GMC Canyon Problems by Year
NHTSA has 1,436 owner complaints and 31 safety recalls on file for the GMC Canyon, across 21 model years (2004–2026). The 2015 model year has the most complaints (303). The most reported problem area overall is steering.
GMC Canyon years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Canyon year: 2004, 2005, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2024. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2015 Canyon: 303 complaints, 8 recalls
- 2016 Canyon: 270 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2024 Canyon: 206 complaints, 3 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2010 Canyon: 8 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2025 Canyon: 8 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2026 Canyon: 8 complaints, 2 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common GMC Canyon problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 446 | 15 | 9 |
| Electrical System problems | 265 | 20 | 5 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 212 | 16 | 1 |
| Power Train problems | 183 | 20 | 2 |
| Engine problems | 124 | 17 | 2 |
| Service Brakes | 76 | 15 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 59 | 9 | 1 |
| Air Bags | 58 | 16 | 25 |
| Structure | 55 | 15 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 45 | 13 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 44 | 16 | 4 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 38 | 9 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 38 | 16 | 1 |
| Suspension | 35 | 12 | 2 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 33 | 11 | 0 |
| Visibility | 23 | 6 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 15 | 8 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 15 | 7 | 0 |
| Tires | 13 | 7 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 10 | 9 | 2 |
| Seats | 10 | 8 | 0 |
| Wheels | 9 | 4 | 1 |
| Equipment | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Traction Control System | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
GMC Canyon problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
All GMC Canyon model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Canyon | 8 | 2 | 4★ | Power Train | |
| 2025 Canyon | 8 | 2 | 4★ | Service Brakes | |
| 2024 Canyon | 206 | 3 | 4★ | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2023 Canyon | 62 | 3 | 4★ | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2022 Canyon | 27 | 1 | 4★ | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 Canyon | 12 | 2 | 4★ | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 Canyon | 14 | 0 | 4★ | Power Train | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 Canyon | 17 | 0 | 4★ | Power Train | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2018 Canyon | 52 | 1 | 4★ | Power Train | More complaints than other years |
| 2017 Canyon | 66 | 1 | 4★ | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2016 Canyon | 270 | 4 | 4★ | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2015 Canyon | 303 | 8 | 4★ | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2012 Canyon | 23 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2011 Canyon | 12 | 5 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 Canyon | 8 | 2 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2009 Canyon | 27 | 3 | — | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Canyon | 38 | 2 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2007 Canyon | 42 | 3 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2006 Canyon | 48 | 4 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2005 Canyon | 113 | 3 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 Canyon | 80 | 3 | — | Structure | Far more complaints than other years |
More from GMC: all GMC models · GMC VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Canyon years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2004 (80), 2005 (113), 2015 (303), 2016 (270), 2017 (66), 2024 (206) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Canyon year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the GMC Canyon?
Steering, with 446 complaints across 15 model years.
How many recalls does the GMC Canyon have?
31 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.