Reliable Auto DB

2018 GMC Canyon reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2018 GMC Canyon holds 52 complaints after 9 years, a rate of 5 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Canyon years here — over the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Fuel pump.

2012 GMC Canyon
Photo by 42-BRT, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

52

Per year

5

Recalls

1

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (27 of 52), then Electrical system (10) and Engine (6). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Canyon has 66 complaints, 8 per year, and the 2019 has 16 complaints, 1 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 GMC Canyon. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall Fuel pump 2018-05-31 · NHTSA campaign 18V358000
Summary 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.
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.

Complaints by component (52 total)

Powertrain
27
Electrical system
10
Engine
6
Fuel and propulsion system
4
Steering
4
Exterior lighting
3
Air bags
2
Seat belts
2
Service brakes
2
Speed control
2
Diesel fuel system
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
Structure
1
Suspension
1
Show 7 more Show less
Crash-flagged

2

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

520182201982020620218202282023720242202562026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "On many occasions, over several years of ownership, ''NEW in 2018, the trans has had violent shift Problems. I could only find 1, ONE instance where a person was "injured'' by ANY of the GM 8L transmissions. My neck is…"
    Steering, Powertrain · filed 2026-07-30
  • "The truck have a bad shudder that can shake you off the road. They know about the issue because its been an issue with there vehicles. I have a 2020 colorado also with this dangerous issue."
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-06-26
  • "Crash on 5/5 rear ended car - airbags did not deploy . Received concussion and neck injury."
    Air bags · filed 2026-05-13
  • "The warning light is saying engine power reduced having to do with the DEF system"
    Speed control, Unknown or other, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-03-25
  • "This is a known problem with GMC and Chevy trucks, known as the Rumble. At approximately 45mph and up, the truck feels like it’s going over rumble strip and the back end is slipping. This causes the steering wheel and…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-02-21

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 GMC Canyon PU/CC 4WD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2018 GMC Canyon PU/CC RWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2018 GMC Canyon PU/EC 4WD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2018 GMC Canyon PU/EC RWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 3 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Canyon two-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 20 26 22 MPG $2950
Canyon two-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 20 26 22 MPG $2950
Canyon two-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 8-speed Rear-wheel drive 18 25 20 MPG $3250
Canyon two-wheel drive 2.8L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 22 30 25 MPG $3750
Canyon four-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 8-speed Four-wheel drive 17 24 19 MPG $3400
Canyon four-wheel drive 2.8L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Four-wheel drive 20 28 23 MPG $4100
Canyon four-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Four-wheel drive 19 24 21 MPG $3100
Canyon Cab Chassis two-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 8-speed Rear-wheel drive 15 15 15 MPG $4300

Specs and fitment

2nd generation, 2015–2022
Body styles Pickup
Oil dexos1 5W-30 (4-cylinder/V6 per manual) , 6 qt capacity
Tire size 255/65R17, 265/70R16, 265/60R18 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 7,700 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 18V-358 covers certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon trucks (with Colorado, Malibu, Acadia, and other GM models): the high-pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange and damage the high-pressure fuel line, creating a fuel-leak fire risk; dealers replace the pump and pipe. Campaign 17V-621 covers certain 2015-2016 Canyon and Colorado trucks where the driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment; dealers replace the driver frontal air bag module. Shared campaign unit counts cover multiple GM nameplates.

Compare

Previous year 2017 GMC Canyon Next year 2019 GMC Canyon See every GMC Canyon model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 GMC Canyon reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2018 GMC Canyon holds 52 complaints after 9 years, a rate of 5 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Canyon years here — over the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Fuel pump.

What are common problems with a 2018 GMC Canyon?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (27 of 52), then Electrical system (10) and Engine (6). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2018 GMC Canyon more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Canyon has 66 complaints, 8 per year, and the 2019 has 16 complaints, 1 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 GMC Canyon been recalled?

The 2018 GMC Canyon has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 GMC Canyon?

Owners have filed 52 complaints about the 2018 GMC Canyon with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 GMC Canyon get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 GMC Canyon is 20.9 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a GMC Canyon use?

US Canyon manuals specify dexos-approved oil for your engine in the maintenance schedule.

What generation is the 2024 GMC Canyon?

3rd generation (2023-on).

What tire sizes does a GMC Canyon use?

Sizes vary widely by generation and trim; third-gen examples include 265/65R18, 275/60R20, and 285/70R17.