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2015 GMC Canyon

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Canyon years

Owner complaints for the 2015 GMC Canyon are substantially higher than the model-year median of 38.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Canyon years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

218 reports with mileage · 83 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Steering. Review the 224 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports4 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

301 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2016
Power TrainUnknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT DOWN SHIFT WHEN CLIMBING A SMALL HILL IN NORMAL TRAFFIC AT NORMAL SPEEDS. I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO USE THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION TO MAKE THE TRUCK DOWNSHIFT OR I HAVE TO PRESS ON THE GRASS IN ORDER TO BRING THE RPM UP A LITTLE HIGHER USING MORE FUEL THAN REQUIRED. THIS IN ITSELF IS DANGEROUS SINCE I AM IN TH…

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THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT DOWN SHIFT WHEN CLIMBING A SMALL HILL IN NORMAL TRAFFIC AT NORMAL SPEEDS. I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO USE THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION TO MAKE THE TRUCK DOWNSHIFT OR I HAVE TO PRESS ON THE GRASS IN ORDER TO BRING THE RPM UP A LITTLE HIGHER USING MORE FUEL THAN REQUIRED. THIS IN ITSELF IS DANGEROUS SINCE I AM IN THEN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. WHEN I PURCHASED THE TRUCK NONE OF THE RECALL WERE ON CARAFE NOR DID THE DEALER INFORM ME THAT THIS VEHICLE TYPE AND MODEL HAS ALREADY HAD SEVERAL RECALLS AFFECTING ITS PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY. THERE IS ALSO SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DEFROST SYSTEM WHETHER ITS ON HEAT OR COOL. THERE IS A RATTLING NOISE THAT CAN BE HEARD OVER THE FAN NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONER IS SWITCH TO THE DEFROST MODE. I AM TRULY DISAPPOINTED AND VERY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY. GM SHOULD HAVE PULLED THIS VEHICLE OFF THE MARKET!

NHTSA ODI #10885180

Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2016
Power Train

THE TRUCK DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY, I EXPERIENCE ROUGH SHIFTS. IT DOESN'T DOWNSHIFT, FEELS LIKE TRUCK IS MISFIRING, AND I EXPERIENCE SLOW THROTTLE RESPONSE. OVERALL I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THIS TRUCK AND SINCERELY REGRET MY PURCHASE. I'VE GIVEN THE TRANSMISSION A CHANCE TO BREAK IN AND LEARN, BUT IT'S A REAL PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10883211

3,200 miles · Jun 7, 2016
Power Train

VEHICLE WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT WHEN SLOWING FROM A HIGHER SPEED AND THEN NEEDING TO ACCELERATE. VEHICLE WILL "CHUG" AND SQUAT UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY DOWN SHIFTS, OFTEN TIMES THROUGH TWO OR MORE GEARS CAUSING OVER ACCELERATION AND OVER REVVING OF ENGINE. COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN COMING TO FULL STOP AT STOP SIGN, VEHICLE STAYS IN 5TH OR 6…

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VEHICLE WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT WHEN SLOWING FROM A HIGHER SPEED AND THEN NEEDING TO ACCELERATE. VEHICLE WILL "CHUG" AND SQUAT UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY DOWN SHIFTS, OFTEN TIMES THROUGH TWO OR MORE GEARS CAUSING OVER ACCELERATION AND OVER REVVING OF ENGINE. COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN COMING TO FULL STOP AT STOP SIGN, VEHICLE STAYS IN 5TH OR 6TH GEAR UPON ACCELERATION FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN JUMPS GEARS TO PICK UP SPEED. DRIVING ON CRUISE IN MODERATE HILLS, VEHICLE WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT SOON ENOUGH UNTIL EVENTUALLY ENOUGH SPEED IS LOST THAT VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTS MULTIPLE GEARS FROM APPROXIMATELY 1800 RPM TO WELL OVER 3000. PROBLEM MANIFESTS ITSELF IN BOTH CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #10873120

Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 2016
Power Train

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT HESITATING AND FEELS LIKE TRUCK IS MISFIRING RUFF SHIFTS CLUNKING SOUND PROBLEMS START AT ABOUT 20 MPH WHEN TRYING TO SPEED UP IN TRAFFIC TRUCK WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT OR WILL DOWNSHIFT TO VIOLENTLY CAUSING TRUCK TO LUNDGE FORWARD AND NEARLY REAR-END CAR IN FRONT THIS IS DANGE…

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TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT HESITATING AND FEELS LIKE TRUCK IS MISFIRING RUFF SHIFTS CLUNKING SOUND PROBLEMS START AT ABOUT 20 MPH WHEN TRYING TO SPEED UP IN TRAFFIC TRUCK WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT OR WILL DOWNSHIFT TO VIOLENTLY CAUSING TRUCK TO LUNDGE FORWARD AND NEARLY REAR-END CAR IN FRONT THIS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT GM SEEMS TO BE IGNORING THIS PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THERE SEEMS TO BE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT

NHTSA ODI #10871754

12,000 miles · May 7, 2016
Service Brakes

REAR BRAKE SQUEAK AND LONG STOPPING DISTANCE. ANTI-LOCKING FUNCTION DOES NOT ENGAGE AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM DOES NOT SKID/LOCK UP THE TIRES IN AN EMERGENCY STOP. REAR PADS DO NOT MATCH SIZE OF THE REAR DISCS. RUSTY DUST BUILD UP. GM HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX 3X AND INDICATES THAT THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE ISSUE. SQUEAKING ON EVERY…

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REAR BRAKE SQUEAK AND LONG STOPPING DISTANCE. ANTI-LOCKING FUNCTION DOES NOT ENGAGE AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM DOES NOT SKID/LOCK UP THE TIRES IN AN EMERGENCY STOP. REAR PADS DO NOT MATCH SIZE OF THE REAR DISCS. RUSTY DUST BUILD UP. GM HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX 3X AND INDICATES THAT THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE ISSUE. SQUEAKING ON EVERY STOP WILL NOT ALLOW DRIVER TO DISCERN IF THE PADS ARE WORN OR NOT.

NHTSA ODI #10863764

625 miles · Apr 25, 2016
Power Train

AT LOW SPEEDS, DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE TURNING OR GOING STRAIGHT, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL. IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE DRIVING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN 4TH GEAR WHEN IT SHOULD BE IN 2ND. WHEN IT DOES SHIFT, IT WILL DROP TWO GEARS AND YOU COULD BE ON TOP OF THE CAR IN FRONT O…

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AT LOW SPEEDS, DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE TURNING OR GOING STRAIGHT, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL. IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE DRIVING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN 4TH GEAR WHEN IT SHOULD BE IN 2ND. WHEN IT DOES SHIFT, IT WILL DROP TWO GEARS AND YOU COULD BE ON TOP OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU. THE CANYON'S TRANSMISSION IS NOT PREDICTABLE AND COULD PUT YOU IN A DANGEROUS POSITION IN TRAFFIC. HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALER WHERE THEY APPLIED AN UPDATE PER A GM BULLETIN, HELPED SOME BUT STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION MAKES A TERRIBLE GRINDING/HOWLING NOISE AT LOW SPEED. GM SAYS THIS IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS TRUCK, I SAY IT IS DANGEROUS. GM NEEDS TO BETTER ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM THAN THEY HAVE. THIS HAPPENS EVERYDAY THE TRUCK IS DRIVEN.

