2016 GMC Canyon Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
85/100
#3 most-complained of 14 Canyon years
The 2016 GMC Canyon ranks 3rd worst out of 14 model years, with a Complaint Index of 85 and 268 complaints. Steering problems dominate, making up 66% of complaints, with 4 recalls on file, giving it an overall Avoid verdict relative to other Canyon years.
- Complaints
- 268
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 8 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 4 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 21.5
- 19 city / 25.5 hwy
Top 2016 GMC Canyon problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Steering178 (66%)
- Transmission & Powertrain39 (15%)
- Electrical System38 (14%)
- Engine29 (11%)
- Brakes21 (8%)
- Other19 (7%)
- Fuel System10 (4%)
- Airbags6 (2%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (2%)
- Structure & Body2 (1%)
What owners report
- Electric power steering suddenly cuts out during turns, causing the truck to veer off the road and crash.
- Brakes engage on their own without driver input while driving at highway speed, cutting acceleration and triggering a burning odor from oil on the exhaust manifold.
- Ignition key gets stuck and won't stay in park, raising the risk of the truck rolling away unexpectedly.
- Driver airbag fails to deploy during a collision despite a direct impact.
- Radio, OnStar, and rear-view camera system cuts out after a short time running, disabling the backup camera.
- Smoke appears from under the hood during normal highway driving with no dashboard warning lights.
2016 GMC Canyon recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 18V358000May 31, 2018Fuel System895 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
Risk: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
- NHTSA 17V621000Oct 5, 2017Airbags16 vehicles
Air bags:frontal
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado, and 2016 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. The driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.
Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17387.
- NHTSA 16V125000Mar 2, 2016Airbags1,579 vehicles
Air bags:frontal
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles manufactured January 19, 2016, to February 2, 2016, Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured January 9, 2016, to January 26, 2016, and 2016 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 21, 2016, to February 4, 2016. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.
Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 28030.
2016 GMC Canyon fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 19 MPG
- Highway
- 25.5 MPG
- Combined
- 21.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,175
- 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.
2016 compared with other Canyon years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 GMC Canyon reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2016 Canyon ranks 3rd worst of 14 model years with a Complaint Index of 85. Steering issues account for 66% of its 268 complaints, making it one of the years to watch out for compared to other Canyon model years.
- What is the main problem with the 2016 GMC Canyon?
- Steering is the top problem area, with 178 complaints (66% share) and a median failure mileage of 62,000 miles. Several reports describe the electric power steering cutting out and causing crashes.
- Does the 2016 GMC Canyon have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2016 GMC Canyon, covering the fuel system, airbags, and a console door latch. None of these are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2016 Canyon compare to other years?
- The 2016 model has a Complaint Index of 85, worse than most other Canyon years except 2015 (92) and 2024 (100). Years like 2010, 2011, 2019, and 2020 rank as Best with much lower complaint counts.