10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
24,597 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 GMC Canyon engine problems

engine problem

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2016 GMC Canyon Owner Comments

problem #18

Feb 012024

Canyon

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

At approximately 92k miles the diesel High Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) failed, all internal seals were disintegrated (technician's verbage). This is apparently a common problem (but no recall was ever issued), which can lead to premature engine failure due to sending foreign material into the engine. This pump was replaced, however the new pump failed, after 2 days, and required replacement again, May 2023. The total cost for this was $6200. At 100,450 miles my engine blew up while driving, 01 Feb 2024. There is a very good chance that when the HPFP pump had failed, 10 months earlier, it in fact send foreign material into the engines cylinders which might have led up to this catastrophic failure. Fortunately, I was on a rural street travelling at about 20 miles an hour, and not on the highway travelling at 70 miles an hour, like I was 10 minutes before this happened. When the engine blew it sent pieces of cast iron flying out the bottom of the truck, on a highway this could have seriously damaged vehicles travelling behind me. When it blew I also lost all 'propulsion', the truck immediately began coasting to a stop, had this happened at high speeds it would have been extremely dangerous because without the engine running the brakes lose pressure, plus the oil leaking out could have caused a loss of traction. From what I have found, while researching online, these 2.8l diesel engines have a fairly high failure rate (often being referred to as "a bomb just waiting to explode"), especially the HPFP, which might be part of the reason the General Motors discontinued using this engine in 2022. I feel that a recall should be done on all current 2.8l Duramax engines to do a complete inspection and replace all suspect components, as well as to reimburse those of us who were placed in harms way when our engines blew up on the road, due to GM's neglect.

- Clayton, NC, USA

problem #17

May 142022

Canyon

  • miles
1 inch section of magnetic strip GLUED to outer rim of reluctor rim broke off. For an item that sees such a high rate of speed, gluing anything to the outside is piss poor engineering.

- Titusville, FL, USA

problem #16

Nov 262021

Canyon

  • miles
Alert for emissions control malfunction.

- Savannah, MO, USA

problem #15

Apr 302021

Canyon 4WD 4-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Have had truck in shop several times, currently in the shop and has been there for almost 3 weeks nobody seems to know what the problem is. Vehicle losses power and goes into a limp mode. Temperature gauge keeps failing, exhaust break does not work, ac cuts out often and does not work often, keeps trying to clean exhaust filter over and over again and again.

- Phoenix , AZ, USA

problem #14

Apr 072021

Canyon 6-cyl

  • miles
GM case #[xxx]; GM recall bulletin: 15595A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration campaign id for recall: 16V054 GM issued a recall bulletin related to a defect in certain 2015 GMC Canyon trucks due to loss of power steering due to a poor electrical connection within the torque sensor harness connector. This presents a greater risk of a crash and a safety concern. My name is [xxx] and I own a 2016 GMC Canyon VIN #[xxx]. my stability track indicator came on and my power steering stopped working. I took my vehicle into a GM dealer and was charged $180 to diagnose the problem. I was told due to low voltage the recommendation was a new battery. The battery was replaced costing me an additional $140. The next day, the stability track indicator came on and my power steering stopped working again. I took it into the GM dealer again and was told this time there was an issue with my torque sensor which is the same issue in the recall bulletin #15595A for the 2015 trucks related to power steering. Concerned and frustrated, I called GM and was issued with the aforementioned case #. I was told someone would call me, which no one did. The dealer then informed me that GM would cover 80% of the cost still leaving me with a bill of $734! I wrote this compliant to GMC for several reasons and including NHTSA due to the safety issue. This is obviously the same issue being experienced in the 2016 trucks not just the 2015 trucks. I am bringing attention to this issue as this issue may constitute a recall needed for the 2016 which hasn't been done. This is not only concerning as the issue presents risk of a crash, a safety concern and owners like me having to incur out of pocket expenses. I am requesting an investigation into my issue and for GMC consideration of reimbursement of $734 in addition to $320 out of pocket expenses. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- La Mirada, CA, USA

