Home · 2024 GMC Canyon · Complaints

What 204 owners told NHTSA about the 2024 GMC Canyon

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (204)Lights (159)Electrical system (25)Engine (14)Brakes (11)Driver assistance (8)Steering (5)Transmission & drivetrain (3)Body & structure (2)Fuel system (2)Lane Departure (2)

Newest first · 204 complaints · page 1 of 9

Mar 29, 2026Brakes

I first noticed the brakes squealing in August 2025 at 15,000 miles. The dealership said I needed to resurface the front rotors. I mistook this a coating and brake debris, but it was actually the rotors warping. By 21,000 the vehicle is pulsing heavily when stopping. I went back to the dealer and this time they told me all 4 rotors are warped. GM denied coverage of the pads and rotors. Normal driving, no collisions or towing.

NHTSA ODI 11727764

Mar 9, 2026Engine

Coolant leak caused by known manufacture defect in upper hose assembly causes coolant to drain and engine to overheat. CEL only comes on when coolant is almost gone. GMC refuses to cover the known issue after 36k miles.

NHTSA ODI 11722976

Mar 7, 2026Engine

Coolant Leaking at 22K miles, smell of coolant, check engine light on and off 2X's. Coolant evidence on driveway and in engine cabin. Known condition for GM Model. No parts available for replacement. No recall for issue.

NHTSA ODI 11722659

Mar 5, 2026

Radiator Hose began to leak coolant. Faulty radiator hose. This could have caused engine failure and potentially caused an accident or may have put others at risk for hazards. No warning other strange sound. Inspected by authorized dealers service center.

NHTSA ODI 11722277

Feb 27, 2026Engine

Upper radiator hose connection to radiator is faulty causing leak of coolant. Yes it is available for inspection upon request. Truck began to run cooling fan at full speed in the middle of winter with no warnings of high heat or low coolant. After two weeks, check engine light finally cut on to indicate low coolant flow. Coolant reservoir was subsequently checked and found to be completely empty. It is apparent this reservoir had been extremely low / empty for at least two weeks with no warnings. Without proper warning and leaking coolant, truck could have overheated. Should this had happened in dead of summer, truck could have very well overheated with no warning. The problem was investigated and confirmed by dealer as leaking coolant at the connection of the upper radiator hose to the radiator. Was quoted $983 to replace the hose. No warning lights appeared until issue had been ongoing for over two weeks. A quick search of "GMC Canyon Upper Radiator Hose" will reveal many identical occurrences of this issue. This is a safety hazard / design flaw that GM is not acknowledging and is putting the burden on the vehicle owners for their own issue.

NHTSA ODI 11721052

Feb 14, 2026Electrical systemBrakesEngine

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 ODI 11718011

Jan 26, 2026Brakes

Upon starting the vehicle, I got multiple warning lights. The most important was brake failure. I had no brake function. I took it to the dealer and they replaced the brake module after 3 days.

NHTSA ODI 11713383

Jan 19, 2026Engine

There are widespread reports of the O ring seals on the radiator and heater hoses failing and causing coolant leaks. These leaks are significant enough to render the vehicle inoperable and with no cabin heating or cooling. This could lead to life-threatening situations in adverse weather conditions. It could also create dangerous roadside failure situation in heavy traffic, particularly on interstate highways. Dealers are aware of the issue and are currently repairing vehicles under warranty. However some dealers are telling owners that the cooling system is not part of the engine and drivetrain, and therefor is not covered under the original factory warranty if the vehicle has exceeded the initial bumper to bumper warranty limits. Dealers are also telling owners that parts are on backorder due to high demand, and that repair wait times could take weeks. The vehicle is unsafe to operate with a known coolant leak. Video of leak (another owner) here. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11711833

Jan 19, 2026Engine

Upper radiator hose attachment is leaking due to faulty rubber gasket. This comes up across GMC Canyon groups on Facebook 10 times a day. It is happening to ALL of them mainly pre 2025 on 3rd gens. Part is on back order at all GMC dealers due to so much volume of issue. Happening as early as 10k-20k miles on brand new trucks causing over heating issues due to coolant leaking out. Hopefully a recall for the part is done before engines start blowing.

