2004 GMC Canyon Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Canyon years
- Far more complaints than other years 5th of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 GMC Canyon. That ranks 5th out of 21 Canyon model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (16 complaints, 20%), typically at around 94,000 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 4 fires, 1 injury. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 80owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 GMC Canyon problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 16 | 20% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 13 | 16% | 90,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 13 | 16% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 10% | 75,265 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 10% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 6% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 6% | 172,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 5% | 217 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 5% | 46,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 5% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 5% | 31,088 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 5% | 42,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 4% | 55,530 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 3% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 3% | 123,427 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 3% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 46,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 GMC Canyon recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Child seat
Problem: Gm is recalling certain model year 2004-2011, chevrolet colorado, gmc canyon, model year 2006, isuzu i-280/i-350, and model year 2007-2008, i-290/i-370, regular cab vehicles and extended cab vehicles without a rear seat and equipped with a front 60/40 split bench seat. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the top tether anchor for the front center seat is not accessible and the owner manual does not include instructions regarding how to use the top tether.
Risk: Both nhtsa and gm discourage placement of a child in a front seat. Nevertheless, there are individual circumstances that may require placement of a child in a restraint in the front center seating position of this vehicle that does not offer a rear seat. Lack of access to the top tether anchor and a lack of instructions as to how to use it, may result in improper installation of a child restraint. Improper installation of a child restraint can result in a reduction in the restraint's performance in the event of a crash and an increased risk of injury or death to the child seated in the restraint.
Fix: Dealers will cut a hole into the back panel trim cover to allow access to the top tether anchor for the front center seat position and will provide supplemental information as to use in the owner's manual. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, isuzu at 1-800-255-6727 or visit gm's website at www.gmownercenter.com.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Gm is recalling 185,903 model year 2004-2009 colorado, gmc model year 2009-2004 canyon, model year 2006 i-280, i-350, model year 2007-2008 i-290, and i-370, passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of alabama, arizona, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, nevada, new mexico, puerto rico, south carolina, texas, u.s. Virgin islands and utah. Some of these vehicles have a brake lamp switch that may not work as designed due to contamination in the switch.
Risk: This condition could cause the simultaneous loss of all brake lamps or cause all of the brake lamps to stay on continuously. Both of these conditions could fail to warn others of the driver's intentions and could lead to a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the necessary components as specified in the recall bulletin free of charge. Gm anticipates that parts will be available by june 2010. A special coverage for vehicles registered in all other states will be implemented in the same time frame. In the interim, owners who experience the failure can obtain a free repair, however they will be required to return when the new design part becomes available. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, isuzu at 1-800-255-6727 or at www.gmownercenter.com.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Certain pickup trucks may experience the permanent loss of brake lamp function or brake lamps that are illuminated at all times. The center high-mounted stop lamp (chmsl) is affected in both instances. Also, if equipped, the cruise control will become inoperative. Any trailer brake lamps which are connected to the vehicle's brake lamp wiring will mimic the vehicle's brake lamps when either condition occurs.
Risk: A following driver may not know when the brakes have been applied, and a rear-end crash could occur without prior warning.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake lamp switch assembly. The recall began on december 5, 2006. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; gmc at 1-866-996-9463 or isuzu at 1-800-255-6727.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Brake lamp switch malfunction (RQ09001) — opened Feb 25, 2009, closed Jul 30, 2009, led to recall 09V310000.
- Inadvertent front airbag deployment (PE04076) — opened Nov 10, 2004, closed Mar 14, 2005.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The frame has rust through and broke on rear front leafspring mount of frame on both side . A very know problem with almost every one of these trucks
Frame front passenger cracked while driving. Was able to avoid near accident with another vehicle.
The contact owns a 2004 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that after work was completed on the tires, the independent mechanic informed him that due to severe undercarriage corrosion, the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The contact also took the vehicle to a dealer who provided the same information as…
The chassis has become severely rusted on left side where front of leaf spring is bolted to it. It is about to break off and it has been denoted as "unsafe to drive" by the local gmc dealership. Truck has been well-maintained and is in good condition otherwise. It has been garage-kept for the last…
We had some repair work done and were told that the frame was rusted out so badly it was ready to break in half, leaving us with a car that is undriveable. This appears to be a common issue with other models of gmc trucks and the issue is not being addressed. Major safety issue!
Other GMC Canyon years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Canyon | 8 | 2 |
| 2025 Canyon | 8 | 2 |
| 2024 Canyon | 206 | 3 |
| 2023 Canyon | 62 | 3 |
| 2022 Canyon | 27 | 1 |
| 2021 Canyon | 12 | 2 |
| 2020 Canyon | 14 | 0 |
| 2019 Canyon | 17 | 0 |
| 2018 Canyon | 52 | 1 |
| 2017 Canyon | 66 | 1 |
| 2016 Canyon | 270 | 4 |
| 2015 Canyon | 303 | 8 |
| 2012 Canyon | 23 | 2 |
| 2011 Canyon | 12 | 5 |
| 2010 Canyon | 8 | 2 |
| 2009 Canyon | 27 | 3 |
| 2008 Canyon | 38 | 2 |
| 2007 Canyon | 42 | 3 |
| 2006 Canyon | 48 | 4 |
| 2005 Canyon | 113 | 3 |
| 2004 | 80 | 3 |
See all GMC Canyon problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.
Similar GMC models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 GMC Canyon?
Owners most often report structure, electrical system, suspension problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 16 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 GMC Canyon?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 GMC Canyon a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Canyon model years, the 2004 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.