SAFETY ISSUE. DASH IS CRACKING NEAR AIRBAG. THIS COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE PREMATURE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG OR SHRAPNEL FROM DASH CAUSING HARM DURING DEPLOYMENT. DASH IS ALSO CRACKING OVER STEERING WHEEL AREA.
2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 38.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Avalanche 1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
21 reports with mileage · 7 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Structure complaints
4 reportsDASH CRACKED RIGHT ABOVE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AREA. NO DISCOLORATION IN THE AREA OR ANY WARNING. ONE DAY FINE, THE NEXT DAY A CRACK APPEARED. TRUCK WAS PARKED MOST OF THE DAY AND MY WORK COMMUTE IS 6 MILES ROUND TRIP. I DON'T OFF ROAD AND I HAVE NORMAL SIZED TIRES SO NO VIBRATION OCCURRED.
2011 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE LTZ. DASHBOARD IS CRACKING ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, ALMOST DIRECTLY ABOVE THE SPEEDO. FINDING A LOT OF FORUMS ON THIS PROBLEM WITH GM TRUCKS AND SUV'S. *TR
THERE A DEEP GASH/CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THAT STARTS AT THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF PASSENGER AIRBAG! VERY CONCERNED AFTER I GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM AND CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE INSTANCES OF THIS ON GM VEHICLES 'ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND THE COMPLAINTS DATE BACK TO 2006. ALSO NOTING THAT MOST EXPERIENCE THIS PROBL…
Read full complaint
THERE A DEEP GASH/CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THAT STARTS AT THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF PASSENGER AIRBAG! VERY CONCERNED AFTER I GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM AND CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE INSTANCES OF THIS ON GM VEHICLES 'ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND THE COMPLAINTS DATE BACK TO 2006. ALSO NOTING THAT MOST EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM ABOUT 24-48 MONTHS AFTER NEW VEHICLE OWNERSHIP, THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM AND A SAFETY PROBLEM! #1 IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS EITHER FROM NECESSITY OR RANDOMLY DUE TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE DASHBOARD BEING COMPROMISED, THE DASHBOARD COULD BREAK APART INTO SMALL SHARP PIECES THAT COULD BE LIKE "SHRAPNEL" AND CAUSE SEVERE INJURY OR WORSE! #2 SINCE THE STRUCTURE IS COMPROMISED, WHAT IS THE WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION THAT THERE ARE NO SAFETY FACTORS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IF THE AIRBAG DOES RANDOMLY DEPLOY WHILE DRIVING?! IN THIS INSTANCE, IT COULD ALSO RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH SHOULD A DRIVER BE STARTLED AT THE UNWARRANTED DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG AND SWERVE THE VEHICLE OR WORSE, MY DEALERSHIP, KUNI OF SACRAMENTO WAS ONLY WILLING TO REPAIR IF I PAID A PORTION OF THE COST, AND GM PAID A PORTION. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM; THEREFORE, WHY SHOULD I PAY ANY PORTION OF THE REPAIR COST? I ALSO NOTICED THAT MOST THAT PAID FOR THEIR REPAIRS HAD RECURRENCE OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITHIN 24 MONTHS OR LESS!!!! #1 A CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY REPAIRS FOR MANUFACTURER PROBLEMS AND, #2 IF THE DEALERSHIP AND OR GM IS UNWILLING TO PROVIDE THIS "AT NO COST TO CONSUMER SERVICE " AND THEY STATE THE VEHICLE IS SAFE, THEN A WRITTEN GUARANTEE THAT THIS AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THEN A WRITTEN STATEMENT MUST BE PROVIDED TO ALL OF US AS CONSUMERS OF GM PRODUCTS BY GENERAL MOTORS, INC! *TR
Official recalls
211V007000 · Suspension:rear:axle:spindle
Jan 6, 2011
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, COLORADO, EXPRESS, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; AND GMC CANYON, SIERRA, SAVANA, YUKON AND YUKON XL VEHICLES. THE REAR AXLE CROSS PINS WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND COULD FRACTURE AND BECOME DISPLACED WITHIN THE REAR AXLE. SHOULD THE PIN SHIFT OUT OF POSITION, IT COULD CREATE AN INTERFERENCE CONDITION AND CAUSE THE REAR AXLE TO LOCK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW REAR AXLE CROSS PIN FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 11, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
10V643000 · Suspension:rear:axle:spindle
Dec 17, 2010
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT, CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO LD AND GMC SIERRA LD VEHICLES. THE REAR AXLE CROSS PINS WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND COULD FRACTURE AND BECOME DISPLACED WITHIN THE REAR AXLE. SHOULD THE PIN SHIFT OUT OF POSITION, IT COULD CREATE AN INTERFERENCE CONDITION AND CAUSE THE REAR AXLE TO LOCK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW REAR AXLE CROSS PIN FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 11, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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