME, THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD IS GOING TO CAVE IN AND CAUSE A DRIVING DANGER. THE VIBRATION OF THE TRUCK IN MOTION SEEMS TO INITIAL THE SPREAD OF THE CRACKS. THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT, ALONG WITH THE INADEQUATE DASHBOARD MATERIAL IS A GROWING PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE INCREASING EVERY DAY. PIECES OF DASHBOARD FALLING INTO YOUR DRIVING CONSOLE AS YOU DRIVE AND SHARP EDGES NEAR THE AIR BAG ARE OF GREAT CONCERN TO ME AND FOR THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS IN MY VEHICLE.

20170406UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DASHBOARD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE TIME OF THE CRACK. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE DASHBOARD MAKES VARIOUS VIBRATION, CHATTERING, AND RATTLING NOISES.

Mileage: 35,000

Compare 2011GMCDENALI to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2011 GMC DENALI have?
The 2011 GMC DENALI has 13 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 GMC DENALI?
The most-complained component for the 2011 GMC DENALI is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 8 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS.
Is the 2011 GMC DENALI safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.