2017 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
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the engine oil was changed several times, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the serial gateway module, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to a transmission specialist, who determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the transmission was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
2017 GMC CANYON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION SHUDDERING AND BUCKING. OCCASIONALLY, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT YET DISCOVERED A FIX.
After 5 years and 2 months of ownership of this vehicle, at ~52,000 miles it began to develop a shudder in the driveline, that I originally ascribed to an imbalanced rear wheel. After checking the rear wheels for balance, that cause was ruled out. I took the vehicle back to the GMC dealer where I had purchased it new. They claimed that the cause of the problem was a defective transmission fluid that somehow became contaminated with water. They offered to flush the entire transmission and install new 100% synthetic transmission fluid for a cost of $770. When I complained about a vehicle with 52,000 miles developing transmission problems the dealer consulted with GMC, and then agreed to flush and replace the allegedly defective fluid without cost. Upon further investigation, it appears as though the origin of the issue is not due to the nature of the fluid, but rather the use of an undersized torque convertor in this 8-speed transmission, which began in the 2017 model year. The smaller size and inadequacy of this torque convertor design is the root cause of this shudder, which not only has presented itself in the 2017 GMC, but also in corresponding GMC/Chevrolet models using the same transmission. The danger of a transmission failure can have catastrophic safety consequences for the driver, passengers as well as the motoring public, not to mention a very large transmission replacement charge for the owner. There is currently a Class Action lawsuit in the State of California for this notorious "Chevy Shake."
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Canyon. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond when the accelerator pedal was depressed; instead the vehicle would jerk forward. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had driven the vehicle to a local dealer, who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense. The manufacturer had been informed by the dealer of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
At highway cruising speed I am experiencing a shake or a shutter coming from the transmission.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC CANYON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL, THERE WAS A LOUD REVVING SOUND COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,994.
TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCES TORQUE CONVERTOR SHUDDER. WITH VERY HARD SHIFTS AT 5 AND 18 MPH. DEALER COMPLIED WITH BULLETIN 18-NA-355. HAD IMPROVEMENT IN SHIFT FOR A WHILE. THEN HARD SHIFT RETURN AT 5 AND 18 MPH. DURING DECELERATIONS THERE WOULD BE A SHUDDER. WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL WHEN REDUCING SPEED TRANSMISSION WOULD SHUDDER. RETURN TO DEALER, WHEN OIL PAN WAS REMOVED FOUND ALUMINUM CHIPS AND ONE METAL CHIP. DEALER REPLACE WITH REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. DROVE VEHICLE HOME. THEN WENT OUT AND DROVE THE VEHICLE UPON EXITING DRIVE WAY EXPERIENCE TORQUE CONVERTOR SLIPPAGE AT AROUND 12 MPH WITH ENGINE RPM GOING FROM 2000 TO 4000. CONTINUED TO DRIVE VEHICLE ONCE TORQUE CONVERTOR REENGAGED. CONTINUED DRIVING MADE COUPLE OF SHORT TRIPS IN TRAFFIC CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE BANGING IN DRIVE TRAIN. I BELIEVE THIS VEHICLE PUTS MY SAFETY AT RISK
THIS IS 2ND $40,000 CANYON I'VE BEEN TAKEN FOR! 1ST WAS 2016, AND TRANSMISSION WOULD TAKE OFF AFTER FLOORING IT, AS IT WOULD JUST 'LAY DOWN' AND SCARED THE WIFE SO MUCH, AND WOULDN'T DRIVE IT! HAD TO REPURCHASE AN 2017, WITH THE 8 SPD TRANS, AND EVEN WORSE! IT SHAKES AND SHUDDERS EVEN AFTER FLUID FLUSH, THEN NEW TORQUE CONVERTER! THEN WAS TOLD, THERE'S NOTHING MORE GM CAN DO FOR YOU!?? REALLY? NOW GM IS NOT RESPONDING TO MULTIPLE CALLS! $43,000 TRUCK REALLY? NEVER AGAIN, THESE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD! WAS PROMISED TO HAVE THIS RESOLVED THIS AFTERNOON,10-28-19, AND ONCE AGAIN NO RETURN CALLS! WILL SEEK REAL COUNCIL IN AM, AS GM RESOLUTION IS A JOKE! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME, GO STRAIT TO QUALIFIED FIRM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 GMC CANYON. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED AND VIBRATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KEY CHEVROLET (32 KEY AUTO DR, WHITE RIVER JCT, VT) WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS FLUSHED AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER TWO REPAIRED WHEN PULLING UT INTO TRAFFIC STILL HESITATE AND SHAKES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: [XXX]. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.*PM *TP 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'
THE GMC 2017 CANYON VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEED 60MPH TO 70MPH. THE 2ND DAY AFTER I BOUGHT IT TOOK IT ON LONG TRIP FOUND IT HAD VIBRATION PROBLEMS. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR TIRE BALANCE TWICE REPLACED FRONT WHEEL BEARING THEN TRANSMISSION FLUSH. THEN AFTER TRANSMISSION FLUSH HAD VIBRATION BETWEEN 40-45 THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. DUE TO VIBRATIONS OVER TIME THIS CONCERNS ME. FOR BEING STRANDED OR WORSE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT FROM SOMETHING COMING LOOSE. I`VE ALREADY HAD TO TIGHTEN UP MY SPARE TIRE. I BOUGHT THIS PICKUP FOR LONG TRIPS SINCE I`VE RETIRED. LIKE THE ONE MY WIFE AND I ARE GOING ON IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR. I ALSO FEEL IF THERE GOING TO SELL CRAP LIKE THIS THEY NEED TO PUT THE VIBRATION ISSUES ON THE ACCESSORY `LIST SO BUYERS WILL HAVE THE OPTION WHETHER TO BUY OR NOT. I WOULD HAVE NOT BOUGHT A $40,000.00 VIBRATOR!!!
TRANSMISSION BEGAN SHIFTING HARD. BEFORE LONG WHOLE TRUCK RATTLED WHEN SHIFTING. ALMOST A GRINDING SOUND. CHEVY DIAGNOSED TORQUE CONVERTER HAS GONE BAD. BACK ORDERED FOR 2 WEEKS.
2/12/2017 7:30AM STOPED @ 4 WAY STOP, STARTED ACROSS TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL, LEFT ME STUCK IN ROAD, COULD NOT GET TRANSMISSION TO ENGAGE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE,HAD TO PUSH OUT OF ROAD, TRIED SEVERAL MIN TO ENGAGE TRANSMISSION FAILED, CALLED AAA TO TOE BACK TO DEALER. DEALER KEPT 2 1/2 DAYS SAID COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM.
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Quick Summary
The 2017 GMC Canyon has 12 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.