FaultScore

FaultScore report

2011 GMC Denali problems

Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 2011 GMC Denali with NHTSA between 2017 and 2020. The largest single group is the other & unspecified. Across this model's run it ranks 7 of 8 worst.

A

FaultScore 18/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the GMC Denali.

How this is worked out

The numbers

13

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

114,239 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

13%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 28 vs 50 Severity 0 vs 50 Early failure 21 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 28
Against the median year of the GMC Denali. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 21
13% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2011 compares with every other GMC Denali

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2011 GMC Denali

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Other & Unspecified 8 61.5%

Median failure at 114,239 miles

Airbags 5 38.5%

Median failure at 114,239 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

25,000 – 49,999 miles 2 25.0%
50,000 – 74,999 miles 1 12.5%
100,000 – 149,999 miles 4 50.0%
150,000+ miles 1 12.5%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Apr 2017 peak 5 Jun 2020

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Houston, TX

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DASH BOARD CRACKED. IT WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY TO A BRAND NEW ONE BY GM AND IT CRACKED WORST. THE AIRBAG AND A SPEAKER ARE THERE AND IT'S CONCERNING WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE TRUCK.

NHTSA complaint #11327166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 165,000 miles Augusta, GA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DASH BOARD CRACKING. I HAVE A CRACK THROUGH THE DASH AT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND ANOTHER DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER. SHOULD THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOY, PIECES OF THE BROKEN DASH COULD INCREASE THE POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER INJURY

NHTSA complaint #11113269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 114,239 miles Pontotoc, MS

AIR BAGS

MY DENALI HAS GOTTEN A CRACK ON THE DASH THAT RUNS DOWN TO THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG. THIS HAPPENED WHILE SITTING IN MY GARAGE IN 2016. I HAVE CONTACTED GM ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WASN'T A RECALL ON THIS. IT APPEARS TO ME AND OTHERS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE ALL OF THE DASHES ARE CRACKED ON THE ONE PIECE DASHES (2007-2014) EITHER ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OR AT THE AIRBAG. I'M AFRAID THAT IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS THAT THERE WILL BE PIECES OF THE DASH COMING WITH IT CAUSING INJURY. I KEEP MY VEHICLE GARAGE KEPT OR AT WORK I PUT A DEFLECTOR IN THE WINDOW TO KEEP THE SUN OFF THE DASH. I FEEL LIKE GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THE DASH DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY. (XXXX) PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11111694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Allen, TX

AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL - MANUFACTURER UNABLE TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG.

NHTSA complaint #11045231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Raleigh, NC

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY DASHBOARD CRACKED FOR THE SECOND TIME. I ALREADY REPLACED IT THE FIRST TIME IT CRACKED JANUARY 2015. IT HAS CRACKED FOR THE SECOND TIME. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A DEFECT IN THIS PART FOR IT TO HAPPEN 2 TIMES SINCE 2011. I CAN NOT BRING MYSELF TO PAY FOR THIS AGAIN AS IT COST AROUND $1,000.

NHTSA complaint #11043730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles Miami, FL

AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVE A NOTICE STATING THAT TAKATA IS FILING CHAPTER 11 AND ON THE NOTICE IT TELLS ME TO CALL MY GM DEALER AND HAVE MY AIRBAGS REPLACED, AFTER CONTACTING MY SELLING DEALER ON 11/2/2017 I WAS TOLD THAT GM IS NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE TODAY AND THEY WILL NOTIFY ME WHEN THE MATTER IS SETTLED, I'AM GETTING TWO DIFFERENT STORIES, WHAT I S THE REAL STORY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, THANK YOU

NHTSA complaint #11042678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 61,000 miles ST. Simons Island, GA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED, AS IT HAS DONE ON INNUMERABLE VEHICLES OF THIS AGE RANGE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OCCUPANTS IF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #11015318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 114,239 miles Pontotoc, MS

AIR BAGS

THE DASH BOARD ON MY DENALI HAS CRACKED AND GOES DOWN INTO THE AIRBAG. I AM AFRAID IF THE AIRBAG WERE TO DEPLOY THE DASH WOULD FURTHER SHATTER AND CAUSE PARTS OF THE PLASTIC TO COME LOOSE FROM THE DASH CAUSING INJURY TO MYSELF OR ONE OF MY GRANDDAUGHTERS. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DASH CRACKING. I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DASH BOARD AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY GM. I WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM BUT AS OF LATE THERE ISN'T ONE. WITH THE COST INVOLVED WITH THESE VEHICLES THERE SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. I CONTACTED GM BUT I WAS TOLD THEY SAW NO PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT FIX THE DASH BUT WOULD BE GLAD TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT THAT THE COST WOULD BE MINE. PLEASE CONSIDER LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #10991678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 117,000 miles Corsicana, TX