NHTSA ODI 11711886

Jan 14, 2026Transmission & drivetrainEngine

Truck began idling very rough. Went straight to the dealership. They shut the truck off and it would not restart. No CEL or messages on the dash. Tear down reveled a failed exhaust valve in cylinder #4. Truck has 10,000 miles. A replacement engine has been ordered under warranty. Luckily, we happened to only be a few miles from a dealership when the failure happened. There was no warning, no prior symptoms what so ever.

NHTSA ODI 11710979

Jan 9, 2026Tires

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Canyon equipped with Goodyear Tires, Tire Line: Wrangler Territory, Tire Size: 265/65/R18, DOT number: 1M6C8JT1R. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the TPMS indicated a low tire pressure. The driver pulled over and noticed that the passenger’s side rear tire was low. The vehicle was taken to a tire shop, and it was determined that the tire damaged and the lock was missing. The mechanic located a pair of pliers between the rim and tire. The tire was replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The tire and vehicle failure mileages were unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11709841

Dec 30, 2025Engine

Upper radiator hose leaks where it connects to radiator. 40k miles and my truck has no coolant

NHTSA ODI 11707894

Dec 22, 2025

I am reporting a driver distraction safety issue involving the infotainment system in my 2024 GMC Canyon. The vehicle displays a mandatory “Focus your attention on driving” warning every time the vehicle is started, requiring user acknowledgment. When using the built-in Google Maps navigation without subscribing to GM’s paid Connected Services plan (while tethering to a personal cellphone hotspot instead), the system displays a modal warning stating that a connected services subscription is required. This warning appears whenever cellular connectivity is briefly interrupted, even for a few seconds (such as when driving through a known cellular dead spot). The warning overlays the navigation screen and requires the driver to manually press a “Dismiss” button to continue, even while the vehicle is in motion, requiring the driver to take their eyes off the road to focus on pressing the dismiss button. This behavior creates a safety contradiction: The system warns drivers to focus on driving, then forces manual interaction with the touchscreen during active driving. The interruption is triggered by transient network conditions, not driver action. The behavior does not occur if the driver pays for GM’s subscription service, indicating it is a business-rule enforcement rather than a technical or safety requirement. The repeated appearance of this warning during normal driving conditions constitutes an unnecessary and avoidable distraction. It diverts attention from the road and navigation, increasing risk rather than reducing it. I believe this design violates established human-factors safety principles by introducing nonessential driver interaction during vehicle operation and should be reviewed as a potential safety defect related to driver distraction. We just got home from a trip to West Texas and had to press the dismiss button no less than 100 times while driving through areas with marginal/intermittent cell service. It's a huge driver distraction.

NHTSA ODI 11706486

Nov 7, 2025Speed controlEngineFuel system

I've noticed an issue since I picked up my vehicle from its last service where the RPMs stay around 1,000 when I let off the gas and should be coasting. The vehicle will continue to accelerate at 11 to 13 mph, and I really have to mash the brake pedal to stop. There is an update notice that popped up starting yesterday, but it will not install. Looks like the update is for the issue I am having. The update was supposed to be installed already per the service bulletin. Update number is N242452130

NHTSA ODI 11698266

Oct 15, 2025Engine

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was rattling abnormally. The check engine warning light was briefly illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the vehicle was test-driven; however, the failure was not identified. The failure reoccurred, and the vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer, where it was diagnosed as needing a rear intermediate steering shaft, and a retest was performed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer, where the vehicle remained under investigation. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,491.

NHTSA ODI 11693569

Oct 13, 2025Engine

2024 GMC Canyon Elevation trim 4x4 with 31,000 miles on it always had maintenance every 5k interval. I noticed an upper radiator hose leak significant enough to require a decent amount of coolant and decided to take it in to GMC to get it repaired. Mind you this repair is almost $1,000 to get repaired with the hose itself only costing $148. It's disappointing to have such a new truck and have these kinds of problems and upon research there seems to be several others with the same problem relating to an O ring in the upper radiator hose. Considering the truck is routinely serviced more frequently than required I see this as an issue for someone to run out of coolant and possibly be stranded on the side of the road if gone unnoticed and needs to be properly addressed asap.

