2018 GMC Canyon: shudder or vibration when accelerating

Filed Jun 26, 2026 · MS

The truck have a bad shudder that can shake you off the road. They know about the issue because its been an issue with there vehicles. I have a 2020 colorado also with this dangerous issue.

Filed Apr 15, 2021 · Transmission · 35,000 miles · FL

For several months, we are now continuously experiencing a shaking and shuddering of the canyon every time the truck shifts from 1st to 2nd gear. It is very disturbing driving down the street and the canyon begins to shake so hard that everyone is jarred in their seats even with seat belts on. It is almost as if the canyon is being rear ended by another vehicle as we're driving down the street. Our biggest concern is that it happens on major roads whenever we accelerate after a traffic light transitions from red to green. As we clear the intersection, the shaking occurs and as the canyon reduces speed momentarily, we have almost been rear ended. Our canyon is still under warranty as we have the extended powertrain warranty. Furthermore, we just learned of a gm service bulletin, 18-na-355 dated august, 2019, that has been circulating. We found a copy of the torque converter clutch sb and it applies to all gmc canyons from 2017-2019. Needless to say, gm (corporate and dealership) want us to pay out of pocket for a very expensive diagnostics test (e.g., hundreds of dollars) to confirm there is a problem and then determine if warranty will cover the repair(s). This is a very serious vehicle safety issue that can cause accidents if the driver is not accustomed to being tossed about in their seat while driving the canyon. Gm needs to do a recall to fix this problem for all affected vehicles as people, especially those that are on fixed incomes, are not able to pay out of pocket for a test just to validate the toque converter clutch shudder does exist.

Filed Sep 11, 2020 · Transmission · NJ

My gmc canyon has only 35,000 miles. It started shaking, shuddering frequently, and having hard shift when changing gears, specially when speeding down. It feels similar to drive over the street lines with a similar sound. There is a strong sound coming from the transmission when fast shifting happened from high to low or when stop at the stop light. It is like the engine wants to leave from the body of the truck. This vibration is also felt when driving at low speed or low gear and the truck is demanding more power, but the transmission does not control that demand. It is like not communication between the transmission and the engine.

Filed Aug 29, 2020 · Transmission · 25,000 miles · MA

My 2018 gmc canyon slt shudders alot. It is not constant but it is often. It sort of feels like you're driving over rumble strips. I do not feel it at highway speeds, just driving around town. It's especially prevalent when going up hills. To me, it feels like a transmission issue. When I did a google search, I found out it's a known problem. I contacted my dealer and they were familiar with it asking if I had a transmission fluid change yet. I told them I had not and they scheduling me for that service in a couple weeks. I am not happy that my 2 year old $40k plus truck has a transmission problem at 25k miles.

Filed Feb 20, 2020 · Transmission · 8,500 miles · IL

I just purchased a 2018 gmc canyon used with 8,000 miles on it. Drove it 500 miles and now I have a 8 speed transmission and now it shudders. Now I'm reading alot of people are having issues with it. Am I in the lawsuit with gm in there defective transmissions? It shudders at 55-60 MPH drove me nuts on the highway.

Filed Oct 23, 2019 · Transmission · 6,000 miles · TN

When moving on the highway the vehicles' transmission starts to shudder. This usually happens when I am going up a slight incline and my engine is around 1400 rpms. I have taken the truck to the dealership multiple times over this issue. They have replaced the transmission fluid twice and the next appointment is next week on october 31st. The dealership told me that more than likely they will have to flush the transmission fluid again because gm is not letting them do much more with this issue. The truck also has a hard time shifting when it is first started until it gets warmed up. Also there are times I feel like I have been rear ended when I am slowing down and it is down shifting. I have noticed that if I keep the truck at a fairly higher RPM that it does not shudder as bad and doesn't feel as dangerous to drive. My vehicle has 27,000 miles on it and has been in the shop countless times since I purchased it in 2018. I don't even like driving it because I feel that it is a safety concern and is endangering myself and others.