2006 GMC Canyon Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Mar 24, 2025 · 48 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Canyon years
More complaints than other years 9th of 21 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 GMC Canyon. That ranks 9th out of 21 Canyon model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (17 complaints, 35%), typically at around 65,200 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 2 fires, 3 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.

GMC Canyon
A 2023 GMC Canyon AT4 photographed in Garden City Park, New York , New York, USA. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

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Most common 2006 GMC Canyon problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Electrical System17 · ~65,200 mi
Engine6 · ~67,500 mi
Exterior Lighting5 · ~40,614 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic5 · ~27,000 mi
Structure5 · ~61,000 mi
Visibility5 · ~40,450 mi
Air Bags4 · ~25,000 mi
Latches/locks/linkages4 · ~11,466 mi
Service Brakes4 · ~59,274 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling3 · ~15,016 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Electrical System1735%65,200——
Engine613%67,500——
Exterior Lighting510%40,614——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic510%27,000——
Structure510%61,000——
Visibility510%40,450——
Air Bags48%25,000——
Latches/locks/linkages48%11,466——
Service Brakes48%59,274——
Engine and Engine Cooling36%15,016——
Fuel/propulsion System36%97,999——
Fuel System, Gasoline36%30,000——
Tires24%85,000——
Vehicle Speed Control24%40,623——
Equipment12%———
Interior Lighting12%31——
Parking Brake12%100——
Power Train12%31——
Seat Belts12%———
Service Brakes, Air12%———
Suspension12%———
Unknown or Other12%116,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2013, with 8 complaints
2006: 6200662007: 332008: 3200832010: 442011: 2201122012: 332013: 8201382014: 442015: 3201532016: 112017: 1201712018: 222020: 2202022021: 442023: 1202312025: 11

n = 48 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2006 GMC Canyon recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Child seatNov 18, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V575000 · 192,676 vehicles

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:switchJul 29, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V310000 · 185,903 vehicles

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:switchApr 27, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V139000 · 404,733 vehicles

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.

Equipment:other:labelsDec 7, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V552000 · 32,068 vehicles

Problem: Certain trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were shipped with tire and loading information labels listing an inacccurate vehicle capacity weight.

Risk: A misprinted label could lead to improper vehicle loading specifications or tire inflation which could result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Owners will be provided with corrected labels and installation instructions. At the customer's option, a dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on march 31, 2006. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, hummer at 1-800-732-5493, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, saturn at 1-800-972-8876, 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.

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 Passlock System intermittently fails and prevents the fuel pump from pumping fuel to the engine. Even after paying GMC to repair the truck, the problem persists.

Electrical System · received Mar 24, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11650301

Frame is severely rusting, especially on the driver’s side. Vehicle has only approximately 75,000 miles and has been well maintained. Purchased new by my Father and when he died, it was passed on to me. I feel it may becoming unsafe to drive.

Structure · received Nov 30, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11557682

My ABS on Rightside of my truck is not working that is what they said anyways not sure what is wrong

Service Brakes, Air · received Nov 20, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11441148

The contact owns a 2006 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that the rear sub-frame was rusted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was…

Structure · received Jul 9, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11424055

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 gmc canyon. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start-up. The security warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after waiting an hour, the vehicle restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic…

Fuel System, Gasoline · received Mar 8, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11399758

Other GMC Canyon years

← 2005 Canyon · 2007 Canyon →

See all GMC Canyon problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2006 GMC Canyon?

Owners most often report electrical system, engine, exterior lighting problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 17 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2006 GMC Canyon?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2006 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 2006 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.