2012 GMC Canyon

Showing the 2012 Canyon SLT. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy: 16–21 mpgcombined; city 14–18, highway 19–25; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel: $15,470–$20,300U.S. average; Ohio $13,820–$18,140 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating: Not ratedlowest across the versions NHTSA tested
Recall campaigns: 2over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints: 23filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2012 Canyon. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Canyon. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
Part	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries
Electrical system	9	0	0	0
Air bags	2	1	1	1
Electronic stability control (ESC)	2	0	0	0
Service brakes	2	0	0	0
Steering	2	0	0	0
Suspension	2	0	0	0
Engine	1	0	0	0
Engine and engine cooling	1	0	0	0
Exterior lighting	1	0	0	0
Latches/locks/linkages	1	0	0	0
Power train	1	0	0	0
Seat belts	1	0	0	0

5 more parts

Service brakes, hydraulic	1	0	0	0
Structure	1	0	0	0
Tires	1	0	0	0
Unknown or other	1	0	0	0
Visibility/wiper	1	0	0	0

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

200648
200742
200838
200927
20108
201112
201223
2015303
2016271
201766
201852
201917
202014
202112
202227
202362
2024206
20258
20268

Every Canyon year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2012 Canyon over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Latches/locks/linkages: hood

NHTSA campaign 12V594000 · reported Dec 19, 2012 · 118,800 vehicles potentially affected

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured from November 9, 2009, through August 28, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 113, "Hood Latch System." The hood may be missing the secondary hood latch.

Risk: If the primary hood latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly. During vehicle operation, this could obstruct the view of the driver and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: General Motors will notify owners and instruct them to inspect their vehicle for the presence of a secondary hood latch. Dealers will replace the hood on any affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on January 17, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

NHTSA's record and documents

Seat belts: front

NHTSA campaign 11V552000 · reported Nov 17, 2011 · 5,593 vehicles potentially affected

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO AND GMC CANYON VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 9, 2011, THROUGH OCTOBER 19, 2011, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH DRIVER SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TERMINALS THAT DO NOT FIT SNUGLY WITH THE CONNECTOR PINS, CAUSING THE CONNECTION TO BE INTERMITTENT.

Risk: THE LOOSE CONNECTIONS MAY CAUSE THE DRIVER TO NOT RECEIVE A VISUAL OR AUDIBLE WARNING THAT THE DRIVER SEAT BELT IS NOT FASTENED, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TERMINALS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 7, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,321 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 Canyon, the latest on Sep 4, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: equipment (600), electrical system (244), engine and engine cooling (141), power train (109), engine (99).

NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2012 Canyon.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Used ones for sale

See used 2012 GMC Canyons for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax

These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.

Specs

EPA class: small pickup trucks. Each version EPA tested:

Version	Engine	Transmission	Fuel	City / hwy / comb
Canyon Rear-Wheel Drive	2.9 L, 4 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	18 / 24 / 21
Canyon Rear-Wheel Drive	2.9 L, 4 cyl	Manual 5-spd	Regular Gasoline	18 / 25 / 21
Canyon 4-Wheel Drive	2.9 L, 4 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	17 / 23 / 20
Canyon 4-Wheel Drive	2.9 L, 4 cyl	Manual 5-spd	Regular Gasoline	18 / 24 / 20
Canyon Rear-Wheel Drive	3.7 L, 5 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	17 / 23 / 19
Canyon 4-Wheel Drive	3.7 L, 5 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	17 / 23 / 19
Canyon Rear-Wheel Drive	5.3 L, 8 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	15 / 20 / 16
Canyon 4-Wheel Drive	5.3 L, 8 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	14 / 19 / 16
Canyon Crew Rear-Wheel Drive	2.9 L, 4 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	18 / 24 / 21
Canyon Crew Rear-Wheel Drive	2.9 L, 4 cyl	Manual 5-spd	Regular Gasoline	18 / 25 / 21
Canyon Crew Rear-Wheel Drive	3.7 L, 5 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	17 / 23 / 19
Canyon Crew 4-Wheel Drive	3.7 L, 5 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	16 / 21 / 18
Canyon Crew Rear-Wheel Drive	5.3 L, 8 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	15 / 20 / 16
Canyon Crew 4-Wheel Drive	5.3 L, 8 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	14 / 19 / 16
Canyon Inc 4-Wheel Drive	3.7 L, 5 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	16 / 21 / 18
Canyon Inc Rear-Wheel Drive	3.7 L, 5 cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Regular Gasoline	15 / 20 / 17

Sources and dates

U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data