Most common 2009 GMC Canyon problems
Share of the 27 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Canyon complaints by model year
Best Canyon years: 2011, 2012, 2019. Years to avoid: 2024, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2017. Compare all years →
2009 GMC Canyon recalls (3)
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.
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.
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,…
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.
Fuel system, gasoline
GM is recalling 27,188 my 2009 Cadillac escalade, escalade hybrid, escalade esv, and escalade ext; Chevrolet avalanche, suburban, tahoe, tahoe hybrid, and colorado; and GMC yukon, yukon hybrid, yukon xl, and canyon vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new fuel system control module free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2009. Owners May contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463 or at…
What 2009 GMC Canyon owners say
Electrical system
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Car will periodically and unpredictably not crank, fire or start. After attempting approximately 10 minutes later it will. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? One never knows circumstances in which they need reliable transportation. In my case I have elderly parents that can need me at any given time. In most cases it is an annoyance but due to the unpredictable factor anything could happen. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes but no codes were trapped in ECM Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No
I drive a 2009 GMC Canyon. When driving I've notice that when hitting a hard bump, sometimes turning or accelerating quickly whether on the highway or street, the truck shuts off causing the power steering and power brakes useless and very hard to apply. Sometimes this happens several times in the course of one trip and happens at a variety of different speeds. This is an ongoing problem. The icon for the theft deterrent appears. Then I have to quickly put the truck in neutral in order to restart the truck. The date below is the most recent day it has happened. This has become a very serious cause of concern for me and my family. I'm not sure if this is related to the ignition recall or any other recall. This problem happens mostly when I hit a hard bump in the road, again at various speeds. I've taken it to my mechanic, but he was unable to duplicate the problem. …
Fuel & propulsion system
Attempt to start the engine after sitting for a few hours in driveway, the engine starts then sputters and stalls as if not getting enough gas and attempts to die. After a few moments, it finally catches up and runs. Engine has stalled while sitting at traffic lighs several times. According to document id # 2274089--- #08411 product safety- hard start, no start, engine stall- replace engine control module- ( May 7, 2009) I have taken my vehicle to a GMC dealership several times in the past along with a copy of recall but they claim that it is a service bullentin and not a recall so they would not fix the problem. I took my vehicle to an independent gateway service dealership and told them the problem I was having with the engine stall. …
I was driving approx. 65 MPH in heavy traffic on the new york state thruway when I lost all power to my truck and was barely able to manuever off the road. I had my truck towed to my mechanic & was told that it was the fuel pump flow control module. Recall no. 08411 2009 GMC canyons were recalled because of this problem. The recall stated that the fuel system control modules have a condition in which an adhesive separation of the rtv seal between the seal and the housing May allow water to seep into the module. Water in the module could cause a short, illumination of the service engine soon light (which was on in my truck). Also the engine May be hard to start, May not start or May stall. If the vehicle stalls while it is moving, a crash May occur! This happened to me but I was fortunate enough to not crash and die. Like others my truck did not fall within the VIN #s. …
Transmission & drivetrain
I drive a 2009 GMC Canyon. When driving I've notice that when hitting a hard bump, sometimes turning or accelerating quickly whether on the highway or street, the truck shuts off causing the power steering and power brakes useless and very hard to apply. Sometimes this happens several times in the course of one trip and happens at a variety of different speeds. This is an ongoing problem. The icon for the theft deterrent appears. Then I have to quickly put the truck in neutral in order to restart the truck. The date below is the most recent day it has happened. This has become a very serious cause of concern for me and my family. I'm not sure if this is related to the ignition recall or any other recall. This problem happens mostly when I hit a hard bump in the road, again at various speeds. I've taken it to my mechanic, but he was unable to duplicate the problem. …
This incident has happened on several occasions. When taking off from a stopped position and going through the gears when accelerating quickly, the accelerator has stuck even when my foot is taken off of the pedal. This happens as I am shifting from first to second gear, when I take my foot off the gas then push in the clutch and shift gear and release the clutch, the computer does not respond to my foot coming off the throttle. The truck continues to accelerate even with my foot off of the throttle. The only way to stop the acceleration is to repeatedly tap the pedal until it releases. The first time this happened I thought that I might have inadvertently hit the cruise control but this is not the case. It seems that I need to allow approximately a one second delay from when I remove my foot from the throttle until I push in the clutch to avoid this situation. …
2009 GMC Canyon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.9L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 2.9L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 2.9L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 20 |
| 2.9L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 20 |
| 3.7L 5-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.7L 5-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 GMC Canyon a good car?
Based on 27 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Canyon rates better than average: 41% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Canyon at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 GMC Canyon?
The electrical system — 8 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (6) and transmission & drivetrain (5).
How many recalls does the 2009 GMC Canyon have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2009 GMC Canyon, the most recent from November 18, 2010 (child seat). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Canyon?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2012 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024, 2015, 2016, 2023 and 2017. See the full GMC Canyon years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 GMC Canyon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 55,000 miles; 50% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.