GMC SIERRA DENALI · model year

2011 GMC SIERRA DENALI

40 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2011GMCSIERRA DENALI carries 40 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 SIERRA DENALI is unknown or other with 17 filings, followed by air bags (10) and structure:body (8). 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 SIERRA 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.

40
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

40 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 OTHER17
AIR BAGS10
STRUCTURE:BODY8
POWER TRAIN2
WHEELS1
STRUCTURE1
SUSPENSION1

Recent Complaints

20210227STRUCTURE:BODY

DASH BOARD IS CRACKING IN THREE PLACES . THE MOST CONCERNING ONE IS AROUND THE PASSENGERS AIR BAG. MY PASSENGER COULD BE IMPALED WITH PIECES OF THE DASH IF THE AIRBAG WERE TO DEPLOY.

Mileage: 98,500

20210121STRUCTURE:BODY

I HAVE A ISSUE WITH MY DASHBOARD CRACKING ALONG THE AIRBAG MODULE DOOR. I BELIEVE IF I WAS OR INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS ARE DEPLOYED THE PIECES OF DASH CAN BECOME FRAGMENTS AND CAUSE EXCESSIVE INJURY AND ALSO COULD DEFLATE THE AIRBAGS UPON EXPANSION. CAUSING MORE INJURY THAN DEEM NECESSARY.

20210121UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I HAVE A ISSUE WITH MY DASHBOARD CRACKING ALONG THE AIRBAG MODULE DOOR. I BELIEVE IF I WAS OR INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS ARE DEPLOYED THE PIECES OF DASH CAN BECOME FRAGMENTS AND CAUSE EXCESSIVE INJURY AND ALSO COULD DEFLATE THE AIRBAGS UPON EXPANSION. CAUSING MORE INJURY THAN DEEM NECESSARY.

20201222UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASHBOARD CRACKED AT CORNER OF PASSENGER AIRBAG. DECEMBER 22, 2020. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE GARAGE. I NOTICED IT AS SOON AS I GOT IN TO DRIVE IT.

Mileage: 88,000

20201123AIR BAGS

HIT A DEER WHILE DRIVING, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY BUT MADE A NOISE AND SOUNDS LIKED GAS WAS RELEASED. LIKE THE AIRBAGS TRIED TO DEPLOY BUT DIDN'T. NOW MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND SAYS TO CHECK AIRBAG SYSTEM OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.

Mileage: 55,250

20201001UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE RIGHT SIDE DAH PANEL IS CRACKED AT THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG..

Mileage: 65,000

20200915STRUCTURE:BODY

DASH HAS BEEN CRACKED COMPLETELY THROUGH ON PASSENGER SIDE BY AIRBAG, NOW I HAVE A CRACK JUST ABOVE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 47,000 MILES AND THE CRACKS JUST APPEAR OUT OF NO WHERE. THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN OFF ROADING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IT IS IMMACULATE OTHER THEN NOW CRACKED UP DASH. IT'S NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 35,000

20200705POWER TRAIN

IN 2017 BEFORE MY VEHICLE COMPLETING TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE AT (70,000 KM) THE VEHICLE START SHUDDERING WHEN ACCELERATING AT LOW SPEED, WHEN THE SERVICE WAS DUE I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR SERVICE & COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SHUDDERING ISSUE, AFTER DIAGNOSING THE VEHICLE THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER, SO THEY DID REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER UNDER WARRANTY AFTER FIXING THE TORQUE CONVERTER ISSUE I FOUND TRACE OF OIL IN FRONT DRIVER SIDE & AGAIN WHEN THE SERVICE WAS DUE I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LEAK, AFTER DIAGNOSING THE FOUND THAT THE SHOCK ABSORBER IS LEAKING, BUT THEY DIDN'T REPLACE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY AS THEY SAID IT'S CONSIDERED AS CONSUMABLE PARTS, VERY STRANGE FOR A SHOCK TO LEAK IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS CONSIDERING THAT I DIDN'T EVEN DRIVE IT IN OFFF ROAD, & THIS IS NOT THE FIRST VEHICLE I OWN, ALL THE VEHICLES I OWNED DIDN'T LEAK FOR TWENTY YEARS, SORRY I KNOW IT'S CONSUMABLE PART BUT I AM NOT CONVINCED BY THESE W

Mileage: 43,750

20200705SUSPENSION

IN 2017 BEFORE MY VEHICLE COMPLETING TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE AT (70,000 KM) THE VEHICLE START SHUDDERING WHEN ACCELERATING AT LOW SPEED, WHEN THE SERVICE WAS DUE I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR SERVICE & COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SHUDDERING ISSUE, AFTER DIAGNOSING THE VEHICLE THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER, SO THEY DID REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER UNDER WARRANTY AFTER FIXING THE TORQUE CONVERTER ISSUE I FOUND TRACE OF OIL IN FRONT DRIVER SIDE & AGAIN WHEN THE SERVICE WAS DUE I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LEAK, AFTER DIAGNOSING THE FOUND THAT THE SHOCK ABSORBER IS LEAKING, BUT THEY DIDN'T REPLACE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY AS THEY SAID IT'S CONSIDERED AS CONSUMABLE PARTS, VERY STRANGE FOR A SHOCK TO LEAK IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS CONSIDERING THAT I DIDN'T EVEN DRIVE IT IN OFFF ROAD, & THIS IS NOT THE FIRST VEHICLE I OWN, ALL THE VEHICLES I OWNED DIDN'T LEAK FOR TWENTY YEARS, SORRY I KNOW IT'S CONSUMABLE PART BUT I AM NOT CONVINCED BY THESE W

Mileage: 43,750

20200622UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASHBOARD CRACKING IN 2 PLACES. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

20200622STRUCTURE

DASHBOARD CRACKING IN 2 PLACES. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

20191029UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I OPENED UP THE DOOR TO MY GMC SIERRA AND NOTICED THERE WAS A CRACK ABOVE THE AIR BAG AND FROM THE DEFROST VENT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE GAUGE CLUSTER COVER ON MY DASH.

