2016 GMC Canyon Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
I have not been in an incident yet, but when I slow down coming off the highway and try to come back up to traffic speed the the transmission bucks or shutters. Also when starting from a red light or stop sign the truck bucks or shutters very notable in 3-4-5th gear. I watched the tachometer and it shutters most of my drive. In all fairness, I have not brought it to the dealership yet. I see other people are having this problem with the Canyons and Colorado also. Please advise!
•Water coolant valve, and torque converter. •my Truck temp gage will fluctuate towards red line and back to normal. Torque converter caused my vehicle to shake, vibrate, slow accelerating, made it seem vehicle will shut off on highway or in heavy traffic. •I went to several mechanics, including the dealerships and they fixed my water coolant valve but issue persisted, the dealerships said my truck was running fine until I had requested to ride along with mechanic, that's when he guessed it would be torque converter. •has not been inspected, just test drove and replaced by mechanic •no lights indicated on dash board and I felt the shake and vibration around 08/01/2021 and reported to dealership. The water temp gage was reported back in Nov 2018 but the problem still persist.
TRANSMISSION CONSISTENTLY SHUDDERS WHEN ACCELERATING IN ALL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND SPEEDS, AND SOMETIMES GOES TO HIGHER RPMS WHEN ENGINE IS WARM AND RESTARTED. DEALER SAID THIS WAS NORMAL WHEN RECENTLY BROUGHT IN. IT WAS NOT SHOWING ANY CODES. DEALER SAID NOT TO KEEP 4X4 IN AUTO MODE. LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER RECEIVING TRUCK BACK FROM DEALER, A 4 WHEEL DRIVE WARNING MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED AND THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE OR AUTO. MESSAGE AND PROBLEM COMES AND GOES. SHUDDERING SHOULD NOT OCCUR AND KEEPING IN AUTO MORE DURING RAIN AND COLD WEATHER IS A SAFETY PRECAUTION THAT SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE.
VEHICLE HAS FREQUENT SLOW ACCELERATION WHEN ENTERING HIGHWAYS. I HAVE TO STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR HARD TO HAVE THE ENGINE PICK-UP SPEED, WHICH LEADS TO THE ENGINE OVER ACCELERATING. WHEN I SLOW DOWN ON SHARP ROAD TURNS AND ACCELERATE TO PICKUP SPEED THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING THE GEAR HARD (MAKING A THUMP SOUND). HAVE GONE TO DEALER AT MERCED GMC AND TURLOCK CHEVROLET. BOTH STATE CAR IS RUNNING THE WAY GMC MANUFACTURED IT.
SAG AND HESITATION WHILE SHIFTING,SEEMS TO GET STUCK OR NOT SURE WHAT GEAR TO BE IN.WHILE MAKING A TURN TRUCK HESITATES NO ACCELERATION AT 20MPH.SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN ABOUT GETTING REAR ENDED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC CANYON. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GAY BUICK GMC (3033 GULF FWY, DICKINSON, TX 77539, (832) 769-4378) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS INTENDED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE PLACED IN TRAILER MODE TO RECTIFY THE FAILURE IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD CAUSE A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE PICKS AND CHOOSES WHEN TO SPEED UP. I PRESS THE GAS PEDDLE DOWN AND HAVE TO WAIT A FEW SECONDS BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESPONDS. I HAVE NOTICED THE VEHICLE MAKING SOUNDS LIKE IT IS SPUTTERING ALMOST TO THE POINT TO SEIZING ALL TOGETHER.
