How many problems does the 2022 HYUNDAI Santa Cruz have?

The 2022 HYUNDAI Santa Cruz currently has 170 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2022 HYUNDAI Santa Cruz?

The most common problems reported for the 2022 HYUNDAI Santa Cruz are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2022 HYUNDAI Santa Cruz problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2022 HYUNDAI Santa Cruz comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.

2022 HYUNDAI Santa Cruz Problems

POWER TRAIN

45 complaints

My 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has an ongoing powertrain/transmission malfunction that occurs during cold starts. The vehicle will not upshift out of 1st gear and becomes stuck around 25 mph with the accelerator fully pressed. There are no warning lights or messages. The only way to temporarily fix the issue is to pull over, turn the vehicle off, and restart it. This creates a serious safety risk because I am unable to accelerate to normal traffic speeds when merging or crossing intersections. The vehicle and components are available for inspection upon request. The issue has been brought to two Hyundai dealerships multiple times. One dealership replaced the entire transmission, and on a later visit they topped off the transmission fluid. Despite these repairs, the problem continues to occur. Hyundai corporate is involved and has an active case open, but the defect remains unresolved. The problem has not been consistently replicated by the dealers because it only occurs on cold starts, but it happens repeatedly in daily use.

Nov 19, 2025

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle intermittently lost automotive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the dealer informed the contact that the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a different dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was a recall related to the failure, for which a software update was needed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

May 12, 2025

First shift issue, no warning lights present, was able to get to dealer they hooked up computer and reset/restart vehicle and told me I probably hit gas and brake at same time and it was probably in limp mode. Month later went to store just fine, got back in my vehicle and check engine light was on, shift issues, was told to keep driving for over 2 weeks till they had available appointment, during that time battery died and check engine light went off but shift issues were still there and they had to drive it I believe they said 60 miles to get light to come back on so hyundai would approve transmission replacement. After that finally got replaced and I put almost 4k miles on their rental (yeah... took a while). I was back in less than a week before service transmission immediately indicator comes on, again got to my destination fine, got back in vehicle and I'm on my way back in the dealer again. I was told I was the third transmission back in to get replaced again after a week of being on the road. but wait, battery dies again, warning lights gone and they give back the vehicle. They were nice enough to offer me 10k less than what I purchased it for 6 months ago.

Oct 19, 2024

Loss of power transmission failure Recall issues continue

Sep 10, 2024

A check engine light illuminated and the transmission system malfunctioned. Vehicle lost acceleration and would not shift until RPM was over 3k. It also would not allow manual or paddle shifting. Reviewed recalls and saw there is one for possible need of transmission replacement. I contacted the dealership and they said all recall work was addressed (transmission has never been replaced). They may have changed a part and updated a computer related to this recall but they were ADAMANT my recall had already been addressed. They made noise like I needed to pay for diagnostics. I took the car to an independent shop and paid them to diagnose as I was hesitant the dealer was being 100% honest with me. As it turn out YES. The transmission has failed and needs to be replaced. They provided me with the documentation showing this issue is recall related. (38,000 miles). My concern is that dealerships may mislead customers about this recall and cause possible dangerous conditions.

Aug 23, 2024

+ 40 more complaints for this component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

18 complaints

Hi, my car is a certified 2022 hyundai santa cruz I've been in touch with hyundai and they're very unhelpful. I'm experiencing jerking while creeping uphill or driving in traffic at low speeds as well as in reverse. and its way worse when i have any bit of load in the bed. its extremely invasive, its really dangerous particularly when in reverse, because its hard to modulate the speed properly, when you feather the brakes when rolling into a parking space or reversing to a hook up a trailer it either is dead on power or jerks at a slight speed which makes it difficult to control. this is something that passed hyundai's certified program but concerns me because there is no way its safe. I've lent my car to other people and they were concerned as well. please note i got my brakes and replaced and system bled but the issue persists. additionally I've experienced this issue for over 5000 miles (41k - 47k miles) please consider this complaint because its a legitimate safety issue and i have a feeling its related to this cars transmission woes. Thank you!

Oct 09, 2024

My wife and I were driving yesterday afternoon and on the highway we heard a very loud sound and pulled over and it turns out our sun roof glass (on a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz that I lease) seems to have spontaneously shattered. There was no falling debris that we could see, we did not see a rock coming at us, we were not near an over pass from which something might have fallen on the car. As far as I can tell, the glass just shattered for no discernible reason. (I took pictures). I almost lost control of the car it was that loud.

Jul 08, 2024

I was accelerating onto an interstate and my vehicle would not accelerate. My foot was to the floor on the gas but would not go above 35mph. I had to turn around on a on ramp , drive on the grass and limp my way home at 35 mph. No warning lights appeared.

Mar 28, 2024

EPB and Auto Hold lights were lit on the instrument cluster in yellow. Power was diminished and once stopped and the car in park, doors would not unlock. Starting and then stopping the car would not reset the lights nor allow the doors to unlock. Fixing the issue requires a second person to raise the hood, and disconnect the positive terminal on the battery to allow the computer to reset. Reconnect the positive battery terminal all the lights were out and more importantly the doors would unlock.

Feb 18, 2024

automobile just shut off on highway going 65 mph for no reason causing a hazard for me and other people on the road. automobile then failed to restart. automobile was then towed to the closest dealer.

Sep 05, 2023

+ 13 more complaints for this component

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE

14 complaints

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Cruz. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power but was unable to accelerate above 30 MPH. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train); the VIN was included, but the vehicle was already repaired in 2022. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 63,000.

Nov 04, 2025

On 6/22/24 I had issues with my car not picking up speed and shaking while driving a major freeway. The same day I had an issues starting the car. When it finally started the engine light came on with a notice on my screen. Dealership replaced fuel injector. Stating that was the problem. Again, on 7/27/24 the same issues happened. Another fuel injector replaced by dealship. The car is 2 and half years old, under 30,000 miles. 2 of my fuel injector have been replaced. I do not feel safe for other drivers and myself driving the freeway with the hyundai santa cruz. Due to the fuel injectors that randomly keeps giving out. They replace 1 at a time. I feel like hyundai is waiting for a big accident before they replaced all of them. There are multiple complaints that I have seen regarding this problem. They need to be investigated thoroughly, people's lives are in danger. I don't know much about vehicles, but if a car continues to stall, vibrate and stop at anytime it will cause an accident.

Jul 30, 2024

Lose of power, twice, one was around July early August, driving from my home doing about 30 mph I lost power, and the word limit showed on my dash, thinking I may have done something wrong myself I didn't think much of it until last Wednesday 09/27/23 it happened again, after leaving my destination I was driving home went around a corner and was up to about 35 mph and my truck lost power, which was completely nerve wrecking I had to pull over quickly and the word limit showed up again, I restarted the vehicle and drove off, and called a hyandai dealership and made an appointment which is for today Monday 10/02/23

Oct 02, 2023

Vehicle begins to sputter and doesn’t want to accelerate. This usually occurs on the highway. Pulling over and turning the car off “resets it” sometimes. Vehicle is less than a year old with 26k mi on it. When the vehicle experiences these episodes I have to gradually use the accelerator, vehicle does not like fast acceleration when it’s going through one of these episodes. Check engine light comes on and a message stating a diagnostic of the engine control system needs to be conducted. Currently awaiting Hyundai dealership to get me into their service department.

