NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 21 complaints against the 2022 GMC Canyon. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2022 GMC Canyon complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2022 GMC Canyon has generated 84 NHTSA complaints and has 1 active recall. If your 2022 GMC Canyon has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. GMC pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2022 GMC Canyon include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 12 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “After driving vehicle and parking vehicle turn key off key will not turn all the way off to pull key out of ignition switch. The vehicle had 35,750 miles when brought to dealership I had told them this has happened multiple times I had to restart vehicle move vehicle shift vehicle manually or drive around block park again and then key would turn all the way off and come out, When I was contacted from the GMC dealership they said they could not duplicate the problem but I have paperwork from them and the mileage during drop off which was 35,750 miles and pickup at 35,751 miles I also told them to drive the truck it is not going to happen sitting in the dealership parking lot but they only went 1 mile, The warranty for this problem will be up at 36,000 miles. I drove the vehicle 8 miles from the dealership to my house no problems drove another drove another 6 miles to the car wash and went through the car wash went to park to vacuum and wipe exterior the key would not turn all the way off stuck in the accessory position had to back up and move vehicle to another spot park and then the key turned all the way off so I could get key out” (NHTSA Complaint #11639360)
Airbag defects are safety-critical and may trigger California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22. The 2022 GMC Canyon has 8 NHTSA complaints on record related to airbag warning lights, unexpected deployment, and sensor failures. Owner reports include: “To Whom It May Concern, This letter is submitted to report a safety-related defect involving an airbag sensor failure on a 2022 GMC Canyon. The vehicle experienced a failure of an airbag sensor that is part of the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). The sensor is required for proper airbag deployment and system readiness. Failure of this component compromises the operation of the airbag system and presents a potential safety risk to vehicle occupants. The failure occurred on a vehicle approximately four years in service and was diagnosed as an airbag sensor defect. The sensor assembly includes an integral gasket, and the failure of that gasket resulted in sensor malfunction and airbag system fault indications. General Motors and the administrator of the GMC Platinum Protection Plan were notified of the defect. Coverage for the repair was refused on the basis that a component of the sensor assembly was allegedly excluded, despite the fact that the gasket is integral to the sensor and the failure affects a federally regulated safety system. As a result of this refusal, a safety-related defect involving an airbag system was not repaired. The matter was treated as a contractual coverage issue rather than addressed as a potential defect impacting occupant protection. This submission is intended to notify NHTSA of a failure involving an SRS component that may affect other similarly manufactured vehicles. An airbag sensor failure raises concerns regarding component durability, system reliability, and compliance with applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). This complaint is submitted for logging, review, and any action the Office of Defects Investigation deems appropriate.” (NHTSA Complaint #11713514)
The 2022 GMC Canyon has generated 8 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “I have been dealing with a sweet/Christmas-like smell in my car occasionally for the last several months. This is a health & safety concern for me involving ethylene glycol fumes in the cabin. These fumes could be linked to why I have experienced increased sinus headaches over the past several month. I took it into CarMax (where I purchased the vehicle) and they were able to diagnose the issue and state that my heater core needed to be replaced. However, since my vehicle was under 36,000 miles, it needed to go to the dealer. The dealer that has been working on the vehicle is Hendrick Hoover Chevrolet. I have taken the vehicle to the dealer twice already and they have not been able to diagnose it the same as CarMax nor recreate the smell. Both times I have picked up the vehicle, I smelled the same thing within 1 day of having the vehicle back. Today (1/22/26) I took the vehicle back to CarMax to have them take it to the dealer for the THIRD because I have not only smelled the same smell, I have 2 new issues that need to be addressed. They are not the reason for this complaint, however. But for documentation purposes, it involves servicing the safety restraint system and error codes P0018 and P0021. I do not have any records of the first time I took the vehicle to CarMax/Dealer in November of 2025, but I have attached the records from the latest visit where I dropped the vehicle off on 12/10/25 and picked it up on 1/14/26.” (NHTSA Complaint #11712664)
Powertrain and transmission defects directly impair the vehicle’s core function and are generally considered substantial defects under California lemon law. Owners of the 2022 GMC Canyon have reported harsh shifting, shuddering, slipping, and transmission warning lights. 8 NHTSA complaints have been submitted for this defect category. Owner reports include: “At first start the first gear slips this has been going on for 2 years. Is been serviced 3 times and no one seems to know what the problem is. The services tech did discover the issue but couldn’t figure out what the problem is. I only have 19,000 mile and its on warranty I’m hoping this matter can be resolved. Thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)” (NHTSA Complaint #11630385)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2022 GMC Canyon include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 8 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “Key gets stuck in ignition when attempting to turn off vehicle. This leaves people stranded with their vehicles in hot/cold weather, dangerous areas, etc… Many people have been bypassing this problem by removing steering column and disconnecting a wire that allows the key to be released. But disconnection of said wire allows the key to be removed and shut off at any time, including driving down the highway at 70mph, serious safety hazard for driver and those on the road. Dealer has confirmed this issue and currently working on repairing my vehicle but it is a widespread issue with certain GM vehicles to include the canyon, colorado, camaro, and equinox.” (NHTSA Complaint #11608098)
The following 1 recall has been issued for the 2022 GMC Canyon by the NHTSA or GMC. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An improperly welded seat frame may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the front passenger seat and replace the cushion frame, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 6, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM’s number for this recall is
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2022 GMC Canyon:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to GMC to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), GMC must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2022 GMC Canyon qualifies as a lemon under California law, GMC may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give GMC a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized GMC dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), GMC pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send GMC a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), GMC is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2022 GMC Canyon has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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