Model year record

2011 Chevrolet Suburban recalls & problems

The 2011 Chevrolet Suburban has 3 safety recalls and 148 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is air bags (66 complaints).

Recalls3safety recalls

Complaints148filed by owners

Crashes · fires3 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths10 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Air bagsFeb 5, 2021

Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module

Recall 21V0500002,641,272 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: 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, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
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.

Air bagsFeb 5, 2021

Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module

Recall 21V0540001,778,128 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: 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, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
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's number for this recall is N212328800.

Electrical systemDec 30, 2014

Ignition

Recall 14V82700084,192 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.
Risk: If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Air bags	66	2	3	65,000 mi
Unknown or other	46	0	0	75,000 mi
StructureBody	26	1	1	58,000 mi
Electrical systemWiring › Interior/under dash; Instrument panel › Speedometer/odometer	10	0	2	90,000 mi
Engine	10	0	0	83,000 mi
Vehicle speed control	5	0	4	20,000 mi
Service brakes	5	0	0	40,000 mi
Electronic stability control (esc)	5	0	0	83,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system	4	0	0	120,198 mi
Power train	3	0	5	400 mi
Visibility/wiper	3	0	0	115,324 mi
Steering	2	0	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Unknown or other
I am experiencing the symptoms listed for the ignition coil recall listed 20011 suburban, but the recall is not on my vin. I've been experiencing the symptoms for quite some time now yrs even, but didn't know about the ignition recall. I've been replacing and fixing the parts and damage to the vehicle. Fortunately no accidents or injuries to report. I am currently experiencing my door locks cycling , brief losses of power while vehicle is in drive, on highway, My electrical components periodically work seat warmer, sensors oil, air, coil packs, cooling fans (the relays keeps burning out), Ac motor, water pump, cruise control, the main fuse, and 4 x4 engaging on its own.
May 15, 2023
Electrical system › Instrument panel › Speedometer/odometer
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Chevrolet Suburban. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 133,000. The contact stated that at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 233,793.
Feb 2, 2026 · 233,793 miles
Air bags
This is not connected with a specific crash in this vehicle. It is a defect with all vehicles with this seat. There is known common defect with the stitching on the side of the front seats covering the airbag. The stitching is designed to come apart if an airbag is deployed. The defective stitching deteriorates and falls apart. This exposes the airbag system in the seat. This occurs on all GM vehicles with the same leather seats. Models include Suburbans, Yukons, and pickup trucks. In this Suburban the stiching started to come apart about 6 years ago with a few loose threads. The entire side of the seat has now come apart. The rest of the seat is in relatively good repair without any holes,…
Feb 28, 2025
Fuel system, gasoline
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving with the cruise control feature activated, there was a clanking noise coming from under the vehicle, and the contact smelled a fuel odor. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and inspected. The contact stated that the fuel tank was swollen. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic who could not provide a cause for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 191,000.
May 15, 2024 · 191,000 miles
Suspension
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the rear end of the vehicle was leaking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the rear end pinion yoke needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the dealer had replaced the rear end pinion yoke several times; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V007000 (Suspension); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,333.
Mar 20, 2019 · 71,333 miles
Fuel system, gasoline
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, he heard an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. Upon visual inspection, the contact observed that the rear fuel tank had expanded abnormally and was resting on the driveshaft. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence and remained at the residence. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number 17V664000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Jun 26, 2023 · 150,000 miles
Seat belts
The ignition key is falling out of the ignition when it is in the run position similar to other vehicles that were recalled. I am concerned that we will not be able to turn off the engine in an emergency. We are also having problems with one of the seatbelts not latching.
May 5, 2023
Forward collision avoidance › Adaptive cruise control
Dash cracked and cruise control wont turn on when button pushed.
Nov 24, 2022

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
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 substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled…
EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021