Selling a broken or junk GMC Canyon

Even a Canyon that won't steer right, shift or start has a buyer. We buy whole non-running and junk cars. You sell the whole car as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

Canyon owners had sent NHTSA these complaints as of October 10, 2026. A recall's vehicle total counts the full campaign, and most Canyon recalls take in the Chevrolet Colorado as well.

Problems by generation

First generation, 2004-2012: 391 complaints

Wikipedia calls the first Canyon a compact pickup built from October 2003 to August 2012 at Shreveport Assembly in Louisiana, on the GMT355 platform it shared with the Hummer H3. The engines it lists are a 2.8-liter four, a 2.9-liter four and a 3.5-liter five-cylinder, with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed 4L60-E automatic.

The electrical system is the most-named item on most of these years. On the 2004 and 2005, structure complaints lead or come close (15 of 80, then 13 of 113).

Brake lights got two campaigns. Recall 06V139 (2004-2006) replaced brake lamp switches that could leave the lamps dead or stuck on; it lists 404,733 pickups. Recall 09V310 went back to 2004-2009 trucks, 185,903 of them across the Colorado, Canyon and Isuzu i-Series. Other first-generation campaigns:

• 12V594 (2010-2012): owners told to check for a secondary hood latch; 118,800 Colorado and Canyon trucks.
• 10V575 (2004-2011): regular and extended cabs without a rear seat, where dealers cut access to the center top tether.
• 11V337 (2011): automatics with the 2.9 or 3.7 engine got a new transmission adjustment clip.
• 11V007 (2011): a new rear axle cross pin. Its 30,566 count spans the Escalade, Silverado, Savana, Yukon and others.

Wikipedia notes the US production gap that follows: 2003-2012, then 2014 on. NHTSA's file has no 2013 or 2014 Canyon.

Second generation, 2015-2022: 761 complaints

The Canyon came back as a mid-size pickup built at Wentzville Assembly in Missouri. Wikipedia lists a 2.5-liter Ecotec four and a 3.6-liter V6, with 6-speed or 8-speed automatics.

Steering dominates the first two years. Recall 21V213, filed in March 2021, covers 2015 trucks where power steering assist can be lost through a poor electrical connection in the steering gear; dealers replace the torque sensor cover. The 2016's 163 steering complaints aren't covered by that campaign as listed. The 2015 also shows 35 complaints about electronic stability control.

The 2015 has eight campaigns in all, including 15V278 for front brake calipers that could leak and 15V267 for seat hooks that might not be secured. By 2017 and 2018, the power train leads instead (15 of 66, then 23 of 52). Counts fall off after that: 43 complaints across 2019 to 2021.

Third generation, 2023 to today: 284 complaints

Wikipedia says production began in January 2023 at Wentzville, with 2.7-liter turbo four-cylinder engines and an 8-speed 8L80 automatic.

The 2024 has 206 complaints, and 150 of them name exterior lighting. Recall 24V673 covers 2024 Canyons whose headlights may flicker; dealers replace a module in the headlight. That notice names only GMC Canyon trucks, 13,241 of them. Recall 24V133 covers 2023 trucks whose front camera can falsely see an obstacle and trigger automatic emergency braking; dealers update the software. Recall 24V491 checks the fuel pump lock ring on 2024s. These are recent trucks, and their totals keep growing.

Complaints and recalls by model year

Campaigns often span several years, so the column doesn't sum to 31. This page describes only some of the 31.

Fix it or sell it?

1. Check open recalls first. A 2015 with heavy steering, or a 2024 with flickering headlights, may have a free dealer fix waiting. Use NHTSA's lookup, and see selling with an open recall.
2. Electrical gremlins on an older truck? The electrical problems guide explains when the hunt isn't worth paying for.
3. Shifting problems on a 2017-2018? Read bad transmission, then weigh a written quote against the price of a running Canyon with similar year and miles.

Selling your Canyon whole

1. Have the VIN, mileage and cab style (regular, extended or crew) ready, plus what's wrong.
2. Ask for an offer online or at (877) 421-6008.
3. Tell us where the truck is and whether it rolls. Free pickup anywhere in the US.
4. Don't strip it. Wheels, tailgate and catalytic converter stay on.
5. Sign over the title to the driver, with your ID in hand. Still making payments? See still owe on the loan.

More GMC pickups: the Sonoma that came before it, the Sierra 1500 and the Sierra 2500HD.