Midsize pickups · 3 model years, 2015 to 2024
GMC Canyon vs Chevrolet Colorado: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Canyon looks better on 2 and the Colorado on 0, with 5 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2015 to 2024 | Canyon | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 1.9% | 2.8% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 0.8% | 1.4% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 2 | 2 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Canyon owners complain about most is steering, and it is the same for the Colorado. Complaints citing exterior lighting make up 21% of all Canyon complaints, against 1.4% on the Colorado. The Colorado leans the other way on steering: 62% of its complaints, against 53% for the Canyon.
GMC CanyonChevrolet Colorado
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Canyon is power steering loss (46% of its complaints), and the Colorado shares it (56%).
| Problem | Canyon | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Power steering cuts out or goes heavy | 46% 357most in 2015 · 67k mi | 56% 744most in 2016 · 63k mi |
| Headlights too dim or fail | 19% 148most in 2024 | 0 |
| Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on | 6.6% 51most in 2015 · 62k mi | 7.3% 96most in 2015 · 63k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 4.9% 3847k mi | 6.4% 85most in 2016 · 40k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 4.1% 3216k mi | 6.6% 87most in 2016 · 33k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 3.0% 2315k mi | 5.1% 67most in 2016 · 30k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 3.6% 289k mi | 4.4% 58most in 2016 · 10k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 2.3% 1855k mi | 2.5% 3329k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Canyon complaints that give a mileage come before 50,000 miles, and half the Colorado complaints before 50,000. 49% of Canyon reports and 51% of Colorado reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
GMC CanyonChevrolet Colorado
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 356 for the Canyon and 679 for the Colorado.
Worst and best years
The 2024 Canyon draws 11.1 times the complaints of a typical Canyon year for its age. The 2016 Colorado draws 3.1 times the complaints of a typical Colorado year for its age.
Chevrolet Colorado
GMC CanyonChevrolet Colorado
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 4.3 campaigns per model year for the Canyon and 4.3 for the Colorado. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
GMC Canyon
13 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (5), fuel system (2) and steering (2).
- 17V-621 (airbags) covers 2 model years
- 18V-358 (fuel system) covers 2 model years
Investigations
- EA26006: Electronic brake module component failure (open)
- RQ19001: Loss of power steering assist (closed, led to a recall)
Chevrolet Colorado
13 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (4), steering (2) and fuel system (2).
- 17V-621 (airbags) covers 2 model years
Investigations
- EA26006: Electronic brake module component failure (open)
- RQ19001: Loss of power steering assist (closed, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Colorado complaints report a crash: 2.8%, against 1.9% for the Canyon. Fire reports: 6 for the Canyon and 6 for the Colorado.
GMC CanyonChevrolet Colorado
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the GMC Canyon or the Chevrolet Colorado more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Canyon looks better on 2 and the Colorado on 0, with 5 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Canyon has 777 complaints and the Colorado 1,319 for the 3 model years from 2015 to 2024 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Canyon or the Colorado?
The Canyon has 13 recall campaigns and the Colorado 13 across the 3 model years from 2015 to 2024 that both have on file. The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 4.3 campaigns per model year for the Canyon and 4.3 for the Colorado.
What are the most common problems on the Canyon and the Colorado?
The most reported problem on the Canyon is power steering loss (46% of its complaints), and the Colorado shares it (56%).
More comparisons
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