Jul 19, 2023

ON 7-13-2023 I WAS GETTING IN MY SANTZ CRUZ LIMITED THAT I BOUGHT BRAND NEW WITH 19,000 MILES, WHEN I TURNED ON MY TRUCK THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I SAT AND RAN A HEALTH CHECK ON MY INFO SCREEN, IT CAME UP WITH A TRANSMISSION/ENGINE ISSUES. I THEN WENT TO THE SANTA CRUZ APP AND FOUND THE ALERT, WHICH WAS DTC P1C2DO3 WHICH IS A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION ENGINE. I HAD THAT SERVICED ALL READY IN FEB OF 2023. WELL, I GUESS IT DIDN'T WORK. I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE IT WHERE IT WAS SO I SLOWLY DROVE TO MY OFFICE WHICH IS GATED. LEFT IT THERE OVERNIGHT AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE HYUNDIA DEALER FROM I BOUGHT IT AT. BUT AS I DROVE IT I CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER, AND IT SEEMED TO WANT TO STALE. YOU DO NOT WANT TO LOSE POWER WHERE I LIVE, THE DRIVING HERE IS SCARY. I AM NOW WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE AUTO NATION DEALERSHIP ON WHAT IS GOING ON, BUT THEY ARE NOT IN ANY HURRY TO GET BACK TO ME. I HAVE READ WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MORE OF THIS KIND OF THING REPORTED. THIS IS REALLY UPSETTING AND SCARY TO ME. IT'S BRAND NEW!

Jul 17, 2023

+ 9 more complaints for this component

ENGINE

12 complaints

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited 29K miles bought in March at CarMax. I had 6/8 fuel injectors replaced under warranty but it took MONTHS and 5 trips to the dealer. I first had an issue with cold starting the engine and I got a cylinder 3 misfire code, and the first time I dropped it off in April they said they could not repro and sent me home...and then the story got worse.... May 10, 2024 I dropped off the vehicle for a second time due to an intermittent issue with rough cold starts and check engine light. May 24, 2024 All 4 of the high pressure fuel injectors were replaced and I was able to take home the vehicle after two weeks. May 25, 2024 one day later, after the repairs were made, another check engine light DTC P23F5F0 came on while driving the vehicle. May 29, 2024 I dropped off the vehicle due to DTC P23F5F0 as reported by Bluelink . May 31, 2024 The DTC was cleared from the system after a brief diagnosis and I was sent home with the vehicle with no repairs being done. June 1, 2024 One day after I picked it up, DTC P23F5F0 showed up again for me on the Santa Cruz. June 2nd, 2024 I dropped it off for this DTC for the second time. They drove it 250 miles and could not get the light to come back on. July 12, 2024 They released the vehicle over one month later, doing nothing but clearing the light, citing that they needed to replicate the issue for Hyundai corporate to pay for a repair. July 13th 2024, the day after I picked it up for this DTC the second time, the same malfunction indicator DTC 23F5F0 light came back on for me. I finally got the vehicle back in August after they replaced 2 of the low pressure fuel injectors. I've heard from others that failing fuel injectors can cause catastrophic failures on the highway.

Sep 12, 2024

Instrument Panel said Navigation system had failed and to check the front sensor. Then the car went into limp mode and infotainment screen displayed - “A possible condition with your Engine Control System has been detected. A full system check is recommended to be done soon. Please contact you local dealership to schedule an appointment.” DTC 65312 was logged by the car. Took to dealer, they couldn't find the problem.

Jun 29, 2024

Transmission lost power and Hyundai had to replace the Transmission at 20,000 miles

Feb 21, 2024

Leaving work my truck started shimmying like I had a flat. I realized I had no power when accelerating and my engine light came on. I wanted to make it home so chanced it in the interstate. Any acceleration under 2000 rpm my whole car shook and shuddered. It even shakes when idling before I shut it off. The dealer said they can’t even schedule it for service for weeks.

Dec 11, 2023

Took 2022 Santa Cruz Limited in for an oil change and tire rotation at Grayson Hyundai in West Knoxville, TN, 11-2-22, on the way home smelled burning oil. Found that the dip stick was out of the engine block and oil sprayed all over the interior of the engine compartment, underside components, underside shield, wheel wells, brake caliper, etc when I got home (85 miles away from dealership). I took pics off the engine compartment and dip stick that was left out before they towed it to the dealership. Contacted service adviser, they towed it back and provided loaner. They said, "it lost no oil" and was still full. They said they would remove all the oil from the engine compartment and figure out what the issue was. They had the vehicle for two weeks and said that the dipstick "failed" and showed me the original dipstick with now a very visible cut in the o-ring that was not there before when I took pics of the dipstick before they towed it from my home. I use my vehicle for emergency response and did not feel safe driving the vehicle with oil still all over the engine compartment and underside of all the vehicle. Hyundai customer service did NOTHING, they told me to drive it as it is despite being covered in oil. I went back and forth with Hyundai Customer Service and they would not give me higher position names, numbers or contact information for me to escalate my grievance and safety concern, then HUNG UP ON ME. I had to immediately trade the vehicle and lost my 2.74 interest rate and much of my equity as it only had 26000 miles on it with only 25,000 owed.

Nov 20, 2023

+ 7 more complaints for this component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

7 complaints

Vehicle is equipped with automatic headlights. They constantly turn on and off during the day as soon as you enter any type of shadow. This causes the headlights to “flash” the driver in front of you. While traveling on the interstate at 75 mph if you go under an overpass they turn on, less than 1 second but take 30-60 seconds to turn off! During that time the dash darkens and you cannot see the speedometer,HVAC controls, etc. Even with the headlight switch turned to OFF the dash continues to dim as if the headlights were on! I have had the dealer (San Tan Hyundai in Gilbert AZ) check them twice. Each time I am told operating as designed. This needs a software update to make the automatic headlight system less sensitive. There is no reason why my dash is dimming while the system is off or why the headlights are coming on during a bright sunny day because I drove through a shadow.

Nov 06, 2023

Headlights are dismal low beam is useless

Dec 08, 2022

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low beam headlights were not illuminating as needed. The driver used the high beam headlights while driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contact but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 4,500.

Dec 08, 2022

Low beam lights shine very low and only light about 20’ ahead. On Arkansas curvy country roads, it is difficult to see what is on the road ahead. I have talked to dealer and was told nothing can be done to improve them. Mine are LED. This has been a problem since purchase in April. I avoid night driving because of this.

Sep 29, 2022

The low beam headlight position creates a "shadow shelf" in the middle of the windshield making visibility poor while using only the low beams. This is made worse in inclement weather. This is a hazard as the illuminated area distance is drastically less than that of most other vehicles.

Apr 26, 2022

+ 2 more complaints for this component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

6 complaints

This vehicle was subject to a recall regarding a fire hazard due to faulty OEM wiring harnesses provided with the towing/hitch package. The recall was because of fire risk by the harness and it was recommended the vehicle be parked outside. A repair has not yet been made available by the manufacturer.

