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2011 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 53.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

51 reports with mileage · 29 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 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

80 reports
90,000 miles · Jan 7, 2016
Unknown Or Other

DASHBOARD IS CRACKED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND IS LOOSE AND SHAKES THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE DASHBOARD.

NHTSA ODI #10818798

80,000 miles · Dec 30, 2015
Air BagsStructure

VEHICLE DEVELOPED TWO CRACKS ON THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD ASSEMBLY. ONE CRACK IS LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, RUNNING FROM THE FORWARD-LEFT CORNER OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG TO THE DEFROSTER VENT. THE OTHER CRACK IS ON THE DRIVER SIDE, INBOARD AND SLIGHTLY FORWARD OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL "HUMP." CRACKS DISCO…

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VEHICLE DEVELOPED TWO CRACKS ON THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD ASSEMBLY. ONE CRACK IS LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, RUNNING FROM THE FORWARD-LEFT CORNER OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG TO THE DEFROSTER VENT. THE OTHER CRACK IS ON THE DRIVER SIDE, INBOARD AND SLIGHTLY FORWARD OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL "HUMP." CRACKS DISCOVERED WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. I UNDERSTAND THIS TO BE COMMON, KNOWN MANUFACTURER DEFECT FOR THIS VEHICLE AND RELATED GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES (E.G., GMC YUKON, YUKON XL, AVALANCHE, TAHOE, ETC.). THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE CRACKS POTENTIALLY AFFECTING PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, CREATING A DANGEROUS SHARDS OF FLYING PLASTIC IN THE EVENT OF A PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE DASHBOARD AND SUBSEQUENT NON-COMPLIANT PERFORMANCE DURING A COLLISION, AND POTENTIAL DUST AND WATER INTRUSION INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE DASHBOARD THROUGH THE CRACKS WHICH WOULD AFFECT THE VARIOUS ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS LOCATED IN THE DASHBOARD INTERIOR. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10817040

80,000 miles · Aug 20, 2015
Air Bags

THE DASH ON MY SUBURBAN HAS CRACKED AT THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT

NHTSA ODI #10750069

49,750 miles · Jul 14, 2015
Air BagsUnknown Or Other

THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2011 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 HAS CRACKED IN TWO LOCATIONS. BOTH OF THESE LOCATIONS WOULD BE EFFECTED BY AN AIRBAG ACTIVATION WITH HIGH POTENTIAL FOR FLYING SHARP PLASTIC FRAGMENTS THAT A) PIERCE THE AIRBAG OR PREVENT ITS PROPER INFLATION OR, B) INJURE OR KILL FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS. OPEN-SOURCE RESEARCH INDI…

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THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2011 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 HAS CRACKED IN TWO LOCATIONS. BOTH OF THESE LOCATIONS WOULD BE EFFECTED BY AN AIRBAG ACTIVATION WITH HIGH POTENTIAL FOR FLYING SHARP PLASTIC FRAGMENTS THAT A) PIERCE THE AIRBAG OR PREVENT ITS PROPER INFLATION OR, B) INJURE OR KILL FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS. OPEN-SOURCE RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A WIDESPREAD AND PERVASIVE ISSUE WITH GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES OF SIMILAR DESIGN (SUBURBAN, TAHOE, SILVERADO, AVALANCHE, ETC...) STRETCHING OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS-- AT LEAST EFFECTING MODEL YEARS 2007 THRU 2013 OR MORE. FURTHERMORE, EVERY GM SERVICE CENTER HAS EXPERIENCED SO MANY OF THESE DASHBOARD CRACKS THAT REPLACEMENT OF THESE PARTS HAS BECOME ROUTINE. GM VIEWS THIS INHERENT DESIGN FLAW AS A WARRANTY ISSUE, NOT THE ENDEMIC PROBLEM IT ACTUALLY IS WITH POTENTIAL FOR INJURY.

NHTSA ODI #10733859

77,000 miles · May 17, 2015
Air Bags

MY 2011 CHEVY SUBURBAN HAS TWO CRACKS ON THE DASH, BOTH CONNECTING TO THE AIRBAG. I HAVE CONCERNS OF THIS WEAKENING THE DASH WHICH COULD CAUSE SUDDEN DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. I ALSO HAVE CONCERNS THAT IN THE EVENT OF DEPLOYMENT,, PIECES OF BROKEN PLASTIC COULD CAUSE INJURY, AS DID IN AN ACCIDENT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE H…

