Problems · NHTSA complaints
2006 GMC Canyon problems
Owners filed 48 complaints about the 2006 GMC Canyon with NHTSA between Jun 2006 and Mar 2025. The most-cited component is electrical system (17).
Complaints
48
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system17
- Engine6
- Structure5
- Exterior lighting5
- Visibility5
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Service brakes4
- Air bags4
- Latches/locks/linkages4
- Fuel/propulsion system3
- Fuel system, gasoline3
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Tires3
- Vehicle speed control2
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
6
3
3
0
4
2
3
8
4
3
1
1
2
0
2
4
0
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 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
17 reports2 fires
“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.”
Engine
6 reports
“CRANKS BUT NO START INTERMITTENTLY. GMC DEALER STATES THAT THERE IS NOT PROBLEM. MUST WAIT 10 MINTURES, THEN TRY AND IT ALWAYS STARTS. NOT ISOLATED...GOOGLE, 2006 CANYON WON'T START AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. SOME HAVE SPECULATED THAT IT IS A 'RELAY', PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM OR THE "PASSLOCK". I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY ACCIDENT BUT IF AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT AND IT WON'T START IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR AT LEAST 3-4 YEARS, OCCURRING AT LEAST ONCE PER MONTH. OTHERS RECORDED THE SAME HISTORY. (XXXX) PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”
Structure
5 reports
“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.”
Exterior lighting
5 reports2 related recalls
“BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH RECALL NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 09V310000. THIS IS A REOCCURRING MALFUNCTION AFFECTING 187,000 VEHICLES, MODEL YEARS 2004-2009. THE REPAIR GMC PERFORMS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX AND PRESENTS A SAFETY DANGER TO OWNERS. MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME MALFUNCTIONS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I HAVE REPAIRED MY GMC CANYON THREE TIMES TO DATE.”
Visibility
5 reports1 fire
“HVAC FAN MOTOR RESISTOR & CONNECTOR OVERHEATS MELTS AND BURNS WITH TEMPERATURE EXCEEDING 300 DEG F. CHRONIC FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH GMC CANYON AND CHEVY COLORADO PICK UPS. *TR”
Service brakes, hydraulic
5 reports1 crash
“2006 GMC CANYON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BRAKE CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTION AND OTHER PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE . *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE CONTROL MODULE. THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, BECAUSE THE FAN KNOB OF THE CLIMATE CONTROL WOULD ONLY WORK ON ONE SETTING. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING, CD PLAYER, HEATER AND FRONT GRILL WERE REPLACED.”
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.