Jun 10, 2024

I read the complaint someone made about a vehicle fire in their garage with the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. My vehicle is wired incorrectly and the fused circuit protect doesn't protect the circuit. The Blower relay is rated for 35 amps, but it has a 40 amp multi-fuse protecting it. In addition to that, the low current coil that turns on/off the relay is also connected to the 40 amp multi-fuse. The E-CVVT relay is also a 35 amp relay. It has an incorrect mutifuse of 50 amps protecting the relay. The relay is the same type as the blower relay. The low current coil is protect by a 10 amp fuse unlike the incorrect 40 amps for the blower relay coil. The wire gauge of the wire going to the PCM and motor doesn't seem to handle this current if the Blower motor or E-CVVT motor were to seize and draw more current. The recall for the trailer wire harness included a 15 amp fuse replacement because the wire gauge of the wire cannot handle the additional amperes. The wiring shouldn't melt or catch on fire if the proper fuse was connected to protect the circuit including the wire in the circuit. It didn't meet the National Electric Code or industry standard.

Jun 04, 2023

My vehicles screen flashed a brief notification that I needed to update my Nav software. Afterwards the vehicle began flashing a distracting audible and visual alert of random road hazards...caution road is slippery...or rough...or whatever....literally EVERY FIVE SECONDS. There is no way to turn off the audible sound or alert. You can dismiss it, but that only prompts it to return immediately. Other owners report that the dealerships have no fix. Hyundai has pulled down access to the software update. A factory reset is reported not to work. The only way to stop it is to pull the fuse disabling the whole climate control system and infotainment/nav system. It has been since ~May 4th. This is just unacceptable and presents an unsafe distraction. Hyundai has likely been hacked but is not admitting it.

May 20, 2023

I received a recall notification from Hyundai a couple of months ago regarding an issue with the vehicle's trailer towing system that could result in a fire. Hyundai's answer to this issue is a recommendation to kept he vehicle parked outside and away from buildings. To date they have not notified me of a fix for the issue and my vehicle, myself and my home continue to be at risk. Today I checked again and there is still no fix yet Hyundai continues to market these vehicles with this significant safety issue.

May 15, 2023

GREETINGS, I BOUGHT THIS SANTA CRUZ ON NOVEMBER 25, 2022, AND ITY HAS ONLY 7,137 MILES. I ONLY DRIVE 11 MILES TO WORK AND 11 MILES BACK FROM WORK AT MY FIRST JOB AND 3 MILE TO WORK AT MY SECOND JOB AND 3 MILES BACK. I DO NOT DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY TO GO ANYWHERE FAR. I ONLY USE THIS VEHICLE IN MY AREA. I HAVE ANOTHER VECHILE WHICH IS THE SUV I HAD BEFORE THIS AND I DRIVE THAT ON WEEKENDS. I NOTICED THE MILEAGE KEPT GOING UP AND UP JUST LIKE THE GAS WHEN IT IS RUNNING OUT. THE MILEAGE IS NOW AT 9,490. SO THIS IS SAYING THAT FROM NOVEMBER 25 I USED 2,353 MILEAGE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. SOMEONE DID SOME TAMPERING AT THE DEALER. MY SUV IS 2013 AND I GOT IT WITH SEVENTY SOMETHING MILES IN 2017. IT HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT NOW. PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT AND LET ME KNOW WHEAT IS GOING ON AND GIVE ME A CALL PLEASE. THANK YOU

Feb 12, 2023

+ 1 more complaint for this component

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

5 complaints

I purchased my 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz new from Hallmark Hyundai in Tennessee. Ever since the purchase of my Hyundai Santa Cruz I have had issues with fuel injectors. I have had two fuel injector failures that had to be covered under warranty, the last fuel injector that failed under warranty was on cylinder 3 and was replaced a year ago at Coastal Hyundai in Melbourne, Florida. Three weeks ago, the fuel injector failed again on cylinder 3 and isn’t covered under warranty. This makes the third fuel injector (two on the same cylinder) to have failed in the three years of owning my vehicle. With less than 80,000 miles on it. Hyundai knows it’s a problem as they recently changed their service bulletin mandating all four fuel injectors to be replaced with an upgraded part. However they won’t cover the charges and I’m on the hook for the bill. Also, the new upgrade kit is on back order. I’ve been given three dates know for when it was supposed to be in stock, but they moved the date out again to May 25 and they’re not confident that it will be here then. There needs to be a recall ordered for the fuel injector replacement as Hyundai knows it’s a problem. There are over 3,000 customers waiting across the country for this new upgraded part.

May 16, 2025

On multiple occasions the car had trouble starting and while on the road it would idle like it was struggling. My concern was the car dying on me while on the road and causing an accident for myself and the other drivers or pedestrians. The manufacturer hasn't inspected it nor has it been confirmed by the dealer. I haven't had any warning and they first started to appear in the beginning of 2024. I just recently read the fuel injectors are the cause of this and so far there has not been any recall by the manufacturer

Apr 18, 2025

Evaporative Emissions Vent Valve Stuck closed.

May 13, 2024

Fuel tank opening actuator is getting stuck and fuel tank cannot be open or closed properly advice from Hyundai is to drive with open Tank that I do not consider safe

Dec 08, 2022

Hyundai Santa Cruz's have been having transmission problems that cause you to lose power while driving. This is a dangerous situation, the car will not accelerate and you are left in the middle of the road with no power to maneuver out of danger. I had to coast to the side of the road to get out of traffic. Hyundai announced a recall but Hyundai states that there is no fix at this time. Dealers are not able to perform any work as Hyundai doesn't have a plan to correct this dangerous situation.

Oct 11, 2022

POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE

4 complaints

Dec. 16 2023 / 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz(Daily Driver) VEHICLE SAFETY CONCERNS / DANGEROUS DRIVING SAFETY ISSUES INCREASED RISK OF CRASH (HIGHWAY) Transmission: Problems started Dec. 11,2023 Monday Having trouble gaining any speed. The engine revving when getting on freeway when practicing normal function acceleration, slow having hard time gaining speed, car jerking. Transmission gauge will go beyond4-5 sometimes 6 on RPM just as regular pick up to accelerate problems noticed week of Dec. 11/2023. We were going to bring it up when taken for routine maintenance that would be due at 39,000 mile oil change. car currently standing at 37,000 miles. Radiator: Problems started Dec. 16, 2023 (Saturday) Pearland is 12 miles from home route on 288. Incident occurred while driving from Bushi Ban Martial Arts & Fitness after son's class. I was on freeway and car started to lose speed & over heat. The car beeped and said overheating. hood and oil light began to flash. Luckily was exiting freeway when it occurred speed was 60 mph slowed down to 8 mph and it cooled down enough to coast home. When in driveway hot pink liquid spewed every where, battery cover blown open, liquid all over tubes and engine. The liquid leaked all over driveway and was on drivers side quarter panel and paint was bubbled up. Damage to paint from heat of liquid. Lights on dash that are lit up are engine light, oil can light, battery light on staying on not turning off. Car is not able to be driven due to MFG. defective radiator, transmission, possible engine damage. Looked online noticed recall on thousands of vehicle including the 2022 Santa Cruz 4 recalls stated. Have not turned car back on due to needing it checked out by dealership ASAP need it towed to dealership. De Montrond Hyundai 3260 Gulf Fry Texas City, Tx 77591 Followed instructions on maintaining service at dealership as stated on warranty. REQUEST THAT THE CAR BE TESTED AND OPENED TO FIND ALL DEFECTS AND DAMAGE.

