Most common 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe problems
Share of the 447 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Tahoe complaints by model year
Best Tahoe years: 2020, 2014, 2018. Years to avoid: 2021, 2023, 2015, 2011, 2022. Compare all years →
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe recalls (5)
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.
Electrical system › Ignition
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.
Remedy: 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.
Steering › Linkages
GM is recalling certain model year 2011cadillac escalade, escalade esv; Chevrolet silverado hd, silverado ld, suburban, tahoe; and GMC sierra hd, sierra ld, yukon, and yukon xl vehicles. The intermediate steering shaft attaching bolts May not have been tightened to the proper specification.
Remedy: GM dealers will inspect and ensure that the intermediate steering shaft bolts are tightened to the proper specification. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about July 13, 2011.
Suspension › Rear › Axle › Spindle
General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; Chevrolet avalanche, colorado, express, silverado, suburban, tahoe; and GMC canyon, sierra, savana, yukon and yukon xl vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2011. Owners May contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and at the…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe:
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.
What 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe owners say
Air bags all 185 →
Takata Recall. The contact's wife owns a 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer who completed the recall repair; however, while driving the vehicle a week later, the contact's wife noticed that the dashboard was shaking significantly. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact's wife drove back to their residence, where the contact inspected the dashboard and noticed that it was severely cracked on the driver's side behind the steering wheel and on the passenger's side. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the dashboard replacement would be at his own expense as the manufacturer would not cover the repair. …
I took my vehicle into sunset Chevrolet in Sumner Washington, in November of 2022 and had them complete the Takata air bag recall on the vehicle. I drove it for a few months and put it in storage. Since the recall the dash is now cracked where the dealer replaced the passenger airbag recall. It was not cracked prior to the replacement. I have talked to the dealer and they are saying they will not cover this. This is a hazard issue and can cause additional shrapnel to come flying at you if the vehicle is involved in an accident. The vehicle was stored in the garage and not driven. The dealer won't even examine the vehicle to see if the bolts were inadvertently overtightened on the technicians side. This is not right and this is something that should be covered. The vehicle has about 88k miles on it. My dash was not cracked at the time of the repair and now it is. …
Body & structure all 81 →
Takata Recall. The contact's wife owns a 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V054000 (Air Bags) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer who completed the recall repair; however, while driving the vehicle a week later, the contact's wife noticed that the dashboard was shaking significantly. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact's wife drove back to their residence, where the contact inspected the dashboard and noticed that it was severely cracked on the driver's side behind the steering wheel and on the passenger's side. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the dashboard replacement would be at his own expense as the manufacturer would not cover the repair. …
Dashboard is cracking at passenger side air bag, and on the driver side instrument cluster. This is a known Chevy defect and Chevy not wanting to fix the problem so to faulty engineering design. Class action lawsuit got no where. We need you help so other owners of Tahoes, Yukons, Sierra's, and Silverados can have their faulty dashboard replaced. Definitely a safety issue due pieces of the dash flying out in a accident.
Electrical system
Stability trac, ABS, traction control, passenger air bag, locks are locking and unlocking, voltage to high, car will lose power while driving then shut off after alternator replaced, truck is worse also back trailer brake sensor appears to, no engine lights on went to two mechanics and unable to find the problem, very dangerous my car will randomly turn off while driving and cars in back slamming on their brakes to avoid hitting me
I was sold a vehicle by a small car dealer who claims to have a dealers license. He advertised the car as having 125,000 miles and that is what the odometer says. After receiving the title and looking it up on car fax I found that the vehicle actually has 255,000 miles on it. Dealer states it was a cash deal and not his problem
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | RWD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe a good car?
Based on 447 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Tahoe rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Tahoe at the same age. It is one of the Tahoe years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe?
The air bags — 185 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year, most often about passenger side frontal › cushion. Next are the body & structure (81) and electrical system (17).
How many recalls does the 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe, the most recent from February 5, 2021 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Tahoe?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2014 and 2018. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2021, 2023, 2015, 2011 and 2022. See the full Chevrolet Tahoe years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 67,000 miles; 27% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.