2005 GMC Canyon Problems, Recalls & Reliability
146 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2005 GMC Canyon, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 37/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 52,980 miles.
Below average
Where 2005 sits among all Canyon years
What owners report
“Air conditioning stopped working on fan positions 1,2, and 3 and works only on 4. Eight pages of complaints indicated that faulty components were put into truck at factory and should be recalled: blower motor resistor, wiring harness and poor ground wire. Ac delco part 15-80521 one part requiring…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Canyon
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 106 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 52,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 32,660 and 85,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2011, CHEVROLET COLORADO, GMC CANYON, MODEL YEAR 2006, ISUZU I-280/I-350, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2008, I-290/I-370, REGULAR CAB VEHICLES AND EXTENDED CAB VEHICLES WITHOUT A REAR SEAT AND EQUIPPED WITH A FRONT 60/40 SPLIT…
Fix: DEALERS WILL CUT A HOLE INTO THE BACK PANEL TRIM COVER TO ALLOW ACCESS TO THE TOP TETHER ANCHOR FOR THE FRONT CENTER SEAT POSITION AND WILL PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION AS TO USE IN THE OWNER'S…
GM IS RECALLING 185,903 MODEL YEAR 2004-2009 COLORADO, GMC MODEL YEAR 2009-2004 CANYON, MODEL YEAR 2006 I-280, I-350, MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 I-290, AND I-370, PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, ARIZONA,…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE NECESSARY COMPONENTS AS SPECIFIED IN THE RECALL BULLETIN FREE OF CHARGE. GM ANTICIPATES THAT PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE BY JUNE 2010. A SPECIAL COVERAGE FOR…
CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS MAY EXPERIENCE THE PERMANENT LOSS OF BRAKE LAMP FUNCTION OR BRAKE LAMPS THAT ARE ILLUMINATED AT ALL TIMES. THE CENTER HIGH-MOUNTED STOP LAMP (CHMSL) IS AFFECTED IN BOTH INSTANCES. ALSO, IF EQUIPPED, THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL BECOME…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH ASSEMBLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 5, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 OR ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 09V310000.
Led to recall campaign 06V139000.
Technical service bulletins
657 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2005 GMC Canyon. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2005 Canyon TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2005 GMC Canyon reliable?
The 2005 GMC Canyon drew 146 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 37/100, scored against the model's worst year (2015).
What are the most common 2005 GMC Canyon problems?
The top reported problems for the 2005 GMC Canyon are electrical (37 complaints), brakes & stability (21), and engine (16).
At what mileage do 2005 GMC Canyon problems show up?
Owners most often report 2005 GMC Canyon problems around 52,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 32,660 and 85,000 miles.
Does the 2005 GMC Canyon have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2005 GMC Canyon. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.