Dec 18, 2023

I was driving on the 394 in Minneapolis and my car had a massive loss of power, dropping my speed from 65 to 35 in seconds, as if i was braking (which I wasn't). The engine light began flashing and I was unable to accelerate beyond the speed it had reduced me to. I was able to limp off the freeway and into a parking lot where it kind of fixed itself after 10 minutes. I took it to a local dealership who said the engine had lost 2 cylinders suddenly. The cylinders were not replaced and no additional work was done to the engine (I don't know why). It has since continued to stutter at lower speeds and occasionally lags when accelerating. Hyundai refuses to do anything about it.

Jan 30, 2023

Hyundia Santa Cruz was purchased Aug of 2021 and it has 5,655 miles on it. After making a stop, sometimes the Santa Cruz does not want to accelerate when pressing down on the accelerator pedal. While pushing more on the accelerator pedal to make the vehicle move, after a second or three elapses while still pressing on the accelerator will cause the vehicle to suddenly lurch forward at a rate of speed too fast and I have to immediately slam on the brakes to regain control of the forward motion of the vehicle to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of me. I took the vehicle to a dealership today (9/16/22). No codes or errors were found by computer check or by a technician driving the vehicle. Dealer comment on the paperwork "Unable to verify concern at this time". Next comment on paperwork, "There is a software update that will remedy this concern". I refused the software update, as I have read numerous comments from online forums of customers having issues after dealership upgraded software. If they are unable to verify the concern, how does the dealership know the software update will remedy the issue that they cannot verify the vehicle has. Dealership paperwork also states, "Shifting issue will continue if software is not updated". It is NOT a shifting issue; it is an uncontrollable/unreliable acceleration issue. This vehicle will be put in storage on 10/18/22 and not taken out of storage until mid-May of 2023. In May of 2023 I will investigate the software update in hopes that Hyundia will have a more stable software update.

Sep 16, 2022

While driving between 30 to 40 MPH the vehicle jerks. It feels like the transmission is not getting in gear and it slows down. Then the engine and transmission kind of engage and it goes back to normal. I have tried to figure out as to when specifically it does it but it does it at different time and situations. I have not driven it again in the highway since when it slows down vehicles behind me have to slow down also. I have had some instances where the vehicle is to closed to me or not paying attention and when it happens I hear those drivers blowing their horns as if I was slowing down on purpose which I wasn't. My opinion is this is a safety issue since the vehicle could be hit from behind, have an accident, injuries or even death. I keep reading the issues with this problem and the complaints keep coming. Thank you

Jul 30, 2022

ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

3 complaints

Vehicle began running roughly. CEL came on. Began to misfire. Limped it off the FWY under limited power. Had vehicle towed to dealership. Was diagnosed as having bad fuel injectors. Was told by service writer that Hyundai Santa Cruz trucks have been experiencing a lot of injector failures. Looking at the various Hyundai Santa Cruz forums, it appears that this has been a very common issue and has occurred in 2022 through 2025 model year vehicles

Aug 11, 2025

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz began shaking on the interstate and showing a check engine light on the dash. After pulling off the road to a nearby auto parts store, the ODB reader showed a DTC of P0301, which is a misfiring cylinder. A independent mechanic across the street from the auto parts store diagnosed the issue as a leaking fuel injector, but in order to get the repair cost covered, the vehicle had to be towed to a Hyundai dealership. The dealership did not have any loaner vehicles to offer and estimated 1-2 weeks to even officially diagnose the vehicle themselves. 2 weeks later, the dealership is estimating another 2-3 weeks or more, and Hyundai corporate will not approve any reimbursement for the out-of-pocket costs of hotel, towing, Uber, and rental until diagnosis AND repair is complete, which could be an unknown period of time.

Aug 27, 2024

Just had the fuel induction serviced day prior to issue. Started car normally. Went to accelerate and no power. Car crawled forward and would not go past 25mph at a slow crawl. Stopped turned of engine and restarted. System to be working normally.

May 10, 2024

POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

3 complaints

Waiting to turn at a busy intersection then proceeded to press the accelerator the vehicle lossed power and had shut off. I Shifted gear to park to start engine and it would not go faster than 10mph. Vehicles behind nearly wrecked into me and were honking their horns. It had died again then started back up. I was able to drive home before it died again. Vehicle towed to dealership. Was told they are booked until next week and no available loaner cars.

Jun 19, 2023

My 2022 Santa Cruz experienced an apparent fault of the automatic transmission control during operation on a ~20 mile trip including city and highway driving. Weather was low 80s and dry. Symptoms were sluggish and delayed upshifting; loss of acceleration power. The issue was most noticeable while attempting to accelerate uphill; several times the vehicle topped out at 25-30 mph when going uphill and failed to accelerate further. As one of these occurred during moderate traffic while entering a highway on-ramp, I think this is a serious safety issue. I was able to pull to the side and eventually regained control of up/downshifting by placing the transmission shift lever in manual control - fortunately the transmission seemed to respond to manual up/down shifting and I was able to eventually accelerate to a safe highway speed (65mph). After a short ~2 mile drive on the highway I got off on the next exit and when stopped at the end of the exit ramp, turned the vehicle off and on. Following restarting the vehicle, automatic shifting seemed to operate correctly for the remainder of my travel (another ~20 miles of driving). During this malfunction I did not see any unusual indicator / warning lights on the dash or any indication that the vehicle wasn't in normal automatic driving mode. Reporting features such as the "vehicle health report" indicate that the vehicle had no issues, diagnostic messages or service due.

Jul 16, 2022

As other owners have reported, there is an issue that happens, seemingly at random, when accelerating from a stop. The vehicle feels as if it’s stuck in too high of a gear and accelerates very slowly despite high RPMs. The maximum speed I could achieve was 16 MPH after keeping the gas pedal nearly floored for 3-5 seconds, which normally would have had me to nearly 60 MPH. This happened to me in rush hour city traffic on a busy street with no shoulder. The only apparent solution is to shut off the vehicle and restart it, at which time the problem resolves itself and normal operation is resumed. In my case this caused a brief traffic backup that extended through the intersection of two major arterial streets and lots of upset drivers behind me. This has only happened once (occurred on 2/10/22) since purchasing the vehicle new on 12/28/21 and having driven it approximately 1,100 miles.

Feb 17, 2022

AIR BAGS

2 complaints

The vehicle was involved in a collision in which the airbags failed to deploy. Despite the severity of the impact, no airbags deployed. As a result, both adult occupants (my daughters) were injured. The failure of the airbag system to deploy raises serious safety concerns regarding the vehicle’s restraint system and crash sensors.

Dec 16, 2025

Crash: 1

Injuries: 2

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH while slowing down, the vehicle rear ended by another vehicle which caused the contact to crash into the vehicle in front. The air bags did not deploy. The contact struck the steering and had major injuries to the nose and neck and they required medical attention. The contact was unsure if the other drivers were injured. The vehicle was deemed totally loss from the insurance company. The manufacturer was contact but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage 70,000. A police report was filed.

