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
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system23
- Structure13
- Exterior lighting11
- Visibility11
- Engine and engine cooling11
- Service brakes10
- Air bags10
- Service brakes, hydraulic9
- Power train7
- Suspension6
- Vehicle speed control6
- Engine5
- Tires3
- 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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
13
18
0
8
8
10
9
4
5
7
11
0
5
4
5
4
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 13 |
| 2006 | 18 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
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.
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.”
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.”
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”
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…”
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.”
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”
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.