Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 103,000. However, at the time of the vehicle registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 155,000; but the Service record indicated that the mileage was 108,000.
**randomly at any given speed ** First the radio system will randomly turn off then moments later... stabiliTrak off flashes followed by abs and traction control lights on dash then suddenly my Chevrolet Silverado has a mind of its own ! The door locks will flicker uncontrollably , and the vehicle just suddenly has a loss of power while rpms and gauges are continuously moving while you are unable to even move the vehicle .. this is a ongoing problem since 2019 , that no one seems to have an answer too .. I've taken it to 3 different mechanics and still no answers ... when it first started happening it was super random and would happen a few times a day but then not happen for months on end then all of the sudden now it is happening several days a week .. I'm currently scared to even drive it which is horrible considering the amount of money I've put into this truck .. …
The worst problem I have with this vehicle is that it will cut power to propulsion without any warning. I was driving down a suburban roadway, not on the freeway, thank God. When the truck's automatic gear shift wouldn't engage, I went from going 30 mph to 5 mph in seconds. The accelerator pedal wouldn't respond, I managed to coax my truck into a parking lot and restart the engine. Other times the head lights will not come on. Just today, I turned on the left turn signal and the Stabilitrack warning light came on, plus the radio made a brief noise of static. This particular issue appeared and disappeared in one second. I'm concerned that these problems are a manufacturer's mistake, and I want it fixed as soon as possible. My mechanic has tried repeatedly to find the cause but has been unsuccessful.
The fuse relay block on my 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with only 56,000 miles nearly caught fire when the rear window defroster and heated mirrors would not turn off even with the key removed. The problem was traced to a bad ground on circuit g200, this is part of the switch circuit that controls the mirrors and defroster. GM has designed a circuit that has the ability to turn itself on even when the car is off and the key removed! But even worse GM refuses to pay for the parts or labor to repair my truck. I have made several calls to GM customer service and while initially encouraging GM has refused to stand behind their product. Howard the customer service representative at GM couldn't disclose to me the amount of financial help they offered the dealership, it turns out they didn't offer any help at all. I'm not sure I will buy another GM product after this experience.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While the vehicle was stationary, the defroster became inoperative. Goodyear performed an assessment of the vehicle during routine maintenance and stated that the wiring harness within the defroster housing had melted. Bob valenti Chevrolet (3050, 72 jerry browne road, mystic, connecticut 06355, [phone]) was made aware of failure and diagnosed that the blower motor, wiring harness, and transistor were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided the contact with case number: cas-8-4809459254. The failure mileage was approximately 97,428.
I have had an ongoing problem with the electrical system in my truck. First time it happened I was leaving my house and as soon as I got a few houses down the road my door locks started unlocking and locking themselves over and over and the speedometer gauge was all over the place along with the RPM gauge and the road up would turn off and on and the brakes would lock up and then release and it did this until I was able to pull over and turn the truck off. Once the truck was off it wouldn't start again. I had taken the battery out to be tested and it was fine. The alternator was fine and as far as I could see the negative and positive cables from the battery were clean too. I've traced the ground and it doesn't appear to be in bad shape either. Well after I was able to get it back to my house it sat for a few days and after a couple days it randomly started back up. …
1 owner. Never driven on salted roads(south louisiana).live 100 miles from coastline,not in a saltwater environment. Or driven in water other than rain. Cruise control dropping out, automatic transmission not shifting when supposed to. Traction control dropping out, service messages cycling in and out--traction control, stabilitrac , anti-lock brakes, check engine light, red brake light comes on and off. Speedometer going crazy. Brought vehicle to GM dealer for inspection/repair. Cause- internal failure of ecbm-electronic brake control module, due to corrosion in the connector due to water intrusion. Had to replace the module, and the vehicle chassis wiring harness. Total repair was $1,830.39 for parts and labor. …
Stability control alarm blinking ,traction control alarm blinking,, speedometer going erratic, brake lite staying in alarm,cruise control dropping out,power loss temporarily. Shifting between gears (auto xmission) was very rough.this was an electrical system that grew steadily worse. GM dealership had to replace the ebcm, and the chassis wiringharness. Severe corrosion. Vehicle never driven in salted roads,never flooded,never driven thru water. The location of the ebcm is poorly designed. Dealership said they have never seen a module this corroded,as it was in pieces when they pulled and opened it. I waited 4 months to get it fixed, as a early mechanic saw an electrical fault, but couldn't pinpoint it as it wasn't staying in fault. He said it needed to get worse before it could be properly diagnosed. Had to bring to dealer for repair as it got progressively worse. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH and approaching a stop light, the vehicle decelerated independently. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the steering, brakes, the radio and several other electrical functions became inoperable for approximately 3-5 seconds. The vehicle jerked forward, and the electrical functions returned. The vehicle operated as intended. The contact referenced the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14V827000 (electrical system). The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 138,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle automatically shifted to second gear, forcing the contact to slow down. The contact stated that the engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the first and second solenoids needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a transmission shop where the technician diagnosed that the electrical system needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000.
NHTSA investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
Electrical complaints in other Silverado 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the electrical system of the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 5% of the model year's 563 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › interior/under dash (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.