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2016 GMC Canyon

GasDiesel
Small Pickup Trucks 2WD
8 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11
D
Safety Signal
61 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical4
Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA267
Crash ratingNHTSA overall4★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA25 mpg
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2016 GMC Canyon is sold in the U.S. as a gas and diesel pickup truck with 8 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Canyon 2WD, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 267 complaints, most often about the steering. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Canyon 2WDGasRWD2.5L 4-cyl192622$2,850
Canyon 2WDGasRWD2.5L 4-cyl202622$2,850
Canyon 2WDGasRWD3.6L 6-cyl182521$2,950
Canyon 4WDGas4WD2.5L 4-cyl192421$2,950
Canyon 4WDGas4WD3.6L 6-cyl172420$3,100
Canyon Cab Chassis 2WDGasRWD3.6L 6-cyl151716$3,900
Canyon 2WDDieselRWD2.8L 4-cyl turbo223025$3,600
Canyon 4WDDiesel4WD2.8L 4-cyl turbo202823$3,900

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 36592, 36593, 36594, 36605, 36606, 36600, 37119, 37125.

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Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical

Fuel System, Gasoline

18188 18268
895 vehicles
ProblemGeneral 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.RiskA damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.FixGM 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.
NHTSA campaign 18V358000reported May 31, 2018General Motors LLC
▲high

Air Bags

17387
16 vehicles
ProblemGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado, and 2016 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. The driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.RiskAn improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in a crash.FixGM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17387.
NHTSA campaign 17V621000reported Oct 5, 2017General Motors LLC
▲high

Air Bags

28030
1,579 vehicles
ProblemGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles manufactured January 19, 2016, to February 2, 2016, Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured January 9, 2016, to January 26, 2016, and 2016 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 21, 2016, to February 4, 2016. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.RiskAn improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury.FixGM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 28030.
NHTSA campaign 16V125000reported Mar 2, 2016General Motors LLC
▲high

Latches/Locks/Linkages

16370
8,763 vehicles
ProblemGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Colorado trucks manufactured August 25, 2015 to September 24, 2015, and GMC Canyon trucks manufactured August 28, 2015 to September 24, 2015. The affected vehicles have a console compartment lid latch assembly that may fail to keep the compartment door closed in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact."RiskIf the console compartment door does not remain closed in a crash, the contents stored in the console may strike the vehicle occupants, increasing their risk of injury.FixGM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the console compartment door latch assembly, free of charge. The recall began on January 5, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16370.
NHTSA campaign 15V807000reported Dec 1, 2015General Motors LLC

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
267complaints filed

8 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 4 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2016: 13 · 2017: 21 · 2018: 10 · 2019: 18 · 2020: 25 · 2021: 30 · 2022: 50 · 2023: 32 · 2024: 32 · 2025: 25 · 2026: 11

Most-cited components

Steering178
Power Train39
Electrical System37
Engine21
Unspecified19
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)13

What owners describe

“While driving, the power steering and stabillitrac warnings come on, and I lose power steering. When I stop, turn the vehicle off, and restart the vehicle, the power sterring returns. This has happened three times in the past week, ranging in speed from 5 mph to 65 mph.”Feb 7, 2022 · Steering · NHTSA owner report
“While driving my power steering warning light comes on and it is hard to turn the wheel. This has happened three times now on 1-3-22, 1-26-22, and 2-3-22. And I am just driving in town.”Feb 3, 2022 · Steering · NHTSA owner report
“On September 14, 2021, my 2016 GMC Canyon struck another vehicle from behind going approximately 55 MPH and the airbags did not deploy. Every mechanic and insurance adjuster has stated that the airbags should have deployed in this collision.”Dec 1, 2021 · Air Bags · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
PU/CC 4WD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆21%
PU/CC RWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆22%
PU/EC 4WD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆21%
PU/EC RWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆22%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Compare the 2016 Canyon with

2016 Toyota Tacoma →

Other Canyon model years

B

2026 GMC Canyon

2 recalls · 6 complaints

B

2025 GMC Canyon

2 recalls · 8 complaints

C

2024 GMC Canyon

3 recalls · 205 complaints

C

2023 GMC Canyon

3 recalls · 60 complaints

A

2022 GMC Canyon

1 recalls · 25 complaints

B

2021 GMC Canyon

2 recalls · 11 complaints

A

2020 GMC Canyon

0 recalls · 14 complaints

A

2019 GMC Canyon

0 recalls · 16 complaints

B

2018 GMC Canyon

1 recalls · 52 complaints

B

2017 GMC Canyon

1 recalls · 65 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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