NHTSA ODI #10861242

14,000 miles · Apr 16, 2016
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO FLOAT BETWEEN GEARS AS IF TRYING TO FIND THE PROPER GEAR. NORMALLY IT TAKES SO LONG THAT I HAVE TO PUSH DOWN ON THE GAS TO FORCE THE TRUCK TO SHIFT. IT DOES TO A LOWER GEAR WHICH MAKES IT JUMP FROM THE EXCESS POWER. AT HIGH SPEEDS, PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL IS NON RESPONS…

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WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO FLOAT BETWEEN GEARS AS IF TRYING TO FIND THE PROPER GEAR. NORMALLY IT TAKES SO LONG THAT I HAVE TO PUSH DOWN ON THE GAS TO FORCE THE TRUCK TO SHIFT. IT DOES TO A LOWER GEAR WHICH MAKES IT JUMP FROM THE EXCESS POWER. AT HIGH SPEEDS, PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL IS NON RESPONSIVE AS THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO LOOK FOR THE RIGHT GEAR. A MANUAL FIX FOR SAFETY PURPOSES (ESPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC AND NEED AN ANSWER FROM MY TRANSMISSION) IS TO CHANGE IT TO MANUAL SHIFTING WHERE I CONTROL THE GEARS. THIS IS A BAND AID FIX AT THE MOMENT AND IS QUITE INTERESTING THAT I AM ABLE TO SHIFT MY VEHICLE BETTER THAN A COMPUTER. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. I AM GOING TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT AS I READ IN THE NUMEROUS REPORTS FROM OTHER 2015 CANYON OWNERS....GMC IS NOT ADMITTING OR DOES NOT HAVE A FIX. THIS ISSUE OCCURS ALL THE TIME SO SELECTING A DATE OF WHEN THIS ISSUE HAPPENED IS NOT EFFECTIVE.

NHTSA ODI #10859876

Mileage unknown · Apr 9, 2016
Service Brakes

BRAKES SQUEAK ON EVERY STOP. WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PADS NEED CHANGED SINCE THE SQUEAK IS SAME AS THE PAD WORN INDICATORS. ALSO VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP WITH ANTILOCK BRAKES OR SKID THE TIRES. IT STOPS, BUT IS MUSHY.

NHTSA ODI #10854553

500 miles · Mar 15, 2016
EnginePower Train

THE TRUCK CHUGS AND HESITATES RANDOMLY WHEN A DOWN SHIFT IS REQUIRED. GENERALLY THIS RANDOM HESITATION IS JUST ANNOYING. AT TIMES THE VEHICLE WILL NOT DOWNSHIFT FOR A CONSIDERABLE TIME. WHEN MAKING MANEUVERS IN AND AROUND TRAFFIC THE TRUCKS POOR SHIFTING CAUSES THE TRUCK TO JERK AND NOT ACCELERATE. WHEN THE TRUCK WILL EVENTU…

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THE TRUCK CHUGS AND HESITATES RANDOMLY WHEN A DOWN SHIFT IS REQUIRED. GENERALLY THIS RANDOM HESITATION IS JUST ANNOYING. AT TIMES THE VEHICLE WILL NOT DOWNSHIFT FOR A CONSIDERABLE TIME. WHEN MAKING MANEUVERS IN AND AROUND TRAFFIC THE TRUCKS POOR SHIFTING CAUSES THE TRUCK TO JERK AND NOT ACCELERATE. WHEN THE TRUCK WILL EVENTUALLY DOES DOWN SHIFT THE GAS PEDAL MUST BE ALL THE WAY AT THE FLOOR AND ACCELERATES AT FULL SPEED. BULLETIN PIP5342A SUPPOSEDLY ADDRESSES THE CONCERN BUT SAYS IT IS NORMAL. GM TELLS THE DEALER NOT TO ATTEMPT TO FIX. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE THIS PROBLEM HAS PUT ME AT RISK FOR AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10849868

26,000 miles · Mar 4, 2016
Air Bags

AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES THE AIR BAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY STARTED COMING ON WHILE DRIVING BUT WOULD BE RESET WHEN THE TRUCK WAS RESTARTED. AT ABOUT 26,000 THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON THIS TIME PERMANENTLY. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. THE PART WAS ORDERED AND NOW IT HAS BEEN A…

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AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES THE AIR BAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY STARTED COMING ON WHILE DRIVING BUT WOULD BE RESET WHEN THE TRUCK WAS RESTARTED. AT ABOUT 26,000 THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON THIS TIME PERMANENTLY. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. THE PART WAS ORDERED AND NOW IT HAS BEEN A WEEK LATER AND THE PART STILL HAS NOT HAS BEEN RECEIVED.