Mileage: 112,276

20190601UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASH CRACKED ON PASSENGER SIDE STARTING AT AIR BAG TOP LEFT CORNER AND CENTER BRACKET BROKE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN ALONG WITH THE AIR BAG INFLATORS GM NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE ONE DAY I GOT OFF WORK OPENED MY DOOR I GOT IN SHUT THE DOOR AND CRACK THIS IS STUPID THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME KIND OF IMPROVEMENT DESIGN TO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE

Mileage: 40,000

20190601AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL MY VEHICLE IS AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL I HAVE CALLED NUMEROUS DEALERSHIPS AND THEY ALL TELL ME GM DON'T HAVE A FIX YET SO BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE DOES THIS MEAN MY VEHICLE FALLS UNDER LEMON LAW SINCE IT'S 8 YEARS OLD AND THE PROBLEM CAN'T BE FIXED THANKS TAKATA I LOVE MY DENALI

Mileage: 40,000

20190312AIR BAGS

DASHBOARD CRACKED AT PASSENGER AIR BAG AND AT INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BROKEN PLASTIC PIECES WILL BECOME SHRAPNEL DURING AN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAG INFLATION

Mileage: 60,000

20190312UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASHBOARD CRACKED AT PASSENGER AIR BAG AND AT INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BROKEN PLASTIC PIECES WILL BECOME SHRAPNEL DURING AN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAG INFLATION

Mileage: 60,000

20190216STRUCTURE:BODY

DASHBOARD IS CRACKED IN MULTIPLE SPOTS. PAINT SEEMS REALLY THIN. ORIGINAL PAINT NEVER BEEN ABUSED. AS FOR DASHBOARD I GUESS ITS A COMMON THING RIGHT BY THE AIR BAG AND DRIVER SIDE. SCARY TO THINK ABOUT A COLLISION AND SHARDS OF PLASTIC FLYING TOWARD YOUR FACE.

20190216UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASHBOARD IS CRACKED IN MULTIPLE SPOTS. PAINT SEEMS REALLY THIN. ORIGINAL PAINT NEVER BEEN ABUSED. AS FOR DASHBOARD I GUESS ITS A COMMON THING RIGHT BY THE AIR BAG AND DRIVER SIDE. SCARY TO THINK ABOUT A COLLISION AND SHARDS OF PLASTIC FLYING TOWARD YOUR FACE.

20180928AIR BAGS

THE DASHBOARD IN MY 2011 GMC SIERRA DENALI 1500 HAS MULTIPLE CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD, THEY HAVE APPEARED SIGNIFICANTLY WITHIN IN THE LAST YEAR AND GOTTEN MUCH LARGER TO THE POINT WHERE A "HOLE" HAS OPENED UP DUE TO A PIECE OF THE DASHBOARD BREAKING LOOSE AND FALLING INSIDE OF THE DASH CONSOLE. THE CRACKS AND LOOSE DEBRIS HAVE CAUSED ME CONCERN BECAUSE IF THE AIRBAGS WERE TO DEPLOY DURING A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE SUBJECTED TO FLYING DEBRIS/ SHRAPNEL FROM THE DASHBOARD. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT IT IS AN AESTHETIC ISSUE WHICH WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER ANY KIND OF WARRANTY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH ITS OWN FACEBOOK PAGE AND PLENTY OF DOCUMENTED CASES ONLINE. GM HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE SOME DASH BOARDS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AT A REDUCED COST. HOWEVER, THIS STILL SEEMS TO BE UNACCEPTABLE DUE TO THE FACT THAT PERSONAL INJURY INCLUDING AND UP TO LOSS OF LIFE COULD BE A RESULT OF THIS

Mileage: 97,000

20180928UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DASHBOARD IN MY 2011 GMC SIERRA DENALI 1500 HAS MULTIPLE CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD, THEY HAVE APPEARED SIGNIFICANTLY WITHIN IN THE LAST YEAR AND GOTTEN MUCH LARGER TO THE POINT WHERE A "HOLE" HAS OPENED UP DUE TO A PIECE OF THE DASHBOARD BREAKING LOOSE AND FALLING INSIDE OF THE DASH CONSOLE. THE CRACKS AND LOOSE DEBRIS HAVE CAUSED ME CONCERN BECAUSE IF THE AIRBAGS WERE TO DEPLOY DURING A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE SUBJECTED TO FLYING DEBRIS/ SHRAPNEL FROM THE DASHBOARD. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT IT IS AN AESTHETIC ISSUE WHICH WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER ANY KIND OF WARRANTY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH ITS OWN FACEBOOK PAGE AND PLENTY OF DOCUMENTED CASES ONLINE. GM HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE SOME DASH BOARDS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AT A REDUCED COST. HOWEVER, THIS STILL SEEMS TO BE UNACCEPTABLE DUE TO THE FACT THAT PERSONAL INJURY INCLUDING AND UP TO LOSS OF LIFE COULD BE A RESULT OF THIS

Mileage: 97,000

Compare 2011GMCSIERRA DENALI to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2011 GMC SIERRA DENALI have?
The 2011 GMC SIERRA DENALI has 40 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 GMC SIERRA DENALI?
The most-complained component for the 2011 GMC SIERRA DENALI is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 17 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and STRUCTURE:BODY.
Is the 2011 GMC SIERRA 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.