THE INITIAL PROBLEM IS THAT THE VEHICLE IGNITION ENGAGES ON ITS OWN WHILE PARKED WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN THE IGNITION. I WOULD NOTICE THE RADIO PLAYING ON OCCASION. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR THE BELLS SOUND LIKE THE KEY IS IN THE IGNITION BUT IT IS NOT. ON OTHER OCCASIONS THE BATTERY WOULD JUST BE DRAINED DEAD. I TOOK IT IN TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT GMC DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND EACH TIME I WAS TOLD S…
2008 GMC Canyon electrical problems
severe 15 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850
What owners are reporting 12 most recent
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 GMC CANYON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON SPEED 2 AS SMOKE AND PLASTIC PARTICLES EMITTED INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE SWITCHING TO SPEED 1, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THERE WAS ALSO NO RESPONSE FOR SPEED 3. THE AIR CONDITIONER FUNCTIONED AT SPEED 4, BUT WAS LATER TURNED OFF DUE TO THE FAILURE. T…
1. "THEFT DETERRENT" ILLUMINATES AND TRUCK WILL NOT START. HAVE TO WAIT 10 MINUTES WITH KEY IN THE "ACC" POSITION AND THEN IT STARTS. HAPPENS OFTEN AT LEAST 2 TIMES A WEEK. ALSO, WHILE I AM DRIVING THE "THEFT DETERRENT" ILLUMINATES AT LEAST 4 TIMES A WEEK WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING BUT LUCKILY THE TRUCK DOES NOT STALL OR STOP.
"ENGINE LIGHT" ILLUMINATES WHILE DRIVING. DURING THE FIRST 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING THIS LIGHT APPEARS AND STAYS ON. THEN 15 MINUTES LATER AS I CONTINUE TO DRIVE WITH NO STOPPING OR TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, THE LIGHT GOES OFF.
"REAR BRAKE LIGHTS" LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING WHEN I APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS GOING TO WORK AND A DRIVER NEXT TO ME INFORMED ME THAT BOTH MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING AS I WAS AT A RED LIGHT. I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. THE RESULT WAS I REPLACED BOTH REAR BRAKE BULBS AFTER SPENDING 2 HOURS OF IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM THINKING IT WAS MORE COMPLICATED. I ALWAYS CHECK ALL MY LIG…
"TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR"(TPM). THE TPM IS ALWAYS ILLUMINATING ON MY DASH. I CHECK MY TIRES PLUS THE SPARE EVERY MONTH AND NOTHING SEEMS TO BE WRONG WITH THE INFLATION. I STILL HAVE THE FACTORY RIMS, WITH THE SAME TIRE SIZE ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER BUT NEWER WITH NO UPGRADES. NO DAMAGE TO RIMS OR TIRES EVER.
"BRAKE PADS/SHOES" I HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS AND SHOES DUE TO THE BINDING, SEQUELING NOISE THEY WERE MAKING. AS A RESULT I HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS DUE TO THE DAMAGE. WHEN I FIRST START THE TRUCK AND SLOWLY LEAVE MY DRIVEWAY, I COULD FEEL THE BINDING AND HEAR THE SEQUELING. AFTER DRIVING 20 MINUTES THIS ALL GOES AWAY. REPAIRS $500.00 WHICH IT DRIVES 100 PERCENT BETTER!
"CRUISE CONTROL" WENT OUT AND I CANNOT FIND OUT WHERE THE PROBLEM IS. THE FUSES ARE EXCELLENT. WHILE I WAS DRIVING I HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN FOR NO REASON THE GREEN ILLUMINATION ON THE DASH THAT LET'S ME KNOW IT'S ON, WAS OFF. I TRIED TO ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL AGAIN BUT THAT DID NOT WORK. THE GREEN ILLUMINATION ON THE DASH DOES NOT COME ON ANYMORE EVEN AS I ATTEMPT TO EN…
TRUCK WAS PARKED & LOCKED. UPON UNLOCKING TRUCK & TRYING TO START IT, DISCOVERED THAT VEHICLE THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM LIGHT WAS FLASHING & VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. WAITED TEN MINUTES & RESTARTED TRUCK. EACH TIME VEHICLE STOPPED & PARKED THAT DAY, SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. AFTER CHECKING INTERNET DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR CANYONS & COLORADOS!!! TWO SUGGESTIONS OFFERED ON …
ABOUT 3-4 DAYS PER WEEK THE TRUCK WILL NOT START. WE HAVE TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND LET THE TRUCK SIT FOR AROUND 10 MIN. AND THEN THE TRUCK WILL START, OR IF IT DOES START THE COMPONENTS ON THE DASH AND THE RADIO DOES NOT WORK AND WE HAVE TO WIGGLE THE SWITCH TO GET IT TO WORK.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2008 GMC Canyon?
It's a meaningful issue. 15 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical 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.