Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 GMC Canyon problems

Owners filed 113 complaints about the 2005 GMC Canyon with NHTSA between Jan 2005 and Jul 2023. The most-cited component is electrical system (23).

Complaints
113
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system23
  2. Structure13
  3. Exterior lighting11
  4. Visibility11
  5. Engine and engine cooling11
  6. Service brakes10
  7. Air bags10
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic9
  9. Power train7
  10. Suspension6
  11. Vehicle speed control6
  12. Engine5
  13. Tires3
  14. Fuel/propulsion system2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200513
200618
20070
20088
20098
201010
20119
20124
20135
20147
201511
20160
20175
20184
20195
20204
20210
20221
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

23 reports1 fire
“MY 2005 GMC CANYON CONTINUES TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE PASSLOCK II SYSTEM. NO MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH, KEYS, OR ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE PASSLOCK PREVENTS ME FROM STARTING MY TRUCK BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON THE COMPUTER THINKS IT IS TRYING TO BE STOLEN. THE LAST TIME THIS ISSUE OCCURED, MY TRUCK WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE. WHEN ATTEMPTED TO START, THE TRUCK CRANKED BUT DID NOT START AND THE PASSLOCK LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD TO SIT AND WAIT FOR 10 MINUTES UNTIL THE LIGHT WENT OFF. THE PROBLEM WAS I WAS TRYING TO DRIVE MYSELF TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM BECAUSE I HAD JUST BEEN BITTEN BY A DOG.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 2018Electrical systemODI 11062037

Structure

13 reports
“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 lot of rusting and holes due to the excessive rusting.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 12, 2023Suspension, Structure, Unknown or otherODI 11531923

Exterior lighting

11 reports2 related recalls
“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 OCCURRED. WOULD LIKE MY FOG LAMP REPLACED AND BARRELS NOT IN USE PICKED UP OFF OF THE HIGHWAYS. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2020Exterior lighting, StructureODI 11329295

Visibility

11 reports
“THIS VEHICLE USES A RESISTOR FOR VARIABLE SPEEDS (X4) ON THE VENTILATION BLOWER. DURING CONTINUOUS OR FREQUENT USE (I.E. DEFROST, AIR CONDITIONING) A BURNING SMELL DEVELOPS. THE BURNING SMELL INCREASES OVER TIME AFTER REPEATED USAGE AND THE INCREMENTAL BLOWER SPEED CIRCUITS ARE BURNED OUT AND DISABLED. THE WIRES ARE BLACKENED AND CONNECTORS MELTED AND THE PLASTIC CONNECTING BASE OF THE RESISTOR IS MELTED AND BLACKENED. AT TIMES THE VEHICLE WIRE HARNESS IS AFFECTED. GM HAS A "SERVICE BULLETIN" WHICH PRESCRIBES A "REPAIR" FOR THIS MALFUNCTION (I.E. NEW RESISTOR, PIGTAIL WIRES AND CONNECTORS, AND A BLOWER REPLACEMENT IF REQUIRED) ---- BUT IT DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT OCCURS REPEATEDLY THROUGHOUT OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE RESISTOR AND WIRES IN THIS CIRCUIT AT LEAST 6 TIMES IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. OUR CANYON BEGAN EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM AT ABOUT 85,000 MILES. EACH REPLACEMENT (INCLUDING LABOR AND PARTS) COSTS ABOUT $150. I CONTACTED GM LAST YEAR -- THEY GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER BUT WANTED ME TO PAY OUT OF POCKET BY THE HOUR FOR ELECTRICAL TROUBLESHOOTING. I ALSO CONTACTED CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE LAST MONTH WHEN THEY WERE ADVERTISING…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 25, 2014Electrical system, VisibilityODI 10605821

Engine and engine cooling

11 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 GMC CANYON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT TOO STRONG OF AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT WAS FLOWING INTO THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE THE MOTOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 27, 2011Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10409031

Service brakes

10 reports1 crash
“INSTALLED NEW BRAKE LIGHTS DID YOU BRAKE SWITCH UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL STILL SHOWING SIGNS OF NO BRAKE LIGHTS ON MY VEHICLE I'LL BRAKE BALLS HAVE BEEN REPLACE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 8, 2020Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11320590
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.