Owners of the new 2023 Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon have noticed that some car washes will permanently or temporarily dent the roof of their truck. Now, there’s an official fix to prevent the issue from happening.

Trucks Affected – Car Wash Roof Denting / Popping Problem

Why Are Colorado and Canyon Roofs Becoming Dented?

The first year for a brand-new vehicle is always tricky. You assume there will be problems, but typically, they are pretty minor. Owners of the 2023 Colorado and Canyon, which was entirely redesigned last year, have already had some first-year issues- perhaps more than you might expect during a new model launch. As if randomly draining batteries and dead trucks were not bad enough, now new Colorado and Canyon owners have to worry about one more thing- driving through automatic car washes.

A few months back, reports started appearing that owners of Colorado and Canyon pickups without a sunroof were noticing that if they took their pickup through an automatic carwash with high-speed dryers, the roof would make popping sounds, temporarily dent inwards, or even permanently become dented. Those with sunroofs had no such issue because of the increased bracing the sunroof frame provided, but those trucks without sunroofs seemed to be under-engineered for blasts of air to the top of the vehicle.

We can debate if taking a brand new vehicle through an automatic car wash is a wise move another day- we wouldn’t even dare and choose to hand wash all of our trucks. But for those times when there is no other choice, typically, the concern is paint scratches- not roof dents.

After some owners complained- even going as far as to email GM executives directly- there finally seems to be a fix just in time for the 2024 model year.

The 2023 GMC Canyon in a cold winter forest with snow
The 2023 GMC Canyon is also affected by car washes causing roof damage

The Official Fix From Chevrolet/GMC – Car Wash Roof Denting

General Motors has released Technical Service Bulletin 23-NA-209 to address this issue.

It describes the issue and resolution as follows:

Condition
Some customers may comment on a oil canning or popping noise
originating from the roof area during or after a automatic car
wash.

Cause
The cause of the condition may be force from some air dryers at a
automated car wash can cause flex in the roof panel, causing a
loud oil canning type sound.

Correction
Repair any damage done during the event and apply stiffening
patches to the underside of the roof panel following the procedure
listed below.

A diagram showing the location service technicians should place five stiffening panels to the roof of 2023 Colorado and Canyon Pickups
A diagram showing the location service technicians should place five stiffening panels to the roof of 2023 Colorado and Canyon Pickups (Front of the vehicle is on the left)

The repair procedure that’s detailed is: 

If you encounter a vehicle with the above concern, repair any damage done to the roof by
following the proper repair procedures.

Once the roof is repaired of all damage, complete the following procedure to install stiffening
patches to the underside of the roof panel.

1. Drop the headliner, but do not fully remove from the vehicle.
2. Once the headliner is dropped (but not removed) apply the 5 stiffening panels to the
underside of the roof panel in the RED locations in the illustration above.
3. Once the panels are installed, reinstall the headliner.
4. Verify the condition is corrected.

GM dealers are instructed to use the following part number for the repair:

Description: Patches
Part Number: 15828539
Quantity: 5

How to Get Your Colorado/Canyon Fixed – Car Wash Roof Denting

Any 2023 Chevrolet Colorado and/or GMC Canyon that does not have a sunroof is covered by this TSB. If your roof is dented or damaged, the dealership will repair the roof damage and apply the stiffening patches. If your vehicle is not damaged, the dealer will simply install the patches.

This repair will be covered under your new vehicle warranty and should be of no cost to owners. Make sure to tell your Service Advisor to look up TSB 23-NA-209, or Document ID: 6484171 that was released on January 25th, 2024. Don’t forget, you should also be entitled to a loaner while this repair is being made.