GMC Canyon: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
GMC Canyon problems by model year, from 904 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Years to avoid: 2018 (76%, 35 drivetrain complaints), 2017 (54%, 34 drivetrain complaints) and 2022 (38%, 9 drivetrain complaints). 3 of the 7 GMC Canyon years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 1 of them is at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
Best years on this measure: 2012 (16%), 2015 (19%) and 2016 (24%). 2012 rests on fewer than 60 complaints, so treat it as provisional. A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2016 (24%) to 2017 (54%), up 30 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2016 drew the most drivetrain complaints (64 of 220 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
2021 has fewer than 25 complaints on record so far, too few to score. Newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every GMC Canyon year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Canyon | too few to score | – | 1 | 13 | – | 2 |
| 2011 Canyon | too few to score | – | 4 | 23 | – | 5 |
| 2012 Canyon | no elevated signal | 16% | 4 | 29 | 7/7 | 2 |
| 2015 Canyon | no elevated signal | 19% | 59 | 321 | 6/7 | 8 |
| 2016 Canyon | no elevated signal | 24% | 64 | 270 | 5/7 | 4 |
| 2017 Canyon | high | 54% | 34 | 66 | 2/7 | 1 |
| 2018 Canyon | very high | 76% | 35 | 52 | 1/7 | 1 |
| 2019 Canyon | too few to score | – | 13 | 17 | – | 0 |
| 2020 Canyon | too few to score | – | 8 | 14 | – | 0 |
| 2021 Canyon | too few to score | – | 2 | 11 | – | 2 |
| 2022 Canyon | elevated | 38% | 9 | 26 | 3/7 | 1 |
| 2023 Canyon | no elevated signal | 27% | 15 | 62 | 4/7 | 3 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the GMC Canyon years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
GMC Canyon fuel system recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the GMC Canyon involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 16 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2018 | 18V358000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2015–2018 |
15 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2011 | 11V552000 | seat belts: front | 2012 |
| Dec 2012 | 12V594000 | latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch | 2012 |
| Oct 2014 | 14V645000 | air bags | 2015 |
| Mar 2015 | 15V157000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2015 |
| May 2015 | 15V267000 | seats | 2015 |
| May 2015 | 15V278000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper | 2015 |
| Dec 2015 | 15V807000 | latches/locks/linkages | 2016 |
| Feb 2016 | 16V054000 | steering: electric power assist system | 2015 |
| Mar 2016 | 16V125000 | air bags: frontal | 2016 |
| Oct 2017 | 17V621000 | air bags: frontal | 2015–2016 |
| Mar 2021 | 21V213000 | steering: electric power assist system | 2015 |
| May 2022 | 22V375000 | seats: critical fasteners | 2022 |
| Feb 2024 | 24V133000 | electrical system: adas: driver monitoring: camera/sensor | 2023 |
| Mar 2024 | 24V237000 | wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs | 2023 |
| Sep 2024 | 24V703000 | seat belts: critical fasteners | 2023 |
What the free pages leave out on the GMC Canyon
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the GMC Canyon
What are the worst years for the GMC Canyon?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst GMC Canyon years are the 2018 (76% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2017 (54% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2022 (38% of relevant complaints, elevated). 3 of 7 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the GMC Canyon?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best GMC Canyon years are the 2012 (16%), the 2015 (19%) and the 2016 (24%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the GMC Canyon have transmission problems?
In some years. Across the 7 scored years, 220 of 804 relevant NHTSA complaints (27%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is power train. The years with an elevated share are 2017, 2018 and 2022.
Is the GMC Canyon reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 3 of 7 GMC Canyon years we score have an elevated complaint share and 4 do not. Pooled across those years, 27% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the GMC Canyon?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the GMC Canyon years we track, out of 16 in total: 18V358000 (May 2018, 2015–2018). Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.