2005 GMC Canyon Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Canyon years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 113 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 GMC Canyon. That ranks 4th out of 21 Canyon model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (23 complaints, 20%), typically at around 58,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 113owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 23 | 20% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 13 | 12% | 91,900 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 11 | 10% | 42,459 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 11 | 10% | 51,625 | — | — |
| Visibility | 11 | 10% | 32,460 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 9% | 101,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 10 | 9% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 9 | 8% | 33,830 | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 6% | 8,800 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 5% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 6 | 5% | 135,493 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 5% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 4% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 97,500 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 2% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 2% | 6,355 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 32,460 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 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.
- Brake lamp switch failure (PE05065) — opened Dec 2, 2005, closed May 1, 2006, led to recall 06V139000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Frame rail rust holes, brackets wielded to frame supports for leaf springs wields rusted completely through frame making vehicle unsafe due to the potential leaf springs supports to frame of vehicle breaking away from frame dropping rear of vehicle onto rear axles and tires. Frame of vehicle has a…
The frames on many of these trucks are unsafe to be on the road due to rusted leaf spring mounts and frame rails that are rotting away and unable to lift on a hoist. Luckily I came across a video warning me to watch out for a rusted frame or else I could have lost control while driving. Yes, I work…
Nearly total frame failure due to poor steel and extreme rust and corrosion of entire frame. With this model year of gmc and chevrolet trucks, there are a lot of reports of frame failures. My particular truck is so badly rusted that the cab and body could possibly separate due to frame failure…
On 6/17/20 as i was traveling under the alabaster, alabama over pass on highway 65 north an orange construction barrel was blown into the road by a truck a head of me. I swerved in the attempt to miss it. The barrel clipped the passenger side bumper and tore out my fog lamp. Thankfully no accident…
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 gmc canyon. The contact stated that while changing the oil at the residence, the contact became aware that the subframe was severely rusted. The contact stated that the rear leaf springs were also severely rusted. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic. While…
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 | 113 | 3 |
| 2004 Canyon | 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 2005 GMC Canyon?
Owners most often report electrical system, structure, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 23 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 GMC Canyon?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 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 2005 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.