RoadVitals

2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Dec 12, 2024
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 284 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Dec 12, 2024

When I put the truck in 4wd the dash says service stabilitrak and the traction control light and abs light come on

NHTSA ID
11630263
Incident
Dec 12, 2024
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Feb 27, 2021

NEEDS TO BE FIX AND NHTSA STATES THAT THEY CAN NOT FIX IT

NHTSA ID
11398234
Incident
Feb 5, 2021
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Oct 30, 2020

MY TRUCK HAS PROBLEMS WITH STABILITY CONTROL RUNNING ON THE FREEWAY IN THE DASH CAME STABILITY CONTROL SERVICES AND SECOND REDUCE POWER AND THE STOP MU TRUCK GO SLOW FROM 65 TO 20 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY CAR BEHIND MY TRUCK

NHTSA ID
11372326
Incident
Sep 27, 2020
Mileage
65 mi
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 7, 2019

STABILITRAK OFF/REDUCED ENGINE POWER CAME ON AGAIN AFTER 3 UNSUCCESSFUL 'FIXES' AT GMC DEALER. I WAS DRIVING 30MPH OVER A HILL WHEN MY ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPPED RESPONDING. COULDN'T ACCELERATE AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. WENT INTO ONCOMING LANE BUT FORTUNATELY I WASN'T HIT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TRUCK TO SHOULDER AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE BEING ABLE TO TURN ON AGAIN AND GET IT HOME. I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO MY LOCAL DEALER EVERY TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND THEY ONLY REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR. IT'S THE SECOND TIME THE TRUCK HAS STOPPED RESPONDING WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON A HIGHWAY 99 WHEN ALL LIGHTS CAME ON AND TRUCK STARTED SLOWING DOWN DUE TO LACK OF ENGINE POWER. I WAS LEFT STRANDED ONCE AND HAD TO GET TRUCK TOWED FOR A TOTAL OF $430. I'M FEELING UNSAFE IN MY VEHICLE AND GM HAS IGNORED MY CONCERNS ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11218524
Incident
Jun 6, 2019
Mileage
106,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Feb 11, 2019

ISSUE #1-WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STABLITRAK WARNING LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL, ENGINE POWER REDUCED, AND BRAKE LIGHT ALL CAME ON. VEHICLES ENGINE POWER WAS SUDDENLY REDUCED TO ABOUT 10 MPH WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IN WHICH I FOUND TO BE VERY DANGEROUS! HAD TO PULL OVER, TURNED OFF VEHICLE, LIGHTS WENT OFF, STARTED DRIVING AGAIN, VEHICLE DID THE SAME THING. HAD TO TAKE IN FOR MECHANICAL REPAIRS. ISSUE #2- KEY IGNITION SWITCH JUST STARTED LOCKING UP ON THE VEHICLE, WOULD NOT TURN BACK TO NORMAL TO POSITION, HAD TO REPEATEDLY KEEP JIGGLING FOR OVER 30 MINUTES OR SO TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP?? HAD TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS ALSO. THESE ARE VERY UNSAFE AND COSTLY ISSUES THAT GMC SHOULD BE MANDATORILY REQUIRED TO HAVE RECALLED AND IMMEDIATELY ADDRESSED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC!!

NHTSA ID
11176160
Incident
Jul 7, 2018
Mileage
100,185 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 7, 2018

OK SO I'M GOING DOWN INTERSTATE AND TRUCK ALL OF THE SUDDEN NO SIGN OR ANYTHING SAYS SERVICE STABLETRACK, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL,,POWER REDUCED.I BARLEY GOT OVER AND HIT .THIS COULD HAVE KILLED ME AND MY KID'S...THERS OVER 100,000 TRUCKS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM...

NHTSA ID
11150016
Incident
Oct 10, 2016
Mileage
46,000 mi
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 24, 2018

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND LOST POWER. ALSO STARTED TO HEAR TAPPING COMING FROM ENGINE. HAD IT CHECKED BY MECHANIC. FOUND CODE P0306 CYLINDER 6 MISFIRE. CHECKED GM TRUCK WEB SITE AND NOTED SERVICE BULLETIN NOTING VALVE LIFTER FAILURE, BUT NO RECALL. BULLETIN STATES THAT LIFTER CAN FAIL CAUSING MISFIRE AND TAPING IN MOTOR. ALSO STATES DURING REPAIR TO CHECK CAM SHAFT FOR SCORING & DAMAGE. ALSO CHECKED SEVERAL GM & CHEVY CAR FORM WEBSITES, AND NOTED MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAME ISSUES AS WELL AS SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF ISSUES WITH THIS MOTOR AND VALVE LIFTER FAILURE. THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE CYLINDERS SHUT DOWN DURING CRUISING. LIFTERS THAT FAIL HAVE A SPRING ATTACHED THAT FAILS CAUSING THE MISFIRE AND SCORING TO CAM SHAFT. GM IS AWARE OF ISSUE BUT FAILS TO ISSUES A RECALL FOR REPAIRS TO THIS MOTOR. THIS IS A HAZARD AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. REPAIRS SHOULD ALSO BE COVERED BY GM AS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTOR AND THEY ARE AWARE OF IT WITH THEIR IN HOUSE SERVICE BULLETIN TO SERVICE MANAGERS. THIS ISSUES CAN HAPPEN AND BE COVERED BY SERVICE WARRANTY, BUT NOT COVERED WHEN OUT OF WARRANTY. BULLETIN ALSO GOES ON TO STATE HOW TO WRITE IT UP IF COVERED BY POWERTRAIN WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID
11130954
Incident
Sep 19, 2018
Mileage
60,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Jun 14, 2018

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF, SAYS TO CHECK AIR BAGS, NO ACCIDENTS SO WHY WOULD THIS COME ON? THE SATBILITRACK LIGHT STAYS ON.

NHTSA ID
11101909
Incident
Jun 12, 2018
Mileage
90,300 mi
Driver assistanceEngineSteering
Filed Apr 7, 2017

No narrative was included with this report.

NHTSA ID
10971237
Incident
Oct 10, 1995
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 18, 2016

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. ALL MY DOOR LOCKS REPEATEDLY LOCK AND UNLOCK, ALL MY EMERGENCY CHECKS AND SERVICE LIGHT GO ON AND OFF, MY GAUGES ALL DROP TO ZERO, AND MOST RECENTLY MY VEHICLE HAS SHUT DOWN WHILE I'M DRIVING IT. BUT IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY. SOMETIMES IT'S WORSE THAN OTHERS. I RECENTLY HAD TO STEER UP ONTO A CURB BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING AND MY GAUGES DROPPED TO ZERO AND MY ENGINE COMPLETELY CUT OUT. AND THAT WAS AFTER MY AIRBAGS SHUT OFF AND MY LIGHTS AND DOOR LOCKS FLICKERED REPEATEDLY. MAYBE THERE'S A SHORT IN A CIRCUIT OR WIRE OR MAYBE IT'S MY ALTERNATOR BUT SERVICES AT A DEALERSHIP ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME FINDING IT. AND AL THESE THINGS HAPPEN WHETHER I'M DRIVING OR STATIONARY. RAIN OR DRY. DOESN'T MATTER. BUT IT'S CLEARLY UNSAFE. AND I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE IT'S MY ONLY MEANS FOR TRANSPORTATION.

NHTSA ID
10860011
Incident
Apr 16, 2016
Driver assistanceFuel system
Filed Jan 7, 2014

WENT ABOUT A MILE WAS GETTING READY TO MAKE A LEFT ACROSS MD RT 4 WHEN I LOST POWER AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME, HAD A CLOSE CALL, ON DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND A TECHNICAL NOTICE ABOUT THROTTLE BODY AND INJECTOR SENSORS THEY NEED A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10558740
Incident
Jan 3, 2014
Mileage
78,500 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Nov 20, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED ON AND IN PARK WHEN IT LUNGED FORWARD ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO JUMP IN THE VEHICLE AND DEPRESS THE BRAKES TO STOP IT FROM TRAVELING ANY FARTHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID
10553017
Incident
Nov 16, 2013
Mileage
90,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 2, 2011
3 injuries reported

I WAS GOING 40MPH WHEN I WENT TO STOP QUICK TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I PRESSED ON BRAKES TRUCK DID NOT SLOW DOWN THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT DID DOWN SHIFT BUT AT THAT THE TRUCK LUNGED FORWARD CAUSING ME TO CLIP THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10423109
Incident
Sep 2, 2011
Mileage
3,100 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 19, 2011

2011 GMC SIERRA 1500 SLE CREW CAB Z71 4X4 COMING OFF OF THE EXPRESSWAY AND COMING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT I APPLIED BRAKE PRESSURE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS UNUSALLY STIFF THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE REVVED TO OVER 5000 RPM'S AND STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD. I HAD MY FOOT PUSHED FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE REMAINED REVVING AND MOVING FORWARD. I QUICKLY PUT IT IN PARK AND TURNED OFF VEHICLE. STARTED BACK UP AND NO ISSUES ON REMAINING DRIVE. CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ENGAGED. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 1400 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10377941
Incident
Jan 19, 2011
Mileage
1,335 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 28, 2010

SECOND REPORT - SUDDEN ACCELERATION. 2011 GMC SIERRA PU TRUCK. ON DECEMBER 20, 2010 I WAS TRAVELING TO VISIT FRIENDS. WHILE ON HIGHWAY I SET THE CRUISE CONTROL FOR 70 MPH. I EXITED THE FREEWAY AND TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES ON CITY STREETS. UPON ENTERING A BEDROOM TOWNSHIP KNOWN FOR SPEED TRAPS I ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL FOR 30 MPH. WHEN PRESSING THE CRUISE CONTROL TO SET THE SPEED I WAS TRAVELING (30 MPH) THE TRUCK DOWN SHIFTED AND ACCELERATED RAPIDLY (TO 4000 RPM). I IMMEDIATELY TAPPED THE BRAKE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FOR THIS TRUCK TO DOWN SHIFT AND ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. A PREVIOUS REPORT WAS MADE IN NOVEMBER 2010. *TR

NHTSA ID
10372652
Incident
Dec 20, 2010
Mileage
2,800 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .