2008 GMC Canyon Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Canyon years
- About as many complaints as other years 11th of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 GMC Canyon. That ranks 11th out of 21 Canyon model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (15 complaints, 39%), typically at around 70,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 38owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 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 | 15 | 39% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 14 | 37% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 21% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 13% | 78,750 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 13% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 11% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 11% | 149,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 8% | 106,982 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 5% | 26,272 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 3% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 3% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 3% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% | 129,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | 450 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 3% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% | 3,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 GMC Canyon recalls (2)
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.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
When sitting at idle, the engine miss & spark knock at times. When start driving down the road the throttle seems hard to Press & takes a little time to reach up to road speed. The truck does not get good gas mileage at all. I had the spark plugs & wires changed still don't help.
Carrier Bearing ( Hanger Bearing) broken off mounts. Bearing is mounted via spot welds. The spot weld were not done properly. Was driving at about 30 MPH slowing down when the bearing broke loose from the mounts. The caused the drive shaft to swing about hitting the floor boards. Breaking the…
Been having an issue with the brake light switch at the brake pedal sticking and our brake lights staying on. We notice it mostly after we have parked the truck and turn it off. The brake lights will stay illuminated, not always right away. The brake lights staying illuminated have caused our…
I took my vehicle to a small business owner's garage for routine brake work. He showed me a crack in the frame almost all the way through excluding an inch. He found it when he tried lifting the vehicle to do the brakes. It is behind the cab, in front of the bed of the truck. Only one side was…
Repair shop lifted vehicle to repair front brakes and the frame broke just behind the cab.
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 | 38 | 2 |
| 2007 Canyon | 42 | 3 |
| 2006 Canyon | 48 | 4 |
| 2005 Canyon | 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 2008 GMC Canyon?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, service brakes problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 15 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 GMC Canyon?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 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 2008 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.