2008 GMC Canyon Electrical Problems

BEEN HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AT THE BRAKE PEDAL STICKING AND OUR BRAKE LIGHTS STAYING ON. WE NOTICE IT MOSTLY AFTER WE HAVE PARKED THE TRUCK AND TURN IT OFF. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL STAY ILLUMINATED, NOT ALWAYS RIGHT AWAY. THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAYING ILLUMINATED HAVE CAUSED OUR VEHICLE TO HAVE A DEAD BATTERY MANY TIMES. THIS ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO STAY ON HAS ACTUALLY CAUSED US TO HAVE TO BUY 2 BRAND NEW BATTERIES IN JUST OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD. THIS ISSUE HAS KILLED OUR BATTERY AND LEFT US STRANDED FOR HOURS WHILE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO COME HELP US JUMP THE BATTERY. THERE IS A RECALL OUT FOR THIS BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ISSUE, BUT THIS SPECIFIC YEAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. EVEN THO THIS TRUCK IS HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE THE THE RECALL IS FOR. WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.

NHTSA ID

11387619

Incident

Nov 5, 2019

Mileage

168,000 mi

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. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND PARKED DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS AND RESISTER WERE COMPLETELY MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE RESISTER, AND THE AIR CONDITIONER SPEEDS 1 - 4 PROPERLY FUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE PARTS WOULD PREMATURELY FAIL AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL; HOWEVER; THE CONTACT SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIR. THERE WAS A SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO ADDRESS THIS FAILURE, BUT NOT FOR THIS SPECIFIC YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *BF *TR

NHTSA ID

11047473

Incident

Oct 16, 2017

"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!

NHTSA ID

11044998

Incident

Apr 5, 2017

"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.

NHTSA ID

11044990

Incident

Jan 6, 2015

Mileage

48,000 mi

"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 LIGHTS EACH MONTH MAKING SURE I AM IN COMPLIANCE!

NHTSA ID

11044986

Incident

Oct 1, 2016

Mileage

68,000 mi

"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 ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ID

11044981

Incident

Sep 6, 2017

Mileage

75,000 mi

"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.

NHTSA ID

11044977

Incident

May 4, 2017

Mileage

73,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11044973

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

72,000 mi

PASSLOCK SYSTEM THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS AND NOW GETTING WORSE AND IS INTERMITTENT, WHEN I INSERT AND TURN THE KEY SOMETHING HAPPENS MAKING THE THEFT SYSTEM ACTIVATE AND KEEPS THE VEHICLE FROM STARTING FOR EXACTLY 10 MINUTES. RECENTLY I TURNED THE TRUCK OFF TO SAVE GAS WHILE I WAS IN CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC AT A STAND STILL WITH A CONCRETE BARRIER ON BOTH SIDES AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START AND THE POLICE WERE GOING TO HAVE ME TOWED, LUCKILY AT STARTED AT 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE TOW TRUCK CAME. IN MY OPINION THIS CAN BE UNSAFE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS IF THE VEHICLE IS NEEDED FOR ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY. BELOW I AM PASTING SOMETHING FROM THE WEB, BUT IT IS BASICALLY THE PROBLEM THAT I AND PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE HAVING. "THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE BEING LED IN CIRCLES BY ANY VEHICLE WITH A PASSLOCK II SYSTEM AND IT IS AN UNSAFE PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. IT PREVENTS VEHICLES FROM RESTARTING IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AREAS WHILE THE VEHICLE RESETS AND CAN PERMANENTLY DISABLE THE CAR IF NOT ADDRESSED. THE PROBLEM LIES IN A DESIGN OVERSIGHT AND CUTTING A MATERIAL COST BY PUTTING IN A CHEAP COMPONENT THAT ANY BASIC CHEMIST COULD TELL YOU WOULD GO BAD WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO. CHANGE YOUR IGNITION SWITCH CONTACT FROM NICKEL TO GOLD PLATED CONNECTORS AND OXIDATION WILL NOT CAUSE FAULTY READINGS TO TRICK YOUR VEHICLES INTO THINKING THAT THEY ARE BEING STOLEN AND SHUTTING OFF THE FUEL PUMPS. REMUNERATION FOR INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY THIS FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR THE PURCHASE OF YOUR VEHICLES IS ALSO A REQUEST AS THIS PROBLEM IS A GOLD MINE FOR CAR MECHANICS, BOTH GM CERTIFIED AND FREELANCE, TO TROUBLESHOOT NUMEROUS SYSTEMS BEFORE IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM PROPER."

