Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for recall repair. However, after damaging the passenger's side dashboard where the front passenger's side air bag was located, the dealer informed the contact that they had ordered the wrong part and he should bring the vehicle back another time for the recall repair. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the dashboard would be replaced. The contact stated upon taking the vehicle back to the dealer for recall repair, the dealer stated that the recall repair would not be completed unless he signed a waiver certifying that they were not liable for damage to the dashboard. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. …
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the recall and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
as mentioned by many customers the dash on the vehicles crack and GM refuses to pay for repairs. Now there is a Airbag recall that needs to be completed and I am told by dealer that the dash will crack more and get worse during the repair and they are not responsible for the damage. This is unacceptable and unsafe as it is costing me and consumers more money for a defective product.
The dash has began to crack around the passenger side airbag. I am affraid if an accident was to happen and that airbag had to deploy it would send broken plastic in my family or myself face or could tare the airbag. I realize this is a well known and documented problem and there has been countless people who have been dealing with the same problem and feel this should no doubt be a recalled issue.
Takata recall, recall is almost a year old and no solution yet, no one else makes airbags? Now the senate is proposing a bill to force repairs or not be able to register the vehicle. Too much regulation already that doesn't work.
Vehicle had a recall for airbag. After the vehicle was taken for the recall the dashboard is cracked. This dashboard issue needs to be fixed. It's outrageous if GM is not held accountable.
Takata recall I was notified in July of 2016 that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain GM 2011 model year silverados. The info I'm getting when I search the database for recalls is as follows: recall status: incomplete. Remedy not yet available. GM is working quickly to finalize the necessary repair procedures and/or obtain parts. You will be notified via written communication when the repair procedure or parts are available. You can also check back at this website or with your preferred certified service dealer. It's been over three years and nothing has been resolved and GM has not been made to resolve this safety issue. Fortunately, I have not had an accident to test the safety of the air bags. Why hasn't the department of transportation forced GM to do something about this potentially deadly situation?
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that the service air bag and air bag warning indicators illuminated intermittently. The contact received the recall notification in July of 2016. The contact stated that NHTSA campaign number: 16V381000 (air bags) exceeded a reasonable amount of time for repair. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that a third party engineer advised that there was no failure with the air bags. The manufacturer informed the contact that they would let him know when the part became available. The contact spoke with three unknown dealers that stated the part was not availble. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
This recall came out in May 2016. Now Ford / Mazda has issued a do not drive until repaired with repairs available. But still no remedy from GM for this? They have built how many more model year trucks and how many trucks since 2011. I live in texas and the temperatures here reach 100* in the summers. There is no reason for a repair not to be available for this after this length of time. How many people have to possibly be killed before this is resolved. There needs to be a class action lawsuit for this. GM is not taking care of their consumers. I have complained about this before and no response other than no remedy yet. Not acceptable. If an airbag can explode and kill someone than it needs to be repaired now.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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…
Remedy: 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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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…
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
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.
Airbag complaints in other Silverado 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the air bags of the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 38% of the model year's 104 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 21V-054 (inflator module, Feb 5, 2021); NHTSA recall 21V-050 (inflator module, Feb 5, 2021). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 6 injuries to air bags 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.