NHTSA ODI 11693216

Sep 30, 2025Brakes

16,000 miles driven and my replace brake sensor light came on the dashboard. I took it in to get looked at and was told the Front Drivers Side has 1 brake pad showing a life of 5 while my other pads all showed a life of 9/10. I was told that most likely something stuck inside the brake pad itself causing it to wear unevenly but I don't drive anything but highway and paved roads. I looked around other forums and multiple others are complaining of the same issue. I contacted GM and they told me brakes are a wear item. The dealer told me they aren't sure how it happened, but this isn't right to be replacing brakes on a brand new vehicle I've only driven for 10 months. Multiple others are saying the same thing in GM/Colorado forums.

NHTSA ODI 11690532

Sep 29, 2025Brakes

Break monitors for front breaks have dislodged and caused damage to rotors and pads. Dealer claims this is normal wear! Breaks shimmy when breaking in all directions and squeak when backing. I travel to my work requiring mountain passes during inclement weather. The most important safety method while traveling on snow and ice is smooth steering, acceleration and breaking. With my font breaks shimmying, I am concerned for my safe control of the vehicle. Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

NHTSA ODI 11690400

Sep 25, 2025Electrical system

Infotainment system audio not working. Have performed hard reset, dealer reset, dealer service, and still audio is intermintant at best. more than 75% of the time I have no audio or sound at all. No raidio, no sxm, no bluetooth, no onstar. This is a safety issue and there does not appear to be a repair bulletin, and dealships dont know what to do.

NHTSA ODI 11689651

Sep 19, 2025Visibility & wipers

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at an undisclosed speed under sunny conditions, light entering through the windshield reflected off the chrome trim around the instrument panel and caused distortion and lines in the driver's side and driver’s mirror, creating a visibility hazard. The contact added that the glare disappeared when the windows were rolled down. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was operating normally. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,604.

NHTSA ODI 11688508

Aug 25, 2025BrakesDriver assistance

Vehicle brakes stopped working while driving. Dash board lit up and stated system brake failure. Also stated “do not exceed 43mph”

NHTSA ODI 11682905

Jul 24, 2025Brakes

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Canyon. While the contact’s son was driving approximately 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to slow for a traffic signal and the brake pedal was stiff. The contact stated that his son needed to use force to depress the brake pedal. There were several unknown warning lights on the instrument cluster. The contact stated that the phone app showed a failure with the ABS. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer. The dealer was not able to duplicate the failure and cleared the codes from the warning lights but provided no information on the fault codes. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.

NHTSA ODI 11675992

Jul 22, 2025Electrical system

The Driver Information Center located directly in front of the driver that contains the speedometer, tachometer, oil pressure...etc., has a very distracting background. The background is a geometric patterns of triangles giving a sense of depth. This is very distracting especially at night. Quick looks to see speed, engine temperature or other critical vehicle information is complicated by this unnecessary aesthetic background. I reported this problem and it can be located here: [XXX] I've been advised to mail via USPS my concern to The Office of Defect Investigation Team which I will do today. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11675350

Jul 10, 2025Engine

Propulsion of vehicle. Truck lost power as I was trying to pull into traffic at an intersection. Yes, it was confirmed by the dealer; truck was returned after 3 incidents. GM has been inspected the truck. Yes: check engine light immediately came on, and a comment then stated onscreen: "caution. Your vehicle has lost power and is operating at a reduced capacity". First occasion, truck was approx 6 months old. Second was 1 month later. Third and dangerous incident occurred June 11th 2025. Dealer keeps saying the truck is OK. Failure to propel keeps happening. Service supervisor tells me truck needs a new module, but GM won't approve it. Truck is still at the dealer, and issue has been escalated twice. Truck still at dealer.

NHTSA ODI 11672439

Jun 10, 2025

The vehicle does not have a manual switch for the headlight control. The only way to control the headlights is through the digital control interface on the infotainment console panel. The headlight controller button is so small that a person has to take their eyes off the road for a long time making it a very unsafe condition. If a deer was in your lane you could not turn your lights on and off quick enough to maybe un shine the deer so in would move while honking your horn. It is just totally unsafe as a hole when you’re not looking down the road while driving. If you had the switch you can always feel around for it much safer than taking your eys off the road while driving.

NHTSA ODI 11666012

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Working with the data? Download all 204 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2024 GMC Canyon verdict →