2006 Gmc Canyon
The Verdict
The 2006 Gmc Canyon has 48 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (18 complaints) and brakes (11 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 88/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Gmc Canyon, consider the 2025 model year which has 83% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2025 has 83% fewer complaints
View the 2025 Gmc Canyon dashboard →
Klunk Score: Smooth Ride
This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
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.
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.
My ABS on Rightside of my truck is not working that is what they said anyways not sure what is wrong
The contact owns a 2006 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that the rear sub-frame was rusted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GMC CANYON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START-UP. THE SECURITY WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER WAITING AN HOUR, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A SECURITY SYSTEM FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 264,124.
I HAVE A 2006 GMC CANYON AND THE ISSUE IS THE CAR SWITCHES INTO SECURITY MODE A FOR NO REASON VEHICLE WILL NOT START OR WON'T CRANK AT ALL AND IT ONLY GETS WORSE THERE ARE A FEW YOUTUBE VIDEOS SHOWING HOW TO BYPASS SECURITY SYSTEM , BUT I FEEL GM SHOULD SEND OUT NOTICES TO CUSTOMERS ON HOW TO FIX OR DISABLE THIS PROBLEM
I LIFTED THE TRUCK ON A HYDRAULIC LIFT TO FIND THE SOURCE OF A RATTLE THATS USUALLY A HEAT SHIELD THAT HAS COME LOOSE BUT TO MY SURPRISE I ALSO FOUND THE FRAME OF THIS TRUCK HAS LITERAL HOLES ROTTED THROUGH WITH THE RESPECTIVE SUPPORT STRUCTURES FOR THE TRANSMISSION/TRANSFER CASE, FUEL TANK AND FRONT LEAF SPRING ATTACHMENT POINTS. IN SOME PLACES THE FRAME HAS ROTTED AWAY TO MAYBE 40% OF THE FRAME IS STILL INTACT. VERY DANGEROUS. THE AFFECTED AREAS ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE THE DAMAGE IS ONLY VISIBLE FROM UNDERNEATH. FROM OUTSIDE IT LOOKS LIKE TYPICAL SURFACE RUST COMING THROUGH THE UNDERCOATING. BUT THIS IS FAR FROM TYPICAL
ABS FAULT LIGHT IS ON TO INFORM THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. THIS OF COURSE DISABLES THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM. THE COMPUTER READS ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSOR. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE LIGHT IS STILL ON. THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND NO ONE HAS FOUND A FIX YET. IS THERE A NEW RECALL ON THIS ISSUE OR IS THERE A WAY TO FIX IT? THANK YOU *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GMC CANYON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S CHASSIS WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND CREATED HOLES IN THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.
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).
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GMC CANYON. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER TEN MINUTES. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THERE WAS A RECURRING ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING. THE VEHICLE POWER FAILURE AND SECURITY THEFT WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT LEFT A VOICEMAIL WITH THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.
IT APPEARS MY IGNITION SWITCH IS DEFECTIVE. THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM ENGAGES FOR NO REASON AND SHUTS OFF/DISABLE IGNITION SWITCH. IF THE FOLKS READING THIS COMPLAINT RESEARCHES IGNITION PROBLEMS/PASSLOCK SYSTEM ON THE INTERNET, THE DOT WILL DISCOVER MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DEFECT. I AM AVAILABLE TO HELP. CONTACT ME ANYTIME AT H. (770) 631-0294. IT APPEARS THERE IGNITION SWITCH MAY CORRODE AND/OR HAVE DEFECTIVE CONTACT THAT SHORT OUT THE SWITCH. GM SAYS MY DEFECT IS RARE AND WOULD NOT HELP ME WITH THE COSTS. I PAID FOR THE REPAIR IN ORDER TO AVOID A TRAGEDY, LIKE MY WIFE OF 31 YEARS OR MY GRANDKIDS DYING IN MY DEFECT CANYON. THANK YOU *TR