Aug 29, 2023

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 complaints

2nd replacement DCT transmission failed Loss of power while driving on the interstate , upon acceleration no increase in speed, went from 65mph to 38mph before able to pull off the highway. Intermittently it is not shifting, shuttering, hard reverse shift, hesitation from park into drive

Aug 18, 2025

On [XXX] my new 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz’s transmission failed while driving. Vehicle down shifted with a noticeable loss in power and speed. This was a very dangerous condition as I was in traffic when this incident occurred. The vehicle’s odometer shows ONLY 4761 total miles since purchasing this car brand new at Sheehy Hyundai in Waldorf, Maryland INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Aug 27, 2024

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

2 complaints

On the interstate mid-route, the engine light went on and the car started acting sluggish and slightly shaking on the interstate and would not respond to pressing the gas to accelerate and started to slow down. When I pulled over to the berm it was vibrating as if it was going to stall out. I turned the car off and returned to the interstate with no issues for the rest of my ride (the engine light remained on). On the next trip to the dealership for an appointment to have it checked, I was merging onto the interstate, and again, the car was not responding to me putting on the gas and would not accelerate. Could not push the car over 35MPG, and had to ride to the dealership with the car varying in speed anywhere from almost a complete stop to 30MPH on the berm where I could with flashers, often it felt as if it would stall out. It was a very dangerous & unsafe ride. FYI - The dealership replaced all 4 fuel injectors to fix

Feb 28, 2025

I was trying to accelerate with pushing the gas pedal and the truck would not go any faster than 22 mph. This went on for 15 minutes until the truck was turned off and restarted. It seemed to be corrected with turning the vehicle off. No engine warning lights came on and the vehicle was in drive the whole time. The concern was not being able to accelerate on the on-ramp to the main highway. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone at this time. The problem could not be reproduced after it occurred today.

Mar 01, 2024

VISIBILITY/WIPER

2 complaints

While driving in wet snow, the front windshield wipers stopped working. The windshield was clear, interior was warm, defrost was running, all normal winter settings. From my internet search, seems like this is a known issue, snow building up between the blade and the home position not allowing the wiper to complete its cycle, disabling the motor. Once cleared it will work again, but stopping wipers at speed is quite dangerous, not to mention pulling over on a icy road to rase the car hood to clean. Very unsafe. Internet forums says its been going on for years, why is this not been addressed?

Jan 10, 2025

Washer fluid does not distribute properly on the windshield especially at highway speeds causing the wipers to leave streaks in the middle of the windshield right in the driver's field of vision. The vast majority of the fluid hits at the base of the windshield and runs off at an angle towards the driver's side window. The only way to get it to clear is to pull over or slow down to less than 20 MPH (not always possible) or to pump a lot of excess fluid on the windshield to get enough in the middle to partially clear it. This puts the driver at a much higher risk of running out of washer fluid. I have actually run out of fluid once in this car already which is a big concern. I regularly fill my fluids and have only had this happen one other time in over 30 years of driving. I have checked the Santa Cruz owners forums and there are a lot of complaints for this same issue indicating there is a design flaw in the washer system or nozzle. I am asking NHTSA to please investigate this. I have owned many vehicles and have never had one that couldn't clear the windshield properly. I am attaching the dealer's repair invoice indicating they duplicated the concern and that it was considered normal as the nozzles are not adjustable.

Feb 25, 2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 complaints

Backup camera doesn't work 50% of the time (black screen) when in reverse OR when it works stays on after being put into drive. Has happened numerous times (over 20). Took to dealer, they said if there's no error code, they can't do anything. (Of course it worked fine the 15min I was at the dealer).

Dec 06, 2024

My new car with less than 2000 miles stalled at a traffic light on Southlake Blvd. in Southlake, TX. It just died and would not start. All the electrical warning lights were flaring. Every time I tried to restart it, it would try, shudder, and die. I was lucky not to get run over on that busy street. It was towed to the dealership and has been there a month exactly. They cannot figure out what is wrong.

Oct 07, 2022

TRAILER HITCHES

2 complaints

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he was made aware that flames had been observed emanating from the rear of the vehicle. Bystanders were able to safely extinguish the flames; however, local emergency services arrived as an added safety measure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who had yet to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V181000 (Trailer Hitches), but the VIN was not included. A fire report was filed. A police report was not filed, and no injuries were reported. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 38,000.

Jul 18, 2024

Fire: 1

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V181000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer and a second dealer, Sterling McCall Hyundai (10505 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77074) and other unknown dealers were contacted. The dealers informed the contact that the remedy was not yet available for the Hyundai Santa Cruz vehicles. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Dec 07, 2023

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 complaints

1.Spring 2023 Received a Recall on tow hitch wiring package (may catch on fire)... No solution yet! I was experiencing transmission problems around same time. 2. My Hyundai App warns of transmission problem on 07/22/2023. Took my (19 month old) 2022 Santa Cruz to Preston Hyundai 07/24/2023. Earliest appointment available was scheduled for 08/09/2023 (16 days waiting period). 3. 08/09/2023, at Preston Hyundai, says they must order a new transmission and refuses to give me my truck back claiming it is UNSAFE to Drive (even though I drove it 16 days (over 400 miles) waiting for my service appointment!). Truck has remained at Preston Hyundai since 08/09/2023 and replacement transmission ETA is 10/24/2023, making total time in dealership 76 days to date (or 92 days since being notified on my Hyundai appof transmission problem! Truck has not moved or been started since 08/24/2023. 4. Back on 07/22/2023, I attempted to program Navigation system with "vacation address" but Nav System displayed prompt that Nav it needed a map update. I cleared the "OK" prompt off the display but I started getting "Check Engine" dummy light appearing and other dummy lights appearing! Also my tachometer gauge (also is the right turn signal mirror camera), quit working and started beeping every 10 seconds or so. 5. On 07/24/2023, at Preston Service Dept., I ask them to update Nav System. I was told that it takes too long and they won't do it! (lacking personnel and time and I should do it myself. I researched "How To" and discovered many warnings from owners that their vehicles computer system got messed up attempting the map update. I've been communicating with Hyundai headquarters who suggested I inquire about the "BuyBack" Program at my Dealership! I did inquire on 10/10/2023 and they've never heard of it, but evaluated my truck and offered me $27,000 for my 20 month old truck, leaving me a $15,000 expense for a new 2024 Santa Cruze. 6. I've now contacted a "Lemon Law" Law Firm!

Oct 11, 2023

I was accelerating onto the interstate in a busy high speed area and suddenly there was no communication to my transmission. I went from 58 miles an hour to 20mph is a matter of seconds barely avoiding causing a several car pile up. I had vehicle towed to 2 different dealer service departments to no avail. I was told that there was no code and the problem could not be duplicated. However there is a recall for a similar issue. I was told my vin number didn't fall within that recall. The vehicle has been in the shop for several issues in the 6 short months I've owned it most appear to be related to electrical issues. I've made several attempts to resolve the issue through Hyundai with no resolution.

