FaultScore

2011 GMC Sierra 1500 fuel system problems

12 of the 364 complaints about the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 are about the fuel system — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 64,000 miles.

A

12

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Fuel/Propulsion System 10 83.3%
Fuel System, Gasoline 2 16.7%

Fuel & Propulsion across every GMC Sierra 1500 year

1997 10 3.9%
2000 15 5.8%
2001 17 6.6%
2009 11 4.3%
2011 12 4.7%
2014 15 5.8%
2015 13 5.0%
2018 11 4.3%
2019 23 8.9%
2020 25 9.7%
2021 35 13.6%
2022 24 9.3%
2023 28 10.9%
2024 19 7.4%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Bloomington, MN

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Over the past few years squirrels have eaten through the fuel line of the truck just above the fuel tank multiple times. As soon as the ignition switch is turned on fuel gets pumped out very near the exhaust system. The driver may not notice anything wrong immediately causing a very real fire risk. Today is the fourth time I have experienced this issue with this truck.

NHTSA complaint #11591269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lake Orion, MI

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

The fuel pump rusted out from the gas tank causing fuel to leak onto the hot exhaust system. There was a stong gasoline odor which kead to the discovery. The repair bill was $911.00.

NHTSA complaint #11516450 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Festus, MO

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

this vehicle was sold by a dealership with these issues the frame has a half inch wide six inch long gap needs a fuel pump control module and the engine needs lifters replaced.

NHTSA complaint #11433746 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 119,543 miles Middletown, DE

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2011 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 8 mph, he started to smell fuel fumes inside the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while inspecting under the vehicle and he noticed a fuel leak. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,543.

NHTSA complaint #11430098 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,000 miles Booker, TX

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I MAY HAVE A ILLEGAL AUXILIARY EMISSION CONTROL DEVISE RESULT IN EXCESS EMISSIONS OF NITROGEN OXIDES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE MADE AGAINST VOLKSWAGEN AND 2011 GMC SIERRA DURAMAX DIESEL TRUCK. GENERAL MOTORS MAY HAVE INTENTIONALLY INSTALLED AN ELECTRICAL 'CHEAT DEVICES ' PRODUCING PASSING EMISSION RESULTS.

NHTSA complaint #11052200 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 28,978 miles Coachella, CA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FOR THE AIR BAG, THE LIGHT CONTINUALLY GOES ON AND WHEN I TOOK IT TO DEALER; THEY SAID IT WAS FINE, BUT WHEN I TOOK IT LATER; DEALER SAID THAT WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND IT WOULD COST ME $800. I JUST LEFT IT ALONE. LIGHT CONTINUALLY GOES ON AND TURNS ITSELF OFF. FOR THE SEAT BELT, BACK SEAT MIDDLE, THE DEALER REPAIRED IT TWICE, BUT ONCE WARRANTY EXPIRED THAN THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT ANYMORE UNLESS I PAID. FOR THE GAS, I PUMP GAS AND IT CONSTANT CAUSES PUMP TO POP AND SHUT OFF. THEY HAD FIXED THE PROBLEM AT DEALER, BUT ONCE WARRANTY EXPIRED THEY STOPPED. I HAD TO PAY FOR ALL REPAIRS.

NHTSA complaint #10967875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 175,000 miles Massena, NY

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

DUE TO A FAULTY DESIGN AND OR MATERIALS USED THE FUEL PUMP MODULE ASSEMBLY LOCATED ON THE TOP OF THE TANK HAS PREMATURELY CORRODED AND CAUSED A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH POTENTIAL THREAT TO LIFE AS WELL AS CONTAMINATING THE ENVIRONMENT. GAS IS LEAKED OUT OF THE UNIT AND CAN BECOME VERY DANGEROUS IF UNNOTICED OR NOT REPAIRED. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2012 AND HAS ONLY SEEN 4 WINTERS. MECHANICS AT THE GARAGE STATED IT WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE THEY HAD SEEN IN NUMEROUS VEHICLES AND CAUSED BY A POOR DESIGN IN WHICH SNOW AND SALT CAN ACCUMULATE ON TOP OF THE TANK RATTING THE UNIT AND GAS LINES PREMATURELY. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY WERE NOT CONCERNED AND CONSIDERED IT "NORMAL" WEAR AND WAS AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION. GAS LEAKS WHEN STATIONARY AND IS LEAKED WHEN SYSTEM IS PRESSURIZED SPRAYING THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE AND A MAJOR CONCERN FOR POTENTIAL FIRE OR EXPLOSION WHEN GASOLINE IS VAPORIZED.

NHTSA complaint #10947601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 25,000 miles Madisonville, LA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

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.

NHTSA complaint #10895073 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 64,000 miles West Newton, PA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE THROTTLE BODY AND PEDAL CHIP WENT BAD CAUSING A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE, LOSS OF POWER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND LOSS OF TRACTION CONTROL. MECHANIC STATED HE'S BEEN REPLACING 5-12 A MONTH ON THE SAME ENGINE (5.3 LITER V8). OTHER MODELS ARE SUPPOSEDLY UNDER RECALL. REPAIRS COST IN EXCESS OF $500.

NHTSA complaint #10852196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 41,375 miles Louisville, CO

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

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.

NHTSA complaint #10692101 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 25,000 miles Naples, FL

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

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!

NHTSA complaint #10573273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 78,500 miles Arlington, VA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WENT ABOUT A MILE WAS GETTING READY TO MAKE A LEFT ACROSS MD RT 4 WHEN I LOST POWER AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME, HAD A CLOSE CALL, ON DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND A TECHNICAL NOTICE ABOUT THROTTLE BODY AND INJECTOR SENSORS THEY NEED A RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10558740 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 problems

← Full 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 report