Problems · NHTSA complaints

2011 GMC Canyon problems

Owners filed 23 complaints about the 2011 GMC Canyon with NHTSA between Nov 2011 and Sep 2024. The most-cited component is air bags (8).

Complaints
23
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags8
  2. Engine3
  3. Electrical system3
  4. Electronic stability control (esc)2
  5. Power train2
  6. Exterior lighting2
  7. Structure1
  8. Vehicle speed control1
  9. Service brakes1
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  11. Other / unknown9

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 Oct 30, 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
20111
20120
20130
20143
20151
20162
20178
20184
20191
20201
20210
20221
20230
20241

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

Air bags

8 reports
“TAKATA RECALL AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON . TRUCK WILL SHUT DOWN WHEN THE TRUCK IS GOING DOWN THE ROAD AT 60 MILES AN HOUR LESS OR MORE. WHEN YOU START THE TRUCK IT SHUTS OFF AGAIN. OR WILL START RIGHT UP AND WASH IT RIGHT BACK DOWN. THE SAFETY BELT LIGHT COMES ON OR IS THE CAR LOCKED I SHOULD SAY. WHICH IS THE LITTLE PICTURE WITH THE CAR WITH THE LOCK ON IT. I HAVE VIDEOTAPED WHAT COMES ACROSS THE DASH AND HASN'T SHOWN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING. SHUTS OFF AGAIN. OR WILL START RIGHT UP IN THE SHUT RIGHT BACK DOWN. SAFETY BELT LIKE COMES ON OR IS THE CAR LOCK I SHOULD SAY. WHICH IS THE LITTLE PICTURE WITH THE CAR WITH THE LOCK ON IT. I HAVE VIDEOTAPED WHAT COMES ACROSS THE DASH AND HIS SHOWING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING. ALL OF THIS IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH MY TRUCK AND HAS BEEN SINCE LATE FALL OF LAST YEAR. I TAKE IT TO MY DEALERSHIP TWICE WITH NO RESULTS . *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2019Air bags, Unknown or other, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11186002

Engine

3 reports
“Since I purchased this Canyon in 2019, I've had many occurrences (at least twice a week) of the truck not starting. Through my research on line, I've found other Canyon owners experiencing the same problem. Long story short, the ignition locks and the truck cannot be started unless I wait 10 minutes. This problem interferes with my daily life. I believe GMC should correct this problem.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 28, 2024EngineODI 11616997

Electrical system

3 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC CANYON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON AND OFF AT VARIOUS TIMES, MORESO WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 59,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 26, 2016Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10919122

Electronic stability control (esc)

2 reports
“I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT ARE TERRIFYING AS IT IS PUTTING MY FAMILY IN JEOPARDY. MY FIRST INDICATION OF A PROBLEM OCCURRED IN AUGUST 2013 AND CONTINUED UNTIL MAY, 2014, THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO HAVE FIXED ITSELF AS I DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS AFTER MAY 2014 UNTIL OCTOBER 2014. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE SOME CONNECTION TO COLDER WEATHER. THE STALLING PROBLEM IS NOW OCCURRING REGULARLY AND THE ERROR MESSAGES TEND TO DISAPPEAR OVERNIGHT BEFORE I CAN GET TO A DEALER. I AM KEEPING MY DRIVING TO A BARE MINIMUM UNTIL A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION IS FOUND. I DO NOT WANT TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON PARTS AND ?FIXES? THAT DO NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM: CAR SUDDENLY REDUCES SPEED WITH NUMEROUS ERROR MESSAGES RUNNING ACROSS THE DASH SCREEN. I FORTUNATELY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS SPEED WAS VERY SLOW; THE CAR BEGINS TO SHUDDER AND I HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. I NOTED THE FOLLOWING ERROR MESSAGES: REDUCED POWER, TRAC FAULT, SER STAB, SIST TRACTION. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RE-START THE ENGINE. WHEN RESTARTED ALL THE ERROR MESSAGES DISAPPEARED, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 18, 2014Power train, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 10658993

Power train

2 reports1 related recall
“THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND CRUISE CONTROL HAVE SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING - SEE NTHSA BULLETIN 06V139000. AS EVIDENCE OF A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH GMC CANYON VEHICLES. WAS NOT EVEN AWARE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE OUT UNTIL I CAME ACROSS THE NHTSA BULLETIN. ADDITIONALLY, THE ELECTRONICALLY ACTIVATED 4 WHEEL DRIVE HAS SPORATICALLY STARTED TRYING TO ENGAGE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS FIRST BEGINNING TO MOVE FROM A DEAD STOP. THIS STARTED A MONTH AGO WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT WORK. DISCOVERED THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT COMING ON LAST NIGHT 12/16/16. CHECKED BULBS AND FUSES AND THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM. BELIEVE THERE IS AN UNDERLYING ISSUE LIKELY RELATED TO NHTSA BULLETIN 06V139000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 17, 2016Power train, Exterior lighting, Vehicle speed controlODI 10935953

Exterior lighting

2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2011 GMC CANYON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 63 MPH WHEN IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT OPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V139000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) BUT DID NOT CONFIRM IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,464.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 25, 2014Exterior lightingODI 10574718
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

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