NHTSA ID

10888696

Incident

Jul 26, 2016

Mileage

130,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10788690

Incident

Jan 1, 2013

Mileage

60,000 mi

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 SINCE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. SOON AFTER, AND THIS HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD DISENGAGE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS THE SECURITY LIGHT LIGHTS IN THE DASHBOARD. NOTE: THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A SECURITY SYSTEM. THE LIGHT WOULD CLEAR WHEN I STOPPED THE TRUCK AND RESTARTED IT. FOR SEVERAL YEARS SINCE I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH TAILLIGHT BULBS AT A RATE OF ABOUT ONE PER MONTH. FINALLY A GMC DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE PLUG FOR THE LIGHT BULB HAD MELTED / BURNED. ALL THESE INCIDENTS SEEM RELATED TO THE IGNITION / ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND SEEM TOO SIMILAR TO ALL THE OTHER ISSUES RECALLED TO NOT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN PREVIOUS RECALLS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10668071

Incident

Nov 27, 2008

Mileage

15,000 mi

AT THE TIME OF ORIGINAL DISCOVERY OF A PROBLEM THE VEHICLES CRUISE CONTROL WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY. MONTHS AFTER THE ORIGINAL DISCOVERY, A FRIEND STATED I HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. I CHECKED THE FUSES AND BULBS BOTH WERE SATISFACTORY. I CONDUCTED A CHECK OF THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH A VOLT METER AND THE SWITCH IS BAD. THERE IS NO INDICATION TO THE OPERATOR THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATES THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THIS MAKE OF VEHICLE. I HAVE CONDUCTED A VIN SEARCH OF MY VEHICLE AND IT IS NOT COVERED IN CURRENT OR PAST RECALLS OF THIS KNOWN ISSUE. I BELIEVE THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL IS NOT INCLUSIVE OF ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS ISSUE TRANSLATES TO VEHICLES THAT COME FACTORY EQUIPPED WITH TOWING PACKAGES, IN THAT IF AN OPERATOR IS TOWING AND USING THE FACTORY INSTALLED TOWING CONNECTORS WOULD THE LIGHTING OF THE TOWED VEHICLE BE AFFECTED AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10632543

Incident

Jul 8, 2014

I PURCHASED MY CANYON IN NOV 2007. AFTER A YEAR OF HAVING IT, IT WOULD NOT START. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE STARTER AND REPLACED IT. IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING A FEW MONTHS AFTER THAT. I REPLACED THE BATTERY. I'VE PURCHASED THREE BATTERIES SINCE OWNING THE TRUCK. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN TRYING TO START IT WONT START UNTIL AFTER SITTING IN THE TRUCK FOR EXACTLY 10 MINUTES. AFTER THAT IT WILL START. I NEVER NOTICED THE TIME DELAY PREVIOUSLY AND BOUGHT UNNECESSARY BATTERIES AND HAD A STARTER CHANGED. IF YOU LOOK ON GOOGLE ALL CANYONS AND COLORADO OWNERS REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM WON'T START FOR 10 MINUTES. I RECENTLY TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY SAID ITS A FAULTY PASSLOCK THAT'S NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY $380.00. IF ALL THE TRUCKS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE ALARM SYSTEM PREVENTS THE STARTING OF THE TRUCK FOR EXACTLY 10 MINUTES.THIS CAN BE A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH IN AN EMERGENCY. MORE INFO CAN BE FOUND ONLINE IN THE SEARCH. PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10604352

Incident

Jun 2, 2014

Mileage

65,248 mi

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 INTERNET - 1) TAKE TO DEALER & SPEND BIG BUCKS FOR NEW COMPUTER CHIP. 2) ONCE TRUCK RUNNING, CUT WIRE TO THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM (BE ADVISED VEHICLE WILL NO LONGER HAVE A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM). WENT WITH OPTION 2. CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS COMMON VEHICLE PROBLEM & NO FEDERAL ACTION TAKEN? *TR

NHTSA ID

10551422

Incident

Nov 7, 2013

Mileage

95,000 mi

FOLLOWING THE FIRST INCIDENT NOTED ABOVE, THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER SUCH INCIDENTS, WHERE TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH RESULTED IN NO STARTER ENGAGEMENT, DEAD BATTERY INDICATION. FOLLOWING THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE ORIGINAL BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEW BATTERY. AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT FOLLOWING A JUMP START, THE ENGINE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ABOUT 3 MILES TO AN AUTOMOTIVE PARTS STORE WHERE THE NEW BATTERY (ABOUT 1 MONTH OLD) WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO BE FULLY CHARGED AND IN GOOD CONDITION. FOLLOWING A THIRD INCIDENT ABOUT A MONTH AFTTER THE SECOND INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE GM DEAALER FOR DIAGNOSING. THE DEALER SAID THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE BASED UPON THE COMPUTER CODE. DESPITE THE VEHICLE'S 2008 YEAR, THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 14,769 MILES. MY OUT-OF-POCKET COST WAS $386. THIS DEFECTIVE SWITCH SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED AT SUCH A LOW MILEAGE. AN INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED OTHER GM PRODUCTS REPORTING THE SAME SWITCH FAILURE PROBLEM. *JS

NHTSA ID

10545311

Incident

May 27, 2013

Mileage

12,100 mi