problem #13

Feb 112021

Canyon

  • 101,800 miles
My wife and I were traveling at approximately 55 miles an hour when all dash lights nav system gauges etc. Turned off. It was as if I turn the ignition off. Then it turned itself back on and seem to function normally. The vehicle had a similar problem previous to this and there was a recall performed on it recently. Also this vehicle is supposed to get close to 30 mpg and now the best I can get is 21 mpg. It has had a rough idle and shut down on me several timesduring the last few years. I feel like this vehicle is unsafe and GMC should be held accountable. I bought this vehicle because I wanted good fuel economy from a diesel and that is not the case. This vehicle has had a number of major issues and numerous recalls but none have addressed the vehicle shutdown. I have read multiple accounts of owners nearly getting killed when their vehicle randomly shuts off while driving. The vehicle seems unsafe and I feel they misrepresented the fuel economy of the diesel engine.

- Occidental, CA, USA

problem #12

Nov 202020

Canyon

  • 49,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle frequently shuts off during braking or while stopped and must be restarted before the vehicle can operate again. Vehicle experiences violent gear changes and significant lagging during periods of moderate acceleration at low speeds. Gear changes result in either severe unresponsiveness and a general lack of acceleration or an aggressive gear change that jerks the vehicle and spins the tires.

- Harvest, AL, USA

problem #11

Oct 142019

Canyon 6-cyl

  • 47,216 miles
The contact owned a 2016 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that on 10/14/2019, while braking to make a right turn into the GMC dealership (brown & brown AT1550 E drivers way, gilbert, AZ 85297, (480) 835-0900) for routine maintenance, the vehicle lost power and the power steering was disabled making steering very difficult. This occurred again before arriving at the service entrance. The contact stated that multiple warning lights were illuminated both times. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact was informed that a software update needed to be performed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the initial failure. The approximate failure mileage was 47,216. See invoice attachment. He second failure occurred on 9/16/2020 while the driver was slowing down to make a right turn. The vehicle lost power and there was a loss of steering assist making steering very difficult. The contact stated that multiple warning lights were illuminated both times. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the problem occurred again that day. On 9/17/2020, the vehicle was tolled to henry brown Buick GMC located at 1550 E drivers way, gilbert, AZ 85297, (480) 835-0900. The second failure mileage was 55,468. The problem could not replicated or identified. See invoice attachment. The contact sold the vehicle on 9/29/2020.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

problem #10

Apr 292016

Canyon

  • 2 miles
The throttle and transmission feel as though they were separately developed for two different vehicles and just randomly matched in the truck. The accelerator is very non-linear and unresponsive. Then the transmission is constantly in the wrong gear. This truck is a nightmare to drive in traffic or on windy hilly roads. You have to constantly guess where your foot should be to get any kind of stability or acceleration from the truck. If you are trying to pull out in traffic you better be prepared to have a lot of room because it might just shake and shutter before finding a gear and actually accelerating. This is dangerous and I find it odd that there havent been collisions attributable to this. If anyone from GM is reading this, know this will be the last GM product I ever buy. Either you dont know how to engineer a vehicle, or you simply just dont care about your customers. Im guessing the latter.

- Desoto, MO, USA

problem #9

Mar 012019

Canyon 6-cyl

  • 37,000 miles
When trying to accelerate vehicle studders and has no power until more gas is applied. Vehicle changes gears way to fast causing you to have to apply more acceleration. Vehicle doesn't downshift causing you to also have to apply more acceleration to gain speed. Serious safety hazard.

- Tuscumbia, AL, USA

problem #8

Feb 262020

Canyon

  • 30,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Traveling down city street approx 35mph vehicle unexpectedly shut off, dash went dark but infotainment system continued to work. Loss of all power. Brakes shuttered when attempting to come to a stop. Put the vehicle in park, turned it off, and back on. Vehicle drove normally after that.

- San Francisco, CA, USA

problem #7

Jul 032019

Canyon

  • 50,000 miles
Front passenger side floor-carpet and floor boards wet, engine light on, intel link computer failed had to reboot took to dale earnhardt tallahassee fl they fixed the engine light it was the purge valve and it had shorted out, they stated that we would need to take to a body shop as the leak is coming in at the bottom of the A-pillar filling up and then streaming out of a "christmas tree hole at bottom of fuse box on right side. This happens anytime anywhere driving or stationary when it rains. We just purchased this truck on 04/02/2019. 45,710 miles they said they would not fix it we had to take it to a autobody shop.

