Tl*the contact owns a 2005 GMC canyon. In 2007, the brake lights were not working and the contact took the vehicle to the dealer for repair. The contact assumed that the repair was made under the warranty and was not informed of a recall at that time. On december 16 2008, the contact realized that the brake lights failed again after someone almost rear ended her vehicle. She returned to the…
2005 GMC Canyon lighting problems
moderate 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250 · see lighting across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$250
When does it fail?
Of the 10 lighting complaints filed for the 2005 GMC Canyon, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA lighting complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 17 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant complaint across these narratives is repeated brake lamp switch failure. Owners report the same switch dying multiple times—often two to four failures per vehicle over a few years, sometimes within 8,000 miles of the previous replacement. One owner replaced it four times between 2005 and 2009. Another had a second failure 30,000 miles after the first replacement.
When the switch fails, brake lights either stop working or refuse to turn off. Several owners note that the cruise control also quits, since both functions share the same switch. The real hazard: there is no dashboard warning when brake lights go dark, leaving drivers unaware they have lost a critical safety function. Other drivers cannot see you stopping.
NHTSA recall 06V139000 covers this exact defect, but the cure appears temporary. Owners report dealers either claiming their VIN is excluded from the recall or refusing warranty coverage after the first replacement, forcing out-of-pocket repair bills. One owner paid after being denied a third replacement; the switch failed again eight months later. Dealers have charged diagnostic fees ($98 noted) on top of parts and labor.
One case documented a melted brake light lens from the switch causing an overnight battery drain. Another complaint involved collision damage to a fog lamp—unrelated to the switch defect.
Failure modes owners describe
Brake lamp switch failure — repeated failures
The brake lamp switch fails repeatedly in the same vehicle, often within months or thousands of miles of replacement. Owners report 2–4 failures in roughly 4 years. The switch is covered under NHTSA recall 06V139000, but owners report either exclusion from the recall or warranty denial after the first replacement.
When: Repeated: original failure around 2005, subsequent failures 2006, Oct 2008, May 2009; another case failure at 85,000 miles Dec 2008; another at 82,000 miles; another after ~30,000 miles between replacements; another at ~53,960 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Brake lights do not illuminate; Brake lights will not shut off (remain illuminated); Cruise control does not operate (dual-function switch); No warning indicator that brake lights have failed
Repairs/costs cited: Switch replacement required; one case involved adjustment attempt that failed within a week. One case reported melted driver-side rear brake light lens discovered during inspection; dealer confirmed brake light switch continued to function in that case. Owners paid out-of-pocket after warranty/recall coverage exhausted; one case included $98 diagnostic charge.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign ID 06V139000 (Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights — Switch) exists. Some vehicles reported as excluded from recall by VIN. Recall does not appear to prevent recurrence.
Brake lamp lens damage — melting
A driver-side rear brake light lens melted while the vehicle was parked overnight, causing the battery to drain. The brake light switch itself continued to function normally.
When: Overnight parking incident
Symptoms owners cite: Brake light lens melted; Battery drained from brake light remaining illuminated overnight
Repairs/costs cited: Lens replacement needed; NHTSA recall 06V139000 applied to brake light switch, but this vehicle's VIN was not included in the recall.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA recall 06V139000 does not apply to this VIN.
Fog lamp damage from road debris
Passenger-side fog lamp torn out when a construction barrel blown into traffic struck the bumper during evasive maneuver.
When: 6/17/20 incident
Symptoms owners cite: Fog lamp lens destroyed by barrel impact
Repairs/costs cited: Fog lamp replacement required due to impact damage.
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Brake light/cruise control switch failure. Second time in 30,000 miles replace switch each time. *nm
Had lighting trouble with your 2005 GMC Canyon?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2005 GMC Canyon?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 10 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $250 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the lighting typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most lighting failures cluster between 37,000 and 82,000 miles, with the median around 52,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 37,000; a quarter make it past 82,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to lighting?
No active recalls currently cover lighting issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/GMC/Canyon.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.