Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 GMC Canyon owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
On [redacted] at approximately 5:30p, I was driving normal highway speed when I saw what I thought was exhaust trailing behind. There were NO dash warning lights, engine temperature showing normal range, car was performing normally. I pulled over to shoulder, turned off car, released the hood latch. My husband tried to open hood but it was too hot. We then realized it was smoke coming from under hood, not exhaust. Smoke began to come inside car through vents. I quickly exited the car, and within a minute the entire front end engine area was engulfed in flames. 911 was called, fire, police, highway patrol responded. Fortunately there was no injury to myself or husband. There was also concern of starting a brushfire risk here in SoCal, but it was all extinguished thoroughly. Truck was towed to Al's Towing, 475 W Vermont Ave, Escondido CA 92025, ph [phone]. …
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that the headlights failed to activate automatically. Additionally, one of the phone charger ports had become inoperable. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. A message advising that the power steering was inoperable and to drive carefully was displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering functionality returned. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH after the power steering failure, the vehicle was pulling to the right. The dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. …
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that after arriving to his destination, he became aware that the ignition switch would not release the key. After restarting the vehicle and then turning the vehicle off, the contact was able to remove the key, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 50,000.
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that while the gear shifter was in park(P), the contact was unable to be removed from the ignition. The contact was able to remove the key after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,223.
The malfunction is: no power, no crank, no electricity at all, can not use key fob to lock/unlock, radio does not work, dash does not work, literally 0 lights 0 power when key is in ignition to and turning to start or when key is not in ignition. The positive battery terminal also overheats to extreme temps which caused my dad a 3rd degree burn since positive terminals should never be hot. Dates of malfunction that have left me stranded 7/16, 8/3, 8/5, 8/11, 8/12, 8/28. I have video evidence of the malfunction on each of those dates. The way we got it to fix is by banging on the battery. on 8/12 I brought the truck to the dealership because I banged on the battery I got error codes- Engine Power Reduced, and Stabilitrak Offline. The engine was shaking very badly, I have video. …
Purchased this vehicle brand new and paid extra for Nav and a backup camera as I am a disabled Veteran! Currently have 32000 miles or so as i don't drive that much. No other lights or warnings came up before the following happened. Recently the radio stopped playing and the infotainment system went blank. It occasionally pops up a screen that says waiting on update, other than that it stays blank most of the time. The backup camera comes on intermittently but not always when backing up, maybe 1 out of every 5 times. Also the bluetooth went dead since this all started. As a disabled Vet I depend on the backup camera and built in Navigation so this is an issue! Called the dealer and 3 other radio and entertainment car stores and they stated this is a know issue and would cost around $1000 to $1200 to replace the HMI 2.5 module behind the dash which is the known issue. …
Power steering and StabiliTrack warning pops-up randomly and cuts off power steering assistance while I'm driving on the highway or on country roads. The power steering is very hard to maneuver. However, when it's safe to do so, I have to pull over on a safe place and have to restart my truck twice, in order to regain power steering. I have taken it to an independent mechanic and to a Chevy dealership on Merced. The dealership service tech informed me that in order to service the vehicle and find the code that is making this issue, that I would have to continue driving the truck and bring it in to the dealership with the power steering and StabiliTrack warning. According to the technician, they can't do much due to that they don't know what is causing the power steering to malfunction. …
I am the owner of a 2016 GMC Canyon truck, which i purchased used in approx 2020 with about 43,000 miles on it...today's date is now 1/5/25 and the truck has approx 99,0000 mile on it. Over the last 2 years the electronic stability control has failed approx 20 times. A warning light appears on the dash stating the failure of the power steering and the stabilitrac. When this happens steering the truck and be extremely difficult and I am forced to pull off the road. Usually when the truck is turned off for a short while and then turned back on the problem will fix itself, but only for a few minutes or hours and the problem reoccurs. Last week I took the truck to a GM dealer and had the steering angle sensor recalibrated..which fixed the problem for 1 month. Now it is failing again! …
When I put my GMC Canyon into park, the key will not release from the ignition. This does not happen every time, but it is a recurring problem. I first had the issue back on April 6, 2018 and the dealer "fixed" the issue. Three weeks later, April 27, 2018, I had the same issue. This time the dealer replaced the "shift control assembly". The truck was still under warranty so there was no financial burden on me. Then on September 2, 2020 the same issue happened and the shift control assembly had to be replaced again. This time the truck was not under warranty and it cost me $688.72. Now August 2022 the key is not releasing from the ignition once again. This is the 4th time for the same issue. I believe GMC needs to recall this part and come up with a fix that will work.
At random the power steering and traction control turn off making it difficult to drive.. This happens randomly and has become unable to steer. Once the vehicle is turned off for a period of time you can start it up and the steering returns. The issue was reported in the 2015 models. That recall needs to extend into the 2016 models since most of the parts were most likely manufactured tot eh same specs as the 2015. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent repair shop. The dealership wanted $200 for just the diagnostics. Every time this happens it becomes very difficult to drive and is a safety issue. The issue first appeared 2 months ago and after the restart stopped. Then all of a sudden it seems to occur daily.
Electrical complaints in other Canyon years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2016 GMC Canyon?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the electrical system of the 2016 GMC Canyon, 14% of the model year's 271 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 GMC Canyon electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2016 GMC Canyon, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 GMC Canyon electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 35,000 miles, and 43% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.