TRANSMISSION HUNTS FOR GEAR WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE 25-40 MPH WHEN TRANSMISSION TEMP IS 120 DEGREES AND HIGHER IN SLOW AND GO DRIVING. LEADS TO DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MUST BE 'STOMPED' ON TO GET TRANSMISSION TO DOWNSHIFT. ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS ON WET ROADS WHEN REAR OF TRUCK CAN SWERVE WHEN ACCELERATING AND IN SLOW AND GO TRAFFIC HAVING TO PUSH HARD ON ACCELERATOR TO GO WHEN MANY CARS AROUND. GM KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND PUBLISHES PAPER STATING EXACTLY THE SYMPTOMS AND AND TELL DEALERS NOT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION OTHER THAN MAKING SOFTWARE UP TO DATE WHICH SOLVES NOTHING. NOT ALL GM TRUCKS AND EVEN CARS OF THIS YEAR ARE AFFECTED BUT YEARS BEFORE AND AFTER FOR DECADES HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE AS FOUND ON INTERNET FORUMS. CHANGING TO DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION FLUIDS AND EVEN CHANGING TORQUE CONVERTORS HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST BUT FOR 2015/2016 NO REMEDY IS OFFERED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON 1.5 YEARS SINCE NEW AND GETTING WORSE. BECAUSE OF LACK OF OUT OF SERVICE DAYS I DON'T THINK LEMON LAW APPLIES
MY TRUCK WILL I ENGAGE INTO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ALL BY ITSELF .ITS BEEN TO THE THE DEALERSHIP NINE TIMES AND I'M FEELING VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE.IF THIS VEHICLE GOES INTO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WHILE I'M ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IT COULD BE UNSAFE TO MY LIFE AND OTHERS THAT ARE DRIVING WITH ME.BUT THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT TAKING THIS PROBLEM VERY SERIOUSLY I THINK.THIS PROBLEM IS THIS GOING ON. REFERENCE NUMBER 11012598
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC CANYON. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD THEN SHIFT INTO GEAR EXTREMELY HARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RIMROCK GMC CADILLAC (LOCATED AT 840 SHILOH ROAD, BILLINGS, MT 59106 (406) 651-5000) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,635.
UNPREDICTABLE ACCELERATION LIMITS DRIVERS ABILITY TO SAFELY MERGE WITH TRAFFIC OR CHANGE LANES. VEHICLE CAN TAKE UP TO 3 SECONDS TO BEGIN ACCELERATION AFTER GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED AND THEN CAN SURGE UNPREDICTABLY. I HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE REPORTED IN GMC FORUMS BY OTHERS. GMC SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG.
TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE CONFUSED. IT WILL HESITATE DURING ACCELERATION AND SHIFT UP AND DOWN WHILE COASTING. MOST SLUGGISH SHIFTING OCCURS DURING LOWER SPEEDS. IT ALSO HAS A HABIT OF DOWNSHIFT TO LOW GEAR WHILE COASTING DOWNHILL. ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE FIGHTING WITH ITSELF!
SLOW AND GO DRIVING 20-40MPH AFTER COASTING AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE AGAIN THE TRANSMISSION BUCKS HESITATES TRYING TO FIND A LOWER GEAR. IT CAN'T DECIDE WHICH GEAR TO GO INTO AND JUST SPUTTERS AND CHUGS UNTIL I PUSH THE ACCELERATOR 1/2 WAY DOWN OR MORE THE FINDS ITS GEAR AND ROCKETS OFF. THIS TYPE OF DRIVING NOT SAFE AT ALL. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME SINCE PRACTICALLY NEW. GM CLAIMS ITS NORMAL. BULLETINS TO NOT FIX ANYTHING EXCEPT UPDATE THE SOFTWARE. THAT DOESN'T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING. THIS IS A KNOWN GM ISSUE WITH COLORADOS AND CANYONS AND GM CHANGED TRANSMISSIONS FOLLOWING YEARS AND NO SUPPORT FOR 2015-16
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC CANYON. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER TRAIN AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED TO 4WD AND THE SERVICE 4WD WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (SOUTHERN GMC GREENBRIER LOCATED AT 1300 S MILITARY HWY, CHESAPEAKE, VA 23320; (757) 424-6380) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE 4WD ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER A FEW DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE THEY REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER A FEW DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER A FEW DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONNECTOR KIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER A FEW DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT 800-462-8782 AND ASKED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,883.
THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY, WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN FROM APPROX 40 TO 20 THEN STEP ON THE GAS THE TRUCK HAS A LONG HESITATION. IT IS VERY UNSAFE AND IS GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE TRUCK WANTS TO STALL OUT UNLESS YOU FLOOR IT.