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MY 2011 CHEVY SUBURBAN HAS TWO CRACKS ON THE DASH, BOTH CONNECTING TO THE AIRBAG. I HAVE CONCERNS OF THIS WEAKENING THE DASH WHICH COULD CAUSE SUDDEN DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. I ALSO HAVE CONCERNS THAT IN THE EVENT OF DEPLOYMENT,, PIECES OF BROKEN PLASTIC COULD CAUSE INJURY, AS DID IN AN ACCIDENT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGED FOR A YEAR WHEN NOT USED. IT WAS PREVIOUSLY OWNED BEFORE THAT. THIS IS MY SIXTH SUBURBAN. THE KIND OF MONEY WE PAY FOR THESE, EVEN PREOWNED, SHOULD COVER BETTER THAN THE PLASTIC DASH THAT'S FALLING APART

NHTSA ODI #10716972

86,894 miles · May 15, 2015
Seat Belts

THE SEATBELT FELLED TO UNLEASH. I HAD TO PUSH THE SEATBELT IN AND PUSH THE SEATBELT RELEASE TO GET THE BELT TO RELEASE. WHEN IT WAS TIME TO BUCKLE UP AGAIN, THE BELT WOUND NOT LATCH.

NHTSA ODI #10716690

70,000 miles · Jan 27, 2015
Seats

THE SECOND ROAD BENCH, I WAS PUT IT DOWN TO LOCK THE SEAT AND I HEAR A BIG CRACK AND THE ALL SIDE OF VINYL BROKE IN HALF. THE PASSENGER SEAT THE BACK PART FALL. ATT. GM RETIRED EMPLOYER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10679300

120,000 miles · Nov 3, 2014
Air BagsStructure

NOTICED DASHBOARD CRACK AT LEFT HAND SIDE OF PASSENGER AIR BAG COMPARTMENT AND ABOVE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON DRIVER'S SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10652169

35,800 miles · Oct 30, 2014
Air BagsStructure

MY 2011 CHEVY SUBURBAN HAS TWO CRACKS ON THE DASH, BOTH CONNECTING TO THE AIRBAG. I HAVE CONCERNS OF THIS WEAKENING THE DASH WHICH COULD CAUSE SUDDEN DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. I ALSO HAVE CONCERNS THAT IN THE EVENT OF DEPLOYMENT,, PIECES OF BROKEN PLASTIC COULD CAUSE INJURY, AS DID IN AN ACCIDENT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE …

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MY 2011 CHEVY SUBURBAN HAS TWO CRACKS ON THE DASH, BOTH CONNECTING TO THE AIRBAG. I HAVE CONCERNS OF THIS WEAKENING THE DASH WHICH COULD CAUSE SUDDEN DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. I ALSO HAVE CONCERNS THAT IN THE EVENT OF DEPLOYMENT,, PIECES OF BROKEN PLASTIC COULD CAUSE INJURY, AS DID IN AN ACCIDENT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGED FOR A YEAR WHEN NOT USED. IT WAS PREVIOUSLY OWNED BEFORE THAT. THIS IS MY SIXTH SUBURBAN. THE KIND OF MONEY WE PAY FOR THESE, EVEN PREOWNED, SHOULD COVER BETTER THAN THE PLASTIC DASH THAT'S FALLING APART. THE WARRANTY HAD JUST EXPIRED ABOUT 4 MONTHS BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. IT WAS STILL UNDER THE 36000 MILES WHEN THE FIRST CRACK WAS NOTICED BUT TIME HAD EXPIRED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10651479

Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 2014
EngineSeatsStructure

2011 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. ATTORNEY REPRESENTING CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SERIOUS STRUCTURAL AND SAFETY ISSUES CONCERNING THE VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WATER WAS LEAKING INSIDE THE VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE DEALER FOUND THE WATER LEAK COMING FROM THE BODY SEAM BELOW THE DASH ALONG THE FIREWALL. TH…

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2011 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. ATTORNEY REPRESENTING CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SERIOUS STRUCTURAL AND SAFETY ISSUES CONCERNING THE VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WATER WAS LEAKING INSIDE THE VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE DEALER FOUND THE WATER LEAK COMING FROM THE BODY SEAM BELOW THE DASH ALONG THE FIREWALL. THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER FRONT SEATS MADE A CHATTERING NOISE. THE DEALER GREASED THE TRACKS. THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. ALSO, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERATIVE, AS WELL AS THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER. THE DEALER FOUND NO POWER OPEN CIRCUIT AT THE CONNECTOR AND ALLEGEDLY REPAIRED THE WIRING TO THE WIPER HARNESS.

NHTSA ODI #10610416

Official recalls

2

11V339000 · Steering:linkages

Jun 28, 2011

GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV; CHEVROLET SILVERADO HD, SILVERADO LD, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; AND GMC SIERRA HD, SIERRA LD, YUKON, AND YUKON XL VEHICLES. THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT ATTACHING BOLTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD ALLOW THE JOINTS TO SEPARATE, AND THE DRIVER COULD EXPERIENCE LOSS OF STEERING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: GM DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND ENSURE THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BOLTS ARE TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JULY 13, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

11V007000 · 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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.