YearToAvoid

2006 GMC Canyon Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

44/100

#11 most-complained of 19 Canyon years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2006 GMC Canyon has 48 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 44 out of 100 — #11 highest of 19 Canyon model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is electrical system (19 complaints, 40% of the total). Complaints report 3 crashes, 2 fires, and 3 injuries.

Complaints
48
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
3 / 2
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
16 city / 21.5 hwy

Top 2006 GMC Canyon problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System19 (40%)
  2. Brakes11 (23%)
  3. Engine11 (23%)
  4. Structure & Body8 (17%)
  5. Fuel System6 (13%)
  6. Airbags4 (8%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (6%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers3 (6%)
  9. HVAC2 (4%)
  10. Other2 (4%)
2006 GMC Canyon complaints: complaints filed per month6Jun 2006Jul 2007Sep 2010Jan 2012Mar 2013Jun 2014Dec 2017Mar 2021
71 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jun 2006 to Mar 2025; peak Mar 2007 (6).

2006 GMC Canyon recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 10V575000Nov 18, 2010Other192,676 vehicles

    Child seat

    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 bench seat. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the top tether anchor for the front center seat is not accessible and the owner manual does not include instructions regarding how to use the top tether.

    Risk: Both NHTSA and gm discourage placement of a child in a front seat. Nevertheless, there are individual circumstances that may require placement of a child in a restraint in the front center seating position of this vehicle that does not offer a rear seat. Lack of access to the top tether anchor and a lack of instructions as to how to use it, may result in improper installation of a child restraint. Improper installation of a child restraint can result in a reduction in the restraint's performance in the event of a crash and an increased risk of injury or death to the child seated in the restraint.

    Remedy: 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 manual. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, isuzu at 1-800-255-6727 or visit gm's website at www.gmownercenter.com.

  2. NHTSA 09V310000Jul 29, 2009Electrical System185,903 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch

    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, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, nevada, new mexico, puerto rico, south carolina, texas, u.s. Virgin islands and utah. Some of these vehicles have a brake lamp switch that may not work as designed due to contamination in the switch.

    Risk: This condition could cause the simultaneous loss of all brake lamps or cause all of the brake lamps to stay on continuously. Both of these conditions could fail to warn others of the driver's intentions and could lead to a vehicle crash.

    Remedy: 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 vehicles registered in all other states will be implemented in the same time frame. In the interim, owners who experience the failure can obtain a free repair, however they will be required to return when the new design part becomes available. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, isuzu at 1-800-255-6727 or at www.gmownercenter.com.

  3. NHTSA 06V139000Apr 27, 2006Electrical System404,733 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch

    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 inoperative. Any trailer brake lamps which are connected to the vehicle's brake lamp wiring will mimic the vehicle's brake lamps when either condition occurs.

    Risk: A following driver may not know when the brakes have been applied, and a rear-end crash could occur without prior warning.

    Remedy: 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.

See all 4 recalls for the 2006 GMC Canyon →

2006 GMC Canyon fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
21.5 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2006 compared with other Canyon years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid78113318
2006Good4448418
2007Good3342318
2008Good2838218

All GMC Canyon years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 GMC Canyon a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 GMC Canyon ranks #11 of 19 among Canyon model years (Complaint Index 44/100, verdict: Good). It has 48 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 GMC Canyon?
The most reported problem areas are electrical system (19 complaints), brakes (11 complaints), and engine (11 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 60,000 miles.
Does the 2006 GMC Canyon have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2006 GMC Canyon, most recently reported 2010, covering other and electrical system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 GMC Canyon?
EPA rates the 2006 GMC Canyon at 18 MPG combined (16 city / 21.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,600. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.