One problem related to timing tensioner has been reported for the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 based on all problems reported for the 2011 Silverado 1500.
The automatic belt tensioner pulley is in the process of going out. The pulley itself is slowly suffering from a high pitched whining noise which is caused by bearing failure. With the current mileage the part in question shouldn't by any means be failing, the tensioner works fine but the pulley wobbles a bit too much. If the pulley continues to wobble more and finally results in catastrophic failure it can shred the serpentine belt which will render the vehicle useless or even become a danger to any and all occupants in the vehicle especially if it fails on the highway. If the belt goes out it can bend other pulleys or shear off pulleys, bolts, or even bend the harmonic balancer (engine vibration dampener) which would result in a blown or seized up engine. I'll also add that the belt could cause a fire if it gets wedge between other spinning pulleys at the time of the pulley's bearings overheating and the pulley either breaking off or causing the belt to shred.