266 of the
1,948 complaints filed about the GMC Canyon
are about the electrical system —
14% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2016.
The ignition key gets stuck in the ignition after shutting off the car. The key may not be removed from the ignition. The failure of the transmission shift control mechanism directly impacts the safe, mechanical operation of the vehicle's powertrain and transmission park-lock functions. The vehicle was taken to a local GM dealer and the problem was recreated. This is a known problem with the transmission shift control assembly for several model years (2020 - 2023). Also, there was a previous class action lawsuit (Jefferson & Riley class action settlement) which specifically covered a predefined list of early-generation model years (including the 2017–2019 GMC Acadia, 2019 Chevy Blazer, and 2016–2019 Malibu/Traverse/Volt). GM continued using similar microswitch shifters in newer vehicles like your my 2022 Canyon. I had no prior warning lamps but the symptoms occurred infrequently after I purchased the vehicle on March 29, 2023. I am the original owner of the vehicle and in July 2026 the problem became frequent - on an almost daily basis. I took the vehicle to my local GM dealer and I was initially told to use my spare key and see if that fixes it. In August 2026, I took it back to the GM dealer and insisted that a diagnostic be done, at which time they agreed that the transmission shift control assembly was faulty. My concern is that GM continued to use the same defective part in newer GM vehicles even though this part was previously determined to be defective in the Jefferson & Riley class action settlement.
NHTSA complaint #11758789 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle alerted driver that ECS and. Rake assist was needed and disabled abs and forward collision while lighting up multiple warning lights on dashboard. Lights eventually turned off leaving a check engine light on. Multiple codes pulled from system using obd2 reader. Communication bus B offline and U0074, U0151, U0447,U0452 all at same time.
NHTSA complaint #11755424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2022 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that while the gear shifter was shifted to park(P), the contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition switch. The contact stated that after turning the steering wheel to the right in a certain way, the key was able to be removed from the ignition switch. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
NHTSA complaint #11753239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the infotainment system and screen display became inoperable. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that an unknown part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11747456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Power steering and StabiliTrack warning pops-up randomly and cuts off power steering assistance while I'm driving on the highway or on country roads. The power steering is very hard to maneuver. However, when it's safe to do so, I have to pull over on a safe place and have to restart my truck twice, in order to regain power steering. I have taken it to an independent mechanic and to a Chevy dealership on Merced. The dealership service tech informed me that in order to service the vehicle and find the code that is making this issue, that I would have to continue driving the truck and bring it in to the dealership with the power steering and StabiliTrack warning. According to the technician, they can't do much due to that they don't know what is causing the power steering to malfunction. I haven't been able to take it to the dealership because the warnings have occurred while I'm far away from a dealership or diagnosis area. Also, I will not risk my safety maneuvering a vehicle that has lost electric power steering around a city where lots of left or right turns are necessary to drive to a locality. This is the only vehicle I have to go to work or travel and fear for my safety when this happens. PLEASE HELP.
NHTSA complaint #11745386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving I saw smoke and when I pulled over I seen fuel leaking from the gas tank area. Where it was leaking it ignited and the fire department had to put out the fire and the truck is totaled
NHTSA complaint #11743819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Driving I15 and went to take my exit and the power steering went out and I almost rolled the truck now the eps won’t even come on. There needs to be a recall for my vin like there is for all other trucks that year. There was no warning just shut off immediately if my wife was driving she would’ve rolled the truck. It hasn’t been looked at but there is a ton of recalls for the same issue with 2015 and for some reason my vin is not listed. This needs to be solved asap as this is my only vehicle that I use to take to work
NHTSA complaint #11742455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2022 GMC Canyon AT4 Crew Cab. After the vehicle is shifted into Park and the engine is shut off, the ignition key cannot be removed from the cylinder. The key is physically locked, the steering wheel will not lock, and the vehicle cannot be reliably secured. The only workaround is to restart the engine and cycle the shifter repeatedly until the interlock releases the key. Recurring. Safety implications: operator cannot reliably power the vehicle off in an emergency, cannot lock the steering column, and may be forced to leave an unattended vehicle in accessory mode — fire, electrical, and theft risk. The defect is documented in GM's own literature. GM Bulletin PI1429 and GM TSB 19-NA-206 address this exact symptom on the Canyon/Colorado platform. NHTSA-archived GM TSB MC-10113734 (March 2015), "Ignition Key Cannot Be Removed and/or Does Not Rotate to the 'Off' Position," names the 2015 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado. The 2022 Canyon uses the same shifter and ignition-interlock architecture. Documented cause: failure of the transmission control lever microswitch that signals "Park" to the interlock solenoid. Documented fix: replace the shifter assembly. Reported to an authorized GMC dealer while still under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. Dealer recorded the concern verbatim — "key stays locked in ignition when shifting to Park" — and closed it "unable to duplicate," no repair, despite the open bulletins. A second GMC dealer later refused to inspect, with the service advisor stating on the service drive that there is no fix, that they see this on Canyons and Colorados all the time, and that he had seen another such vehicle the day before. No diagnostic, no repair order. GM's Technical Assistance Center has since taken the position that the bulletins above do not apply to this vehicle, which is inconsistent with the bulletins themselves. No crash, no injury, no fire. Reporting a manufacturer-documented ignition-interlock defect GM is refusing to repair.