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT ONTO A HIGHWAY FROM A STOP SIGN, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ENGAGE, WITH A 2-SECOND DELAY BEFORE ENGAGING AND ACCELERATING INTO THE TURN. AS A RESULT OF THE DELAY, I WAS NEARLY HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS VEHICLE MODEL, 2016 GMC CANYON, HAS A HISTORY OF NOT BEING IN THE PROPER GEAR WHEN STOPPED OR MOVING AT SPEEDS BELOW 3-5 MPH. THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED TO ME OVER 100 TIMES IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I NEARLY HAD A DANGEROUS COLLISION. GMC SHOULD CORRECT THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION NOT BEING IN THE PROPER GEAR FOR BEING STOPPED OR FOR EXTREMELY LOW SPEEDS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GMC CANYON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS HAVING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A LETTER RELATED TO THE ISSUE (PIP 5342A, DATED 12/21/2015). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250. ...UPDATED03/06/17 *BF *CN
NOTICED A FEW DAYS AFTER I BOUGHT THE TRUCK IT SEEMS THE TRANSMISSION NEVER KNOWS WHAT GEAR TO BE IN. YOU CAN TAKE OFF FINE BUT WHEN YOU TRY TO ADD A LITTLE SPEED, DOES NOTHING UNTIL A FEW MORE INCHES OF PEDAL IS APPLIED THEN IT ACCELERATES WAY TO FAST, ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO, COMING OUT OF U-TURN OR FREEWAY UNDERPASS, SEEMS TO BE STUCK IN 6TH GEAR, HAVE TO DANG NEAR FLOOR IT TO GET IT TO ACCELERATE , ALL THE WHILE FOLKS ARE TRYING NOT TO HIT ME FROM BEHIND SINCE I AM NOT MOVING VERY WELL. FREEWAY DRIVING, SAME ISSUES, SAY YOU ARE AT 60MPH AND TRAFFIC CLEARS AND YOU TRY TO ADD A LITTLE PEDAL TO GET TO 65-70, I HAVE TO PUSH DOWN 2-3 INCHES BEFORE ANYTHING HAPPENS. SAME WHEN DRIVING 30 THEN TRYING TO GO TO 45, SHUDDERS AND STUMBLES LIKE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLE WOULD IN 5TH GEAR @ 30MPH. YOU HAVE TO REALLY STAY ON THE GAS AND DRIVE HARD TO FOR IT TO DO ANY BETTER. I TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL ACCORDING TO GMC TECH SUPPORT. NOT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING 45 YEARS, MANY DIFFERENT CARS, AND THIS IS IN NO WAY NORMAL. IT IS NOT ONLY AGGRAVATING BUT QUITE DANGEROUS. FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN ONLINE, THIS IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT. SHOULD TAKE NO MORE THAN SOME RE-PROGRAMMING OF THE SHIFT POINTS AND THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. *TR
VEHICLE BOGS AND MISFIRES AT RPMS BELOW 2000 CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM. VEHICLE REFUSES TO ACCELERATE AT LOW RPM UNLESS IT DOWNSHIFTS. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET FINDS MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. I TEST DROVE A 2017 GMC CANYON AND IT EXHIBITED THE SAME ISSUES.
THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT DOWNSHIFT FROM A HIGH GEAR (5 OR 6) TO A LOWER GEAR WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM 45 MPH TO 20 MPH (OR LOWER). WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED TO ACCELERATE THE ENGINE BUCKS, VIBRATES, AND DOES NOT ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE RPM DROPS TO 1,000 RPM OR LOWER. IF THE ACCELERATOR IS QUICKLY FLOORED THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS SEVERAL GEARS LOWER AND JERKS FORWARD. THIS CONDITION HAPPENS PRIMARILY ON SECONDARY ROADS WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD AND WHEN PULLING FROM ONE ROAD INTO TRAFFIC ON ANOTHER ROAD. THE SITUATION WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE TRUCK DOES NOT ACCELERATE AS IT SHOULD.
TRANSMISSION HESITATES DRAMATICALLY BETWEEN SOME SHIFTS..LONG PERIODS WHERE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE IN NEUTRAL. TYPICALLY HAPPENS IN LOWER GEARS, SUCH AS BETWEEN 2 AND 3 GEARS. PRESSING ACCELERATOR THEM CAUSES A CLUNK INTO GEAR. ALSO, ON HIGHER SPEEDS, DOWNSHIFTS ARE SLOW TO OCCUR BUT THEN SEVERAL GEARS SEEM TO BE SKIPPED WHEN THE DOWNSHIFT FINALLY OCCURS, WITH SCREAMING ENGINE RPMS. THIS IS A 4 CYLINDER MODEL WITH 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANS.
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Quick Summary
The 2016 GMC Canyon has 21 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.