2012 GMC Canyon Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Canyon years
- Fewer complaints than other years 14th of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 GMC Canyon. That ranks 14th out of 21 Canyon model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (9 complaints, 39%), typically at around 45,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 23owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 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 | 9 | 39% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 9% | 14,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 9% | 39,325 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 9% | 1,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 9% | 121,966 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 9% | 110,625 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 4% | 39,650 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 4% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 4% | 1,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 4% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 4% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 4% | 139,908 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 4% | 41,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 4% | 136,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 GMC Canyon recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Problem: General Motors is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured from November 9, 2009, through August 28, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 113, "Hood Latch System." The hood may be missing the secondary hood latch.
Risk: If the primary hood latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly. During vehicle operation, this could obstruct the view of the driver and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: General Motors will notify owners and instruct them to inspect their vehicle for the presence of a secondary hood latch. Dealers will replace the hood on any affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on January 17, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
Seat belts:front
Problem: General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet colorado and gmc canyon vehicles, manufactured from september 9, 2011, through october 19, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 208, "occupant crash protection." these vehicles may have been produced with driver safety belt buckle electrical connector terminals that do not fit snugly with the connector pins, causing the connection to be intermittent.
Risk: The loose connections may cause the driver to not receive a visual or audible warning that the driver seat belt is not fastened, thereby increasing the risk of personal injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Gm will notify owners and dealers will replace the seat belt buckle electrical connector terminals free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before december 7, 2011. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
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.
Seatbelt light for the front driver continues to turn on even when buckled in and will ding to notify that itâs not buckled despite it buckled in. This is a safety issue as the airbag light also remains on because of it.
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Canyon. The contact noticed that there was wiring appearing from the rear end of the vehicle. The contact stated that the rear sub frame was rusted and cracked. Additionally, the parking brake cable was hanging from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated…
On all chevy / canyon models 05 thru 12 there is an issue called "passlock" which prevents the vehicle from starting, it will leave you stranded. The failure is the ignition housing with the passlock sensor, not the actual key / tumbler, the part has to be replaced. The problem / failure is so…
Within past year, 2022 to present vehicle will on average 4-5 times a month fail to start. Key in ignition, to accessory mode than fail to turn over. All indicator lamps on dash display. Door chime sounds. Nothing to indicate a problem. Had GMC dealership troubleshoot. They found no codes and…
The Passcode Anti-theft system randomly triggers when attempting to start the vehicle. When it triggers, the vehicle cannot be started for at least 10 minutes. I have had this system trigger multiple times at home, at the grocery store, and at a gas station. I am afraid that the device will…
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 | 271 | 4 |
| 2015 Canyon | 303 | 8 |
| 2012 | 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 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 2012 GMC Canyon?
Owners most often report electrical system, air bags, electronic stability control (esc) problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 9 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 GMC Canyon?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 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 2012 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.