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I AM HAVING CONCERNS INVOLVING CRACKS IN MY DASH. I AM AFRAID THAT IN A ACCIDENT THAT THAT SHARDS OF THE PLASTIC DASH WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE KNIVES STICKING UP THAT COULD RIP THROUGH A BODY IN THE CASE OF ME OR A PASSENGER BEING THROWN TOWARD THE DASH AREA. OR THAT IF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING THE DASH TO PIERCE THE AIRBAG, CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE AIRBAG OR DEPLOYING A SHARD OF PLASTIC TOWARD THE DRIVER OR ANY PASSENGER.

NHTSA complaint #10991686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 114,239 miles Pontotoc, MS

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DASH BOARD ON MY DENALI HAS CRACKED AND GOES DOWN INTO THE AIRBAG. I AM AFRAID IF THE AIRBAG WERE TO DEPLOY THE DASH WOULD FURTHER SHATTER AND CAUSE PARTS OF THE PLASTIC TO COME LOOSE FROM THE DASH CAUSING INJURY TO MYSELF OR ONE OF MY GRANDDAUGHTERS. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DASH CRACKING. I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DASH BOARD AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY GM. I WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM BUT AS OF LATE THERE ISN'T ONE. WITH THE COST INVOLVED WITH THESE VEHICLES THERE SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. I CONTACTED GM BUT I WAS TOLD THEY SAW NO PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT FIX THE DASH BUT WOULD BE GLAD TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT THAT THE COST WOULD BE MINE. PLEASE CONSIDER LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #10991678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Summerville, SC

AIR BAGS

WE CURRENTLY OWN A 2011 GMC DENALI. NEAR THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THERE IS A CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD FROM THE MIDDLE SPLIT TO THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT. THIS WEEK, THERE IS A NEW SPLIT OVER THE STEERING WHEEL MAKING ITS WAY UP TO MOST LIKELY MEET THE EDGE OF THE DASHBOARD AT ITS STEERING WHEEL CURVE. IN DUE TIME, THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD IS GOING TO CAVE IN AND CAUSE A DRIVING DANGER. THE VIBRATION OF THE TRUCK IN MOTION SEEMS TO INITIAL THE SPREAD OF THE CRACKS. THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT, ALONG WITH THE INADEQUATE DASHBOARD MATERIAL IS A GROWING PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE INCREASING EVERY DAY. PIECES OF DASHBOARD FALLING INTO YOUR DRIVING CONSOLE AS YOU DRIVE AND SHARP EDGES NEAR THE AIR BAG ARE OF GREAT CONCERN TO ME AND FOR THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS IN MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10983003 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Summerville, SC

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WE CURRENTLY OWN A 2011 GMC DENALI. NEAR THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THERE IS A CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD FROM THE MIDDLE SPLIT TO THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT. THIS WEEK, THERE IS A NEW SPLIT OVER THE STEERING WHEEL MAKING ITS WAY UP TO MOST LIKELY MEET THE EDGE OF THE DASHBOARD AT ITS STEERING WHEEL CURVE. IN DUE TIME, THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD IS GOING TO CAVE IN AND CAUSE A DRIVING DANGER. THE VIBRATION OF THE TRUCK IN MOTION SEEMS TO INITIAL THE SPREAD OF THE CRACKS. THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT, ALONG WITH THE INADEQUATE DASHBOARD MATERIAL IS A GROWING PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE INCREASING EVERY DAY. PIECES OF DASHBOARD FALLING INTO YOUR DRIVING CONSOLE AS YOU DRIVE AND SHARP EDGES NEAR THE AIR BAG ARE OF GREAT CONCERN TO ME AND FOR THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS IN MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10983003 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 35,000 miles Pensacola, FL

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DASHBOARD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE TIME OF THE CRACK. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE DASHBOARD MAKES VARIOUS VIBRATION, CHATTERING, AND RATTLING NOISES.

NHTSA complaint #10970954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.