- Crawfordville, FL, USA

problem #6

May 252019

Canyon

  • 51,012 miles
The stability track light comes on and the check engine light comes on and the car reduces its speed to 25 mph on the highway very dangerous very scary the dealer cannot seem to fix the issues and find the problems

- Bradenton, FL, USA

problem #5

Jan 072019

Canyon

  • 35,056 miles
Vehicle ignition key can not be removed and it does not stay in park. Vehicle can crash causing injuries and property damage vehicle has about 35000K miles under warrenty and GMC refuses to do any thing about it.

- Greenwood, SC, USA

problem #4

Aug 042018

Canyon 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 22,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Canyon. While driving 65 mph, the RPM meter increased from 1,000 to 4,000 and the vehicle failed to decelerate or accelerate. The vehicle slowed down after being shifted into neutral and was able to function properly. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to diamond hills Chevrolet Buick GMC (4545 w ramsey St, banning, ca 92220, (866) 220-9099), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle back to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The failure mileage was 22,000. Consumer stated I spoke with tiffany at GMC. She informed me that they would do nothing and any further tests would be at my expense. The first time it happened it was a very dangerous situation. I had just passed a car on a 2 lane hwy (ca 395) when the engine froze. The car I passed had to apply its brakes to keep from hitting me. Updated 10/19/18

- Beaumont, CA, USA

problem #3

Apr 162017

Canyon

  • 2,667 miles
I purchased a GM 2016 Canyon in October, 2016 and had driven it nearly six months when the event decribed here occurred. Up until April 16, 2017, I had had no problems with the truck. However, on easter Sunday afternoon, while attempting to slow my Canyon down and preparing to stop at a stop light, the engine seemed to go forward of it's own volition and the truck did not respond to my efforts to bring it to a complete stop. Consequently, my vehicle struck the vehicle immediately in front of it. A subsequent internet search revealed that a technical safety bulletin issued by GM in September of 2016 described this event as having occurred to 2016 Canyon diesel engines. My vehicle has a gasoline engine; nonetheless the condition was described in the bulletin (tsb 16-na-276) as: "some customers may comment on a shudder at low speeds, an idle surge when stopped or approaching a stop." This idle surge describes exactly what happened to my vehicle as I was attempting to slow down and stop at a red light. Although there was no damage done to my vehicle, the officer who investigated the accident would not let us drive our vehicle until it had been examined and evaluated by our local GM service department. The service personnel adamantly maintained then (and now) that the accident did not happen as I described it. I had to contact GMC customer care center to have 15 minutes worth of diagnostics done per computer, esp the engine control module. The tsb states: "if you encounter a vehicle with the above concern, reprogram the engine control module with the latest calibrations." Luckily, the gentleman at the customer care service was able to intervene and have the engine control module evaluated and documentation that there were no problems with it or any other "control modules" provided to us by our local GM service department.

- Evans, GA, USA

problem #2

Mar 022017

Canyon

  • 13,000 miles
I purchased a 2016 GMC Canyon in July 2016. I noticed hesitation when I accelerate, especially when in traffic, going uphill or rounding corner. I researched many forums and found the transmission has a learning period where it does this and adapts to your driving, normally within the first 1000 miles. However, it has been 13,000 miles later and almost a year, and it continues to have this hesitation as bad if not worse than it did initially. GMC has checked it out, gave it a test drive and said it shows no codes so they offer no help. All of my passengers notice this hesitation when it happens. The best way to describe this hesitation is when you push the gas, the truck acts like it doesn't want to go and it becomes shakey. In situations where I'm merging onto traffic, this could be dangerous, as I have had to floor it to make it accelerate. For a new vehicle, this is unacceptable and I felt safer in my 2001 Sierra than I do in this. The fact that GMC will not offer any way to fix this adds to the frustration. No matter what they say, it is not normal for a vehicle to do this.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #1

Sep 052016

Canyon

  • 4,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Canyon. While driving 55 mph, the check engine indicator illuminated without warning. In addition, the brakes engaged without warning and without the assistance of the driver. The vehicle decreased to speeds of 20-30 mph. The contact could not accelerate beyond 30 mph. In addition, oil leaked onto the exhaust manifold and created a burning odor. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.

- Harvard, IL, USA

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