Skip to content
Chevrolet ExpressModel year report

2011 Chevrolet Express Problems

Complaints
12filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
94,036miles, 9 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
12 mpgcombined, 6.0L 8-cyl · flex-fuel RWD · 10 city / 16 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2011 Chevrolet Express (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 12 consumer complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Express. The part named most often is brakes, with 3 complaints (25% of the total), followed by fuel system (3) and transmission and drivetrain (3). 9 of the complaints include a mileage, and 11% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 94,036 miles. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 1,694 technical service bulletins for this model year. Brakes complaints overlap with 31 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Fuel system complaints overlap with 3 recall campaigns covering the hoses, lines/piping, and fittings and 154 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Brakes: “Vehicle was noted to be leaking fluid while parked in driveway. Further investigation revealed that the back driver's side brake line was leaking brake fluid. Brake fluid level noted to be very low (just above the minimum line). Noted that when brakes are applied brake fluid leaks at a steady and significant pace.”

NHTSA complaint #10652494, filed 2014-11, 55,800 miles

Fuel system: “This ambulance over the past thirty days has been displaying false mileages with messages that the def tank was almost empty and the vehicle was going to go into limp mode. Mileages varied from lows in the 150's to highs of 2430 during the same ambulance transport. We took the vehicle to watson Chevrolet in tucson. Their solution was to replace the def tank for $3600. The service writer denied any knowledge of a tbs on this problem. I contacted the Chevrolet customer assistance center and was told by rose that the problem was emission related and should have been covered by warranty. …”

NHTSA complaint #10535617, filed 2013-08, 98,100 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “About 10 days after purchasing our 2011 Express van my wife and I were driving down I 81 between shippensburg and newville, pa and the van started pulling to an abrupt halt for no reason. I checked the parking brake and thought maybe I was resting my foot on the brake. Nothing the van would not move. I placed the transmission in park and it was ok again. This happened 5 more times. I took it back to h and h chevy and of course they couldn't find anything. …”

NHTSA complaint #10525882, filed 2013-07, 640 miles

Engine: “I was pulling back into my driveway my van started idling very rough and erratic. The vehicle display read engine power reduced. Service traction. Esc off. I didn't know what to think so I immediately shut the car off. I started my car up again after letting it sit for about 10 minutes and it ran fine again but the check engine light was still on. The next day I was headed to work and it happened again while driving on the interstate. The same message popped up on the display and the van lost power. I had to pull over so not to be a nuisance for other drivers. …”

NHTSA complaint #10683380, filed 2015-02, 80,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

11% of the 9 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 74,955 and 109,000 miles.

11%0–100%10–250%25–5022%50–7533%75–10033%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (9 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 94,036 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

201332014201520162017201820192026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2011 Chevrolet Express. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Express Passenger 1500 · VAN AWDnot rated———3 · 22.8% risk
Express Passenger 1500 · VAN RWDnot rated———3 · 27.9% risk
Express Passenger 2500 · VAN RWDnot rated———3 · 29.2% risk
Express Passenger 3500 12 Pass · VAN RWDnot rated———3 · 29.2% risk
Express Passenger 3500 15 Pass · VAN RWDnot rated———3 · 27.9% risk

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2011 Chevrolet Express version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Express 3500 2WD Cargo6.0L 8-cyl · flex-fuel6-speed automatic101612$5,600
Express 3500 2WD Passenger6.0L 8-cyl · flex-fuel6-speed automatic111612$5,600

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2011 Chevrolet Express → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1,694 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 1,694 bulletins →

Other model years of the Chevrolet Express

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20211311,5002———Not enough data
20201762,3761———Rising
201985,3924———Not enough data
2018119,9426———Not enough data
20172118,0006—13—Rising
20161521,2536—13—Stable
2015824,0003—13—Not enough data
20141430,9507—13—Not enough data
20132219,6628—14—Falling
20121338,5006—13—Not enough data
20111294,0365—12—Not enough data
20101547,8505———Falling
20091051,0007———Not enough data
20081442,47510—14—Not enough data
20071865,0004—15—Falling
20061262,52916—15—Not enough data
20052385,9348—15—Falling
20042187,0006—15—Falling
20035946,82410—15Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20025633,0000—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20014545,0002—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20008455,8751—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19996868,6121—14Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19982361,1251—14—Stable
19972982,0001—14Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19961558,5002—14—Stable

All Chevrolet Express model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2011 Chevrolet Express have?

NHTSA recorded 12 consumer complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Express as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2011 Chevrolet Express is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 3 complaints (25% of the total), followed by fuel system with 3.

Has the 2011 Chevrolet Express been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2011 Chevrolet Express get?

The EPA rates the 2011 Chevrolet Express (Express 3500 2WD Cargo, 6.0L 8-cyl · flex-fuel) at 12 mpg combined, 10 city and 16 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,600 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2011 Chevrolet Express reported?

Among the 9 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 94,036 miles and the middle half falls between 74,955 and 109,000 miles; 11% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.