I NOTICED THAT I HAD NO SPEED CONTROL AND THEN FOUND I ALSO DID NOT HAVE ANY BRAKE LIGHTS. BACK IN 2006 OR 2007, GMC ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. ALSO AGAIN IN 2009, BUT IN THE FORM OF EXTENDED WARRANTY TILL 2014. I JUST WANTED TO PASS TO YOU THE CONCERN THAT THIS ISSUE MAY STILL BE A PROBLEM FOR THE TRUCK. I TALKED TO GMC AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO HELP WITH THE FIX SINCE ITS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY DATE. I'M CONCERNED THAT DRIVERS WOULD ONLY THINK ITS A PROBLEM WITH THE SPEED CONTROL, AND DON'T REALIZE THEY HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS. IN MY INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT IN MOST CASES THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH WAS ABLE TO FAIL THE SPEED CONTROL. MOST DRIVERS WOULD NOT GO FOR THE FIX ON THE SPEED CONTROL AND OPEN THEMSELVES UP TO A REAR END ACCIDENT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GMC CANYON. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO THE PARK POSITION AND THE KEY WAS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION, THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE BESIDES REGULAR WEAR AND TEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING KIT FAILED, WATER PUMP FAILED, INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED, COOLANT NEEDED TO BE FLUSHED, FUEL INJECTION NEEDED TO BE FLUSHED, AND THE THERMOSTAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE STILL RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
I BOUGHT THIS 2006 GMC CANYON IN DECEMBER OF 2011. YET THEY MYSTERIOUSLY COULDN'T GIVE ME TAGS FOR IT UNTIL APRIL 2012. THEY KNEW THERE WAS AN ON GOING RECALL FOR BAD VALVE SEATS AND SEALS AND SOLD THE TRUCK TO ME ANYWAY. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS AS SOON AS I GOT IT AND HAD THE TRUCK BACK TO MOTOR CITY GMC HERE IN BAKERSFIELD, CA. THREE TIMES UNDER THE LIMITED 10,000 MILE WARRANTY MISSING THREE DAY'S OF WORK EACH TIME. EVERY TIME THEY NEVER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME ALL THREE TIMES, 'WE HAD A SERVICE ADVISER DRIVE THE TRUCK AROUND AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT.' AND YET!!! AS SOON AS THE 10,000 WARRANTY WAS UP THEY SUDDENLY WILL BE GLAD TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM FOR OVER A HUNDRED DOLLARS. HOW CONVENIENT. NOW IT WILL COST OVER $3000.00 TO FIX THIS TRUCK THAT THEY WOULD NOT FIX UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND SUED BY THE COUNTY, THE STATE AND VERY UNHAPPY CONSUMERS SUCH AS MYSELF. *TR
THE 2.9 4 CYL. ENGINE IN MY 06 GMC CANYON DIES INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN IT DOES, "REDUCED POWER" DISPLAYS IN THE DRIVER INFO CENTER AND THE TRUCK WILL NOT RESTART. THE POWER IS CUT TO THE STARTER AND FUEL PUMP BUT ALL ACCESSORIES STILL FUNCTION PROPERLY. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE SYSTEM SEEMS TO RESET AND THE TRUCK WILL START AND OPERATE NORMALLY. UNTIL THE NEXT TIME IT DECIDES TO GO OUT. I WOULD SAY THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD AN ENGINE DIE UNEXPECTEDLY ON THE HIGHWAY OR AT A RED LIGHT AND NOT ALLOW RESTART FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *TR
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I USED A CODE READER AND P0300 CAME UP. I REPLACED THE APPROPRIATE SENSORS AND RESET IT. TRUCK RAN FINE. ONE WEEK LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN AND THIS TIME I GET A P0017 CODE. I REPLACED TWO OF THE SENSORS AND REPLACED OIL FILTER WITH A OIL CHANGE. NOW THE TRUCK IS HARD TO START AND WHEN IT DOES START IT IDLES ROUGH. I HAVE IT IN THE GARAGE RIGHT NOW AND MECHANIC DOESN,T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING ON HERE THESE ENGINES IN THE CANYON AND COLORADO PICK-UPS ARE BAD ENGINES THAT WONT LAST. I HAVE THE 4 CYLINDER ENGINE WITH 53 THOUSAND MILES ON IT THAT I BOUGHT USED WITH 19 THOUSAND ON IT. I FEEL GMC SHOULD FIX THESE MOTORS FOR FREE EVEN THOUGH IM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND THAT THEY KNOW THAT THESE MOTORS ARE BAD. ID LIKE THO KNOW HOW MUCH MORE BAD STUFF IS OUT THERE FROM GMC THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT AND REFUSE TO FIX, KNOWING THAT IT IS THERE FAULT FROM THE START. I HAVE PAID TO MUCH MONEY FOR REPAIRS FROM OTHER GM PRODUCTS THAT I HAVE BOUGHT. THIS WILL BE MY LAST GMC PRODUCT THAT I WILL EVER BYE AND IF I CAN CONVINCE OTHERS NOT TO BYE THEIR JUNK SO BE IT. *TR
DESPITE INFREQUENT USE AND EXCEPTIONALLY LOW MILEAGE, THE PASSENGER'S SEATBELT FAILS TO RETRACT. NO ACCIDENTS OR SAFETY-RELATED INCIDENTS WHICH WOULD HAVE LOCKED THE MECHANISM OR OTHERWISE ENGAGED THE BELT BEYOND STANDARD FASTENING AND UNFASTENING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GMC CANYON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND CAUSED THE BRAKE TO ENGAGE WHILE TURNING, BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A HALT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED AND LOCATED A FAILURE AT THE ABS HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE WITHIN THE ABS SYSTEM BECAUSE THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE CURRENT THE FAILURE WAS NOT 16,876.
48 total