2012 GMC Canyon problems
Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 GMC Canyon. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 30% of complaints. After that come brakes (10%) and air bags (7%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 30 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 30% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 1 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 1 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 40,000 miles 20 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 4 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 7 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 2 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 2 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 0 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 1 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 3 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 20 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 40,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 1 complaint mentions a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 1 injury reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2012 ranks 14th most-complained-about out of 14 model years of the GMC Canyon with enough data (15 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
In fresno, ca at 5:30 p.m., I was heading east on shaw ave., a three lane street, near brawley ave. A van, waiting for cross traffic at the center island, suddenly jolted into three lanes of heavy christmas traffic. The car driver in the first lane slammed on her brakes and stopped safely. I was in the center lane and unable to veer left or right, slammed on my brakes and crashed broadside, totaling both vehicles. My airbag exploded and caught fire.
There is an extreme unsafe condition that exist on all 2012 GMC canyon pickups. There is no way to turn off the automatic door locks on these pickups. If these truck are involved in an accident and no one inside is coherent enough to put the truck in park the truck will remain locked, this could prevent bystanders from being able to open the doors and rescue any one. If there is a fire involved the passengers will burn to death needlessly. General motors will not make any effort to resolve this serious problem.
While driving, the security light came on. Engine power was reduced or completely eliminated. Headlights went out every thing reset in about thirty seconds. Power loss could be deadly if entering a highway from a side street if there is oncoming traffic.
Truck will not start intermittently. Completely inoperable for several minutes, then will start up with absolutely nothing differently done to it. Left me and my kids stranded several times. Appears to be a passlock anti theft problem. Many, many complaints online with the exact same problem. This is unsafe for children to be subjected to!!! If anything happens to my children while stranded this complaint will be used in a lawsuit against general motors!!! Spent hundreds of dollars to fix problems to no avail.