NHTSA ODI #10839819

Official recalls

8

21V213000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

Mar 25, 2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles. The power steering assist may be lost due to a poor electrical connection within the steering gear assembly.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A loss of power steering, particularly at lower speeds increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace steering gear torque sensor cover assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 6, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202325410.

18V358000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

May 31, 2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.

17V621000 · Air Bags:frontal

Oct 5, 2017

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado, and 2016 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. The driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17387.

16V054000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

Feb 1, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles manufactured January 6, 2015, to March 17, 2015, and 2015 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 6, 2015, to March 19, 2015. A poor electrical connection within the steering gear connector may cause a loss of power steering assist.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A loss or reduction in power steering assist may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear torque sensor cover assembly, free of charge. The recall began March 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15595.

15V278000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper

May 12, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado, and GMC Canyon trucks manufactured January 6, 2014, to December 24, 2014. The affected vehicles may experience the front brake calipers leaking brake fluid. This is due to air pockets, an imperfection in the metal caliper body.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the vehicle experiences a brake fluid leak it can increase the stopping distance, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the front-brake calipers if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 9, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14888.

15V267000 · Seats

May 8, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks manufactured January 6, 2014, to April 1, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the hooks that secure the driver's and/or front passenger's seat frame may not have been properly attached to the vehicle body during assembly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the seat-frame attachment hooks are not secured properly, the seat may not be adequately anchored to the vehicle, and in the event of a crash, the seat occupant could be at an increased risk of an injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seats, correcting their installation as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 2, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15150.

15V157000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Mar 18, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles manufactured September 15, 2014, to January 21, 2015, and 2015 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured October 3, 2014, to December 9, 2014. The affected vehicles have a front driver air bag inflator that may be misaligned to the air bag module backplate. This can cause the inflator to separate from the backplate during a deployment.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the inflator separates from the back plate in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, this may cause the air bag or steering wheel components to separate and be propelled into the interior compartment, potentially seriously injuring the driver or other occupants. Additionally, the air bag may fail to properly inflate, increasing the risk of injury to the driver.

Remedy: GM has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the driver air bag module inflator for proper alignment, replacing the air bag, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15037.

14V645000 · Air Bags

Oct 9, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 6, 2014, to October 1, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the driver air bag connections may have been wired incorrectly. This could reverse the deployment sequence and disrupt the deployment timing of the driver air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the driver air bag does not deploy as designed, there is an increased risk of driver injury in the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the inflatable restraint sensing and diagnostic module (SDM), free of charge. The recall began on October 6, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet) or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14690.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

RQ19001 · Loss Of Power Steering Assist

Opened May 9, 2019 · Closed May 28, 2021

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering:electric Power Assist System

In May 2019 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ19-001) to assess the scope of General Motors (GM) recall 16V-054. ODI had received 50 complaints with allegations of loss of electric power steering assist while the vehicle was in motion. These complaints were for vehicles outside the scope of recall 16V-054 yet exhibited the same symptoms.ODI?s review focused on specific build months outside the recall scope that had a high electric power steering failure rate and failures that were the same or similar to those addressed by the remedy associated with recall 16V-054. ODI?s review of data supplied by GM confirmed a high failure rate for vehicles outside of the recall scope.On March 25, 2021, GM filed a defect information report recalling select 2015 Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon vehicles to remedy a potential loss of power steering assist while driving. The recall (21V-213) includes vehicles that were not addressed by recall 16V-054 and also prompted this recall query.In view of the recall, ODI is closing this recall query. Despite closing this investigation, NHTSA reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.nhtsa.gov under the following ODI identification numbers in a separate attachment. ?