NHTSA complaint #11740040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The power steering and Stabilitrak systems intermittently fail while the vehicle is in operation. The issue occurs unpredictably, both immediately after startup and while driving. On several occasions, the systems have failed during turns, requiring sudden corrective action and increased steering effort to maintain control and avoid veering off the road or colliding with nearby vehicles. No warning signs or noticeable symptoms are present prior to the failure occurring.
NHTSA complaint #11736748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The engine coolant temperature sensor has failed on my 2019 GMC Canyon. The check engine light is illuminated, the temperature gauge does not register correctly, the air conditioning has been disabled by the vehicle's computer, and the engine cooling fan continues to run after the engine is turned off. These symptoms are consistent with the vehicle entering fail-safe mode due to loss of a valid coolant temperature signal. The problem was confirmed by an independent mechanic who diagnosed a failed coolant temperature sensor. The mechanic attempted to source a replacement part through GMC but was informed the part was unavailable. The reason for the parts unavailability is unknown, though in his experience, it typically means that the manufacturer is stocking up and preparing for a recall This issue appears to be widespread across 2017–2020 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado V6 trucks based on extensive owner forum documentation. The safety concern is significant: without reliable coolant temperature monitoring, there is no assurance the engine is operating within safe thermal limits, and the driver has no warning if overheating occurs. The disabled A/C also creates a safety risk during periods of extreme heat. The vehicle has approximately 60,000 miles. The problem has been present for approximately three months and is ongoing.
NHTSA complaint #11731109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On [XXX], at approximately 4:10 PM, I was at the McDonald’s drive-through located at [XXX] and [XXX] in Springfield, Missouri. I was stopped at the final service window. As I pulled away from the window, I approached a 90-degree left turn heading south. I removed my foot from the accelerator pedal to allow the truck to coast slowly around the corner, as the area is heavily pedestrian and requires caution. While coasting with my foot completely off the gas pedal, the truck suddenly and rapidly began to accelerate on its own. I immediately applied the brakes, and the unintended acceleration stopped right away. At that point, I called Thompson GMC in Springfield, Missouri, at 4:17 PM to report the incident. This was the second time this has occurred. The first incident happened several months ago on [XXX] north of Strafford, Missouri. While navigating a curve, I lifted my foot off the accelerator to coast, and the truck again experienced sudden, hard acceleration. I quickly applied the brakes, and the acceleration stopped immediately. I called Thompson GMC at that time as well. They advised me that I could bring the vehicle in for inspection, but without a check engine light or warning light illuminated, and without the issue occurring while a technician was driving, it might be difficult to diagnose. I did not bring the vehicle in after the first incident. Yesterday, a Thompson GMC employee scheduled an appointment for me to have the truck inspected. No warning lights or check engine lights were illuminated on the dashboard during either incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11727351 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving my vehicle the vehicle early in the morning going to work, the headlights went out. I pulled over, and turned it to auto and they worked there, but did not work when switching it to headlamps. That happened just the one time. Also, since I have owned the vehicle, after operating the vehicle when it is dark outside, and then getting out to get gas, and getting back in. I crank the vehicle over, and I have no dash lights. I cannot see how fast I am going. It only does this after operating the vehicle and turning it off, and then getting back in and starting it again. This has occurred many times for the past 4 years.
NHTSA complaint #11726001 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Canyon. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the automatic emergency braking (AEB) unexpectedly engaged. The message "Reduce Acceleration Proceed with Caution”, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and returned to normal functionality. The contact stated that the vehicle was nearly rear-ended. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V133000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 9,300.
NHTSA complaint #11722280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated, and the message " Check Trailer Brakes” was displayed. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the braking system randomly activated, causing the vehicle to abruptly decelerate. On several occasions while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to immediately stop, causing the braking distance to be extended by approximately 8 feet. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the ABS module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 85,000.
NHTSA complaint #11720445 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 2 occasions the battery was drained and a tow truck had to jump the battery. On one occasion after the battery was jump started it took several hours before the brakes were able to be used and the car driven safely. Had to drive very slowly (under 50 mph) per note that appeared on dashboard. After nearly an hour of waiting Engine light stayed on and dealership ran diagnostic and found nothing wrong with the battery nor anything else. Have to start and run engine everyday to keep battery from dying. If not started in 24 to 36 hours, battery will die.
NHTSA complaint #11718011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2022 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the instrument cluster failed operate as designed and the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, and turn signals failed to display as intended. The contact stated that a message to service several systems was displayed. The radio screen was blank, and the back over prevention system was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that several software updates were needed; however, it was then determined that all the software was up to date. A software refresh was performed, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 39,500
NHTSA complaint #11717480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There is a phantom chime that happens intermittently at all driving conditions when close to or below 20 degrees F. (stop and go, highway, back roads, dry weather, wet weather, clear weather, etc.). This chime does not produce any warning on the driver displays. This is dangerous because it causes the driver to look away from the road to figure out what the warning is. But no warning being shown causes one to look around for the issue. Again, taking eyes off of the road even longer. Chimes can happen a dozen times on a drive, or none at all. completely random but only happens in the temperature range listed above. This is reported on numerous forums for the current generation canyons and Colorados. This has been consistent with winter of 2025 and now winter of 2026.
NHTSA complaint #11717475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact called on behalf of her son who owned a 2022 GMC Canyon. The contact stated while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and the brakes failed to engage. Additionally, the infotainment screen was inoperable. The front camera module warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the front camera module needed to be replaced. The dealer made the contact aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V133000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE); however, the VIN was not included in the recal. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11703949 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.