Mar 13, 2023

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE

2 complaints

Warning lights and chime for every ADAS system. Inoperative ADAS system. Driving down a two lane highway ALL of the safety systems warning came on in succession: Check cross traffic, lane keep, cross traffic, blind spot, forward safety, TPMS, etc. When this is happening the AC stops blowing cold and the controls are unresponsive. The warnings will occasionally pause and go back to normal, is quiet for a minute, the AC resumes working, then the dinging resumes and warnings flash. I stopped and restarted, all came back. I looked up where the sensors are and checked for obstructions, none. Disconnected, reconnected battery, it went away for a few miles then came back. No DTC's on app.

Sep 20, 2023

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the Lane Departure feature malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to drive off the road on several occasions, and crossed double yellow lines with oncoming traffic ahead. The contact almost struck a pedestrian. In addition, the Forward Collision Avoidance system also malfunctioned several times causing the vehicle to abruptly stop while driving on the freeway with no other vehicles nearby. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on several occasions and no cause for the failure was found. The sensors were updated but after retrieving the vehicle, the failure immediately reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 10.

Sep 13, 2023

POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

2 complaints

August 16th, 2023 - Roughly 10:30 am Started car using Push-To-Start, car coughed a few times upon startup. Was about 74 degrees, not too hot or too cold. (This has happened before, not totally abnormal for it to cough on startup.) Loaded up the kid, our luggage, and left. Car was running about 4-5 minutes before putting it in drive. Drove out of the neighborhood street pretty normally, went to our stop sign, turned left. Car struggled up hill, appeared to be revving, but the RPMs and the speed did not reflect the amount of noise the car was making. Stopped at another stop sign, turned right, car WOULD NOT accelerate faster than 25ish mph. I put the pedal to the floor to try to bring up the speed, the SMART mode indicator was turning red (indicating bad gas mileage) but it was not accelerating or moving any further. Pulled into someone's driveway to get off the road. Stopped the car, put it in park, then put it in reverse, drove out of the driveway, put it back in drive. Car continued to not accelerate. Unable to get RPMs past 3k and speed past 25ish mph. Got it home without incident. Had dealership tow car as I was unwilling to drive it on an 70 mph road to get it to the dealer. Dealership and Hyundai corporate reject that anything occurred due to there being no computer indicator indicating there was an issue. They believe I had the car in manual mode. I discussed with them that 1) This was very unlikely, as I shifted back into drive more than once and 2) my RPMs would have been increasing if I was accelerating but simply not shifting. I went online and found out this is a widespread issue - I am not the only one reporting this problem.

Aug 23, 2023

When pulling out onto a major HWY, the vehicle lost power. Vehicle acted like it was in "neutral" but engine wouldn't rev when pressing gas and rpm was bottomed out. Vehicle then would not shift out correctly.

Sep 15, 2022

VISIBILITY

2 complaints

While driving on the expressway, the sunroof shattered. We were not under an overpass, and traffic was very light. We did not see any object strike the sunroof. It’s like it just spontaneously exploded.

Mar 06, 2023

The washer fluid nozzles are not adjustable and the fluid while spilling still only sprays about 3 inches up from the bottom of the windshield. All fluid stays below the wiper so the window cannot be cleaned. When road grime or bugs get on the windshield I have to stop to clean.

Oct 19, 2022

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

2 complaints

When accelerating from a complete stop the transmission skips within the first few RPMs. This also happens when coming to a complete stop. It feels like a stall or a stutter. Also does it when put into reverse.

Nov 23, 2022

Problem 1 - The vehicle has stalled twice at low speed (less than 5 mph). Both times I had just pulled away from a parking space, coasting (or slowing) before a STOP sign and the vehicle dies. It beeps loudly, says shift to Neutral and restart. It did restart both times. This happened both times while being in SMART mode. I drove it about a month in NORMAL mode between stalls and the issue did not happen. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not. I have had the Santa Cruz less than 2 months. Problem 2 - While accelerating away from a stop, it seems the vehicle revs and does not accelerate, almost like it is not in gear.

Aug 27, 2022

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2 complaints

WHILE DRIVING ON THE 405 FWY MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PASS 20 MILES IT WAS 11 PM SO NOT MANY CARS ON THE ROAD , I HAD TO DRIVE WITH MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON 17 MILES TO GET HOME , I AM TAKING IT TO THE DEALER TODAY. NO WARNING LIGHTS , OR MESSAGES CAME ON DURING THE WHOLE ORDEAL

Oct 19, 2022

Upon accelerating vehicle jumps rpms6000-7000 and does not accelerate. Vehicle needs to be turned off to function properly again, it gets stuck in high rpm’s with no acceleration.

May 29, 2022

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

ALL SAFETY FEATURE WARNING ALERTS (3) OF THEM, SINCE IT WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO CHECK ALL THAT APPLY THEY ARE THE FOLLOWING ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING, BLIND SPOT WARNING NOT WORKING, FORWARD COLLISON DETECTION NOT WORKING, LANE DEPARTURE WARNING NOT WORKING, LANE KEEPING ASSISTANCE NOT WORKING, PARKING COLLISION WARNING NOT WORKING REAR CROSS TRAFFIC WARNING NOT WORKING.

Nov 07, 2025

AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS

1 complaint

when pulling out on a intersection I was hit by a large box truck on the front and side drivers side at aprox. 20 to 25 mph. my air bags did not go off and my seat belt did not hold me from hitting the steering wheel Hyundai is saying the impact was not enough to force either one to help in this situation

Aug 18, 2025

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while driving 62 MPH, the Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking system erroneously engaged. The Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking warning light illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but offered no assistance and informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was 30,000.

Aug 11, 2025

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed to pass another vehicle however, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stopped the vehicle but did not turn off the vehicle. The contact stated that after shifting to drive(D) the vehicle failed to accelerate above 15 MPH. The contact stopped the vehicle and had the vehicle towed to the local dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that a fuel injector had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

Jul 08, 2025

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 complaint

My 2022 Santa Cruz Limited Edition keeps losing power intermittently. No accident yet but very risky to drive.

Jul 04, 2025

STRUCTURE

1 complaint

My tailgate is opening unexpectedly while driving. Hyundai has assured people that the tailgate locks while the vehicle is on and moving but that doesn't seem to be the case. I always check to make sure the tailgate is latched after accessing it, since this has happened several times now. I have now lost 2 separate items out of the bed while driving with the tailgate unexpectedly down. This issue could pose a safety risk to other drivers.

Jun 10, 2025

POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 complaint

I was driving on the freeway at 65mph and experienced a sudden loss of power. I depressed the gas pedal but the car would not accelerate past 45 mph. I had to drive all the way home with my hazard lights on. There were no lights on the dashboard to signify a problem. This happened several times. I took it into the Hyundai Service center and they could not replicate the problem. It happened again. and again. and again. finally got an error "possible condition with your engine control module". Took it into the dealer and after they drove it around for hundreds of miles they said they were able to recreate the problem, pulls some codes and relaced the fuel injection pump. It happened again. and again. and again. I took it back to the Hyundai Service center. They could not re-create the issue. They told me to use Chevron gas only and added an additive to the car. It worked for a while. Then it happened again. And again. I took it to a different Hyundai Service Center. They were not able to re-create the problem. Apparently, every time I drive the car, after 5-10 minutes on the street roads, the car fails to accelerate and I have to pull over, stop the car, and then re-start it. Re-starting it seems to clear the issue. I am driving in SMART mode and my car is at 39000 miles. Every time I take it to the service center, they can not re-create the issue. This is outrageous. Do I need to get into a car accident in order to bring legal action to Hyundai for not fixing this loss of power/failure to accelerate issue? Worst part is, the first Hyundai service center went out of business and I can not get any of the maintenance records for the fuel pump replacement.

May 13, 2025

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 complaint

- What component or system failed or malfunctioned: Code P019185 main fuel rail pressure regulator sensor. -Is it available for inspection upon request? Yes -How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? At highway speeds, sudden lose of power and speed. Unable to accelerate. -Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No, happens randomly, vehicle has to be shut down and restarted to resolve problem. -Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No -Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning, shortly after purchase and several time after purchase to date.

Sep 15, 2024

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated while the vehicle was in park, he attempted to load the vehicle through the rear tailgate door when the rear tailgate door completely detached. No warning lights had illuminated. An appointment with the dealer was scheduled to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,392.

Jul 05, 2024

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,POWER TRAIN

1 complaint

2022 Santa Cruz issues periodically with RPM will reach 4,000-5,000 (Engine sounds to be reving..sp), mph is near zero, on acceleration from a stopped position. To me, sounds to be torque converter, transmission or electrical system. Have had to dealer on 2 occasions, of which, they cannot reproduce issue.(May 25, August29). This issue is rare but when it occurs (last happening this week Oct 4)concerns of vehicle stopping completely and resulting in accident. Contacted Hyundai customer complaint location, to no avail. It may not be of concern to others but it is to me. When occurs removing foot from accelerator, start process of pulling forward again, all is good. This happened in July, when necessary to have someone else drive vehicle. They were ready to park and call tow truck. Advised what to do to rectify issue, towing was not necessary. Case numbers [XXXXXXX], NHTSA numbers assigned 829558: 828559: 827470. May be others……but I thought my contacting NHTSA was reporting issue as well. Any additional information needed, will provide. Contacted local dealer Sept 29, as well as Hyundai Consumer Affair (hmausa) to advise my intentions. Have contacted Consumer Affairs several times, assigned case number, Sept 1. but no resolution of issue. Have previously, via email, forwarded documentation to NHTSA. First date taken for “look at” was May 25,2023. Actually unsure of first occurrence date. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Oct 06, 2023

LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint

This is an ongoing problem that neither the local dealership of the manufacturer seems willing or able to correct --- or even consider it a safety issue. DRIVER DISTRACTION IS A SAFETY ISSUE! not to mention the tension and stress this is causing me...while I am unable to enjoy my new 2022 Santa Cruz: For no apparent reason, the vehicle dashboard started giving me flashing visual and sound alerts that alternate between "bumpy road ahead" and "slippery road ahead" while driving. This freaked me out not knowing the problem. I could not get the dealership to even answer the phone! The alerts still continuously flash visually and intermittently sound the distressing high-pitched alert; They block the legitimate alerts on the right side of the dash for lane-keeping, passing other vehicles, and whatever other alerts come up on the right side of the dash. May 18, 2023 the Orange Park dealership tried a recommended software download that worked for only a day. They said Hyundai is aware of the problem they have no fix! They tell me other vehicles have the same problem and they can't figure it out! They tell me there is no way to even turn off the SOUND!! In April I was provided a Hyundai Case #21475812, asked for acceleration...last attempt May 24, 2023 ... still no resolution and no follow-up nor indication of concern. Case number is nonexistent on the My Hyundai website. How are they allowed to falsely advertise bumper to bumper warranty coverage???

Jun 14, 2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 complaint

Both rear taillights have condensation since 1 month out from purchase till currently. Dealer garage will not fix it says it normal and will not even write up or make an appointment to have it checked. Recently, I was proceeding into the highway and I lost acceleration to move into traffic that scared the life out of and my family. Pressed the gas and car doesn’t move at all then hardly at 40rpms. No warning lights or anything came in. Drove home in the back roads and made an appointment with the garage in 2 days later. Which upon driving to garage the car seemed fine. The garage did not even write up a service order said it was normal.

Apr 26, 2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

1 complaint

After taking my vehicle to get serviced for the 4th time, the vehicle is is not repaired. I still have the problem two hours later when driving the vehicle on April 7, 2023. My vehicle sometimes get stuck in high idle @1200 RPM when driving. The engine is at operating temperature when it get stuck. It doesn't go away unless I shut off the engine for a few seconds and then start the engine. It stays in high idle @1200 RPM whether it is in park, neutral, reverse, or drive. It stays @1200 RPM whether the A/C is on or off. The engine control module seem to make adjustments to keep the idle @1200 RPM. It is difficult to stop, additional wear on the brakes, and poor fuel economy. On the highway, when I take my foot off the accelerator pedal the engine feels like the pedal is slightly pressed. A stuck accelerator pedal doesn't make adjustments to maintain the 1200 RPM idle in park and drive or whether the A/C is on and off. It is a problem with the engine control module controlling the idle speed. My dealer already did a engine and transmission value reset which didn't fix the problem. Others have filed a complaint that the RPM gets stuck @5000. The rpm getting stuck doesn't trigger a check engine warning light on my vehicle either. One time while I was driving with the idle problem, the engine shut off while I was braking to a stop at the light. Are Hyundai vehicle parts really being tested to the point of failure or malfunction? How come Hyundai USA doesn't know the cause of the problem? Are we their test subject and crash dummies? The Hyundai dealer said they couldn't reproduce the problem, so when it was malfunctioning again I drove it back to the dealership without shutting off the engine for them to confirm the problem. I have a recent video of the malfunction, but only older photos of the engine or electrical malfunction to upload.

Apr 08, 2023

STEERING

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50.

Feb 14, 2023

EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER

1 complaint

My LED headlights have a massive dark spot in the top left corner. It looks like a triangle took a bite out of the light. It creates a big blind spot at night when driving in poorly lit areas and again, Hyundai won't do anything about it.

Jan 30, 2023

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

1 complaint

Transmission problems , car went into limp mode.

Jan 09, 2023

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

constantly states it does not work ever since the front license plate was installed. no way to disable it. it's either have a front plate or have no cruise control.

Dec 19, 2022

LANE DEPARTURE

1 complaint

While driving down a two-lane highway at night (foggy conditions), the Lane Following Assist feature was turned on. There was a section of highway where a vehicle had previously driven through wet white paint. The paint was smeared toward the ONCOMING lane as if the vehicle had turned left after driving through the wet paint. The Lane Following Assist on my 2022 Santa Cruz detected these white paint tracks and immediately jerked the steering wheel to the left, INTO the oncoming lane. If there had been a vehicle in that lane, there would have absolutely been a head on collision. There was no opportunity to correct because the vehicle turned to the left so suddenly. This WILL cause crashes. All other safety features were also enabled. There were no known obstructions of safety sensors or cameras.

Dec 07, 2022

SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE

1 complaint

1st incident occurred October 19 2022.while driving 45 mph all of sudden vehicle lost engine power, can not accelerate. vehicle would not restart. towed vehicle to hyundai dealership service center.vehicle was repaired on November 2 2022. 2nd incident occurred on November 17 2022. while driving on highway speed limit vehicle engine lost power. vehicle would not restart. towed vehicle back to same dealership service center.

Nov 18, 2022

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

1 complaint

lost of power while driving at 45 mph. no engine warning.

Oct 19, 2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE

1 complaint

I was driving on the highway (55mph) with my two children in the backseat. My vehicle started slowing down quickly even with my foot on the gas. There was no warning, no lights on the dash lit up warning me there was anything wrong with the car. The rpm’s we’re going up but it was like there was no power to the car. I got off the highway onto a side road as fast as I could do I wouldn’t get hit. Then I pulled off to the side of the road. I put it in park and turned it off. I tried to turn it back on and it would start. After a second attempt it turned on but was really rough and felt like it would stall. I used blue link to call for a tow truck. Then I called the dealership to tell them since I’ve only had the car for 9 months. I tried to turn the car back on and the dash said battery discharging due to electrical and it turned off before I could read the last word. Tonight checking my email blue link sent an email stating a possible condition with the engine control system. The vehicle was towed to the dealership where I bought the car.

Sep 24, 2022

POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 complaint

Driving at 60 mph. Car stopped responding to accelerator. I was forced to pull off the road. Not a safe situation due to traffic. Turned off car and restarted. The car would then accelerate normally.. There was an error logged stating that " A possible condition with your Engine Control Module has been detected. A full system check is recommended to be done soon. Please consult your your local dealership to schedule an appointment. This is a common problem occurring on numerous Santa Cruzs.

Sep 17, 2022

SERVICE BRAKES

1 complaint

On July 31, 2022, I started the Santa Cruz normally, and my wife and I drove to the exit of our neighborhood (approximately 1?2 mile). I turned left out of our neighborhood, and proceeded downhill. After reaching a speed of approximately 25-30 mph, a car in front of me began to brake to take a left-hand turn. Upon applying the brakes, I experienced a catastrophic brake failure. The brake pedal felt hard as a rock, and even pressing the brake as hard as possible, I was able to achieve only 5-10% of normal brake effort, and the Santa Cruz slowed only very gradually. Fortunately, the car in front completed its turn before I arrived, or I would have been forced to hit the car or veer off the road to avoid a collision. I managed to exit the road on which I was driving within a few hundred feet, and turned onto an empty street on the right. At this point, I managed to stop the car, shifted to Park, applied the parking brake, and turned off the truck. I restarted the truck, at which time the display in the truck displayed warnings for “Check ESC” and “Check ABS”. Prior to this braking failure, I never observed any previous warnings that such an event might occur: - I have never observed any warnings related to ESC - I have never observed any warnings related to ABS - I have never observed any warnings related to brake fluid level - I have never observed any brake fluid leaking from the truck - I have never had any issues with braking effort At first glance, it appears that there may be some type of software or computer failure affecting the truck that resulted in a catastrophic loss of braking, which is completely unacceptable. Had this event occurred just a few minutes later, I would have been traveling at highway speeds and this failure could have easily resulted in fatalities. The truck continued to display the same warnings and the brakes continued not to work. As a result, the truck was towed to the dealer where it was purchased for evaluation.

Aug 11, 2022

POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

Purchase the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz with under 30 miles. At 329 miles was driving on a road going about 40mph and the big Check Forward Safety System warning light came on inside the tachometer screen. The car started to slow down, and wasn't responding to the gas pedal. Then the dashboard had the following lights on: Check engine, front collision, downhill, EPB, Auto hold, traction control. Also the triangle with explanation point was on below the tachometer with a red bubble with the number 3 inside of it. Luckily I was able to roll into a parking lot. As the car was stopped and still running, without gas pedal working, the engine was revving between 1400-1600 rpms and the engine sounded very bad. The diagnosis light from the check engine light show up as POWERTRAIN - DTC - PO65312 Turned the car off and let it sit for a minute before starting again and only check engine light was on. Was able to drive home a couple minutes away and had the car towed to the dealership. Dealership had the car for almost 2 weeks and the paperwork just shows that they weren't able to duplicate the issue so they cleared the code. The service manager on the phone said they updated the system and said it was most likely an issue with the front radar system. Fast forward now the car has 3422 miles on it. Car was in the garage and I started it. It was running for under a minute and the same exact issue had happened as the first time. Same dash lights, same engine code. Had car towed same day to Hyundai dealer. A couple days later I was told the issue was the throttle body assembly. They replaced the throttle body, checked all the connections and cleared the code. Fast forward again to 4134 miles on the car. Was traveling on a parkway going about 65mph and the same exact issue happened again. Luckily I was able to get over and exit the highway all without the gas pedal not working. Three times with the same issue after being fixed twice is unacceptable.

Jul 26, 2022

POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

1 complaint

During the 6 months since I've purchased this vehicle, the power has intermittently, stalled upon pulling off from a traffic light, or excellerating onto the freeway, or while turning and pulling up onto a supermarket's parking lot. It revs up loudly, but without any power nor excelleration, without any warning. I'm always afraid that someone will run into my rear end because drivers behind me have no way of knowing that my car has suddenly stopped being able to excellerate. It keeps making the loud noise as if it's no longer in Drive, or the right gear as I'm pressing down on the excellerator peddle. It does this for approximately 10 seconds each time that it has happened. Had car in for service, first maintenance appointment, and for them to find out what's causing the transmission to keep failing, and to correct it, last Thursday, on 7/21/22. I was told that everything checked out okay, and that they drove the car, and couldn't reproduce the transmission problem that I've been having. Well, everything is clearly not okay, whether it's intermittent or not. This is very dangerous, but unfortunately, I can't will this to happen at any specific time, that I'm able to get a service appointment, in order for it be reproduced by the technician. I left the dealership with no resolution to my most important reason for scheduling the service appointment. I left with an oil change, tire rotation, a fluid level top off, but was notified that now, I had a screw in one of my tires. Then, the very next day, I experienced it happen again. I'm very concerned, each time I drive my new car, about the potential for this sudden loss of power. This is extremely unsafe, scary, and anxiety producing. I should be enjoying my new car. I've searched Santa Cruz owners forums and other sites, to see if other owners are experiencing the same, or similar problems with their vehicle. Some say they've reported the concerns to dealership and to the manufacturer, with no response. Please help!

Jul 25, 2022

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to shift into gear. The contact was able to pull over and restart the vehicle. The “Stop Vehicle Immediately” message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,200.

Jul 01, 2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

1 complaint

2022 Santa Cruz 764 miles. Washed vehicle April 1st with hose, water & soap bubbles in grill of DRL. I was told that its a lens cover & not the LED DRL, but it collects and holds water & soap. I can't clean in there. Field service engineer came out, deamed normal by Hyundai, grill & lens are not sealed. Unacceptable, water collecting by electrical component. Can't get behind lens cover to clean. Eventually im going to have a film in there, and DRL won't work as they should. If soap and water get in now, what happens during winter when it gets road spