Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. 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. 18 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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
TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HER CUSTOMER WHO OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND SHUDDERED WHILE DOWNSHIFTING. THE STABILITY TRAC AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIORE TOYOTA (1000 S LOGAN BLVD, HOLLIDAYSBURG, PA 16648) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 103,000. *LN*DT*JB CONSUMER STATED WARRANTY IS GOOD UNTIL MAY 2021 OR 120,291 MILES.*JB
TRUCK WILL COME UP WITH AC TURNED OFF. THE FAN WILL JUST RUN BUT TRUCK DOESN'T SEEM TO START RUNNING HOT. IT WILL COME ON AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS IT WILL GO OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED A MINIMUM OF THREE TIMES. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN JUST STARTING, OR DRIVING ON A REGULAR ROAD.
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.
I WAS ACCELERATING ON TO THE FREEWAY WHEN I HEARD A POP THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE STARTING KNOCKING AND LOST POWER. I CALLED ONSTAR AND THEY GAVE ME THE CODE P0300: THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM IS NOT PERFORMING AS EXPECTED. AN ISSUE HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE EXHAUST EMISSIONS SYSTEM WHICH MONITORS AND CONTROLS EXHAUST GASES RELEASED INTO THE AIR FROM THE ENGINE. IF THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUALLY DRIVEN WITH THIS LIGHT ON, THE EMISSION CONTROLS MIGHT NOT WORK AS WELL, THE VEHICLE FUEL ECONOMY MIGHT NOT BE AS GOOD, THE ENGINE MIGHT NOT RUN AS SMOOTHLY AND COULD LEAD TO FUTURE REPAIRS. I WAS TOWED TO GREINER GMC IN VICTORVILLE, CA. I WAS TOLD A LIFTER FAILED AND THE CAM SHAFT IS DAMAGED. I'M LOOKING AT $5800 IN REPAIRS.
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.
ENGINE PROBLEMS
HEAT SHEALD ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD RUSTED AND FELL OFF ENGINE RESTING ON STEERING COLUMN LOCKING STEERING MOMENTARILY UNTILL I FORCED IT TO WORK.CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN THIS HAPPENED.
YESTERDAY AUGUST 20, 2017 IN THE LATE AFTERNOON WHILE DRIVING, MY 2011 GMC SIERRA DEAD STOPPED WITHOUT ANY NOTICE ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT . I REMAINED BLOCKING THE ROAD UNTIL THE POLICE ARRIVED TO PUSH MY VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START EVEN WITH A JUMP. THE CAR IS NOW AT THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND THE AUTO MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HYBRID SYSTEM IS NOT RESPONDING.
No narrative was included with this report.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. IN ADDITION, THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS LEAKING AND GOING INTO THE CYLINDER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY; HOWEVER, A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ALL EIGHT FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED A YEAR LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT RECEIVED THE SAME DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. UPDATED 09/22/16*LJ UPDATED 10/05/16.*JB
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.
PULLING OUT OF A SNOW COVERED PARKING LOT THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DIC THEN THE MESSAGE, REDUCED ENGINE POWER, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN VERY ROUGH AT A LOWER IDLE SPEED, AS BEGAN TO HAPPEN THE TRUCK LURCHED FORWARD AND I HAD TO PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKES VERY HARD LIKE I WAS FIGHTING THE ENGINE SPEED TO SLOW, THEN THE MESSAGE CHANGED TO SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE GAS PEDAL AND COULD ONLY MOVE AT ABOUT 5MPH, THEN THE MESSAGE CHANGED TO SERVICE STABILITRAK, I GOT TO ANOTHER AREA OF THE PARKING LOT, PARKED AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THE ISSUE WOULD NOT GO AWAY. I WAS MORE THAN TWO HOURS FROM MY HOME. I REMOVED THE RED BATTERY CABLE THEN REPLACED IT AND WAS ABLE TO START THE ENGINE AND IT OPERATED NORMALLY FOR A WHILE. ONE AND A HALF HOURS LATER WHILE DRIVING 60MPH IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND I COST OFF THE INTERSTATE AND COULD NOT GET IT RUNNING AGAIN. HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY BUT WANT TO CHARGE ME $215 TO CLEAN THE OTHER FUEL RELATED PARTS. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. IF IT WAS A RECALL I WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY $215 TO COMPLETE THE WORK PROPERLY. *TR
NEAR 69,150 MILES THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE FOR MY GMC SIERRA 1500 2011, ALL AT ONCE, WENT TO ZERO GIVING ME A WARNING MESSAGE TO IMMEDIATELY STOP THE ENGINE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A FAULTY OIL PRESSURE SENSOR. IN ADDITION OIL WAS LEAKING BADLY OUT AROUND THE SENSOR AND COMPLETELY COATED EVERYTHING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND UNDERNEATH. A YEAR LATER THE SENSOR WENT BAD AGAIN. GMC SAYS ITS NOT COVERED UNDER THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY AND ITS COSTING ME $400 EACH TIME IT GOES BAD. *TR
NOTICED ONE MORNING WHEN STARTING UP MY TRUCK THE VALVES WERE TAPPING. LIKE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. MY 5.3 IS ROLLER LIFTERS SO I WAS SURPRISED. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT GM HAD A RECALL ON CADILLAC, CHEVY AND GMC 5.3 AND 6.2 ENGINES WITH DEFECTIVE LIFTERS. DEALER REPLACED THE LIFTERS. TOOK A WEEK. WHEN I PICKED UP TRUCK SERVICE ADVISER TOLD ME TO EXPECT TO COME BACK AROUND 60K FOR A NEW CAMSHAFT. NOW WHAT! *TR
STARTED TRUCK UP AND LET IDLE FOR TWO MINUTES. UPON TAKE OFF, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WITH A MESSAGE STATING ENGINE REDUCED POWER. THE TRUCK THEN BEGINS TO RUN VERY ROUGH AND WHEN THE BRAKES WHERE APPLIED IT VIOLENTLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY LUNGED FORWARD. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND WAITED A MINUTE OR TWO. UPON RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BUT THE REDUCED POWER MESSAGE AND TRACTION LIGHT WHERE GONE. AFTER SITTING AT A LIGHT FOR A FEW SECONDS, THE SYMPTOMS WHERE BACK, NEARLY CAUSING ME TO REAREND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I PULLED OVER AGAIN, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE FOR A MINUTE, RESTARTED AND THE SAME RESULTS AS BEFORE OCCURED. NOW THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE TRUCK IS RUNNING AND SITS IN THE SAME SPOT FOR MORE THAN TWO OR THREE MINUTES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD RATTLING NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ENGINE LIFTERS WHICH WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE NOISE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,592.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING UP AN INCLINE APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND PLOWING SNOW IN A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY. WHEN THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AFTER THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES REPEATEDLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD ALSO OCCUR WHEN DRIVING FORWARD ON AN INCLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN PERFORMED A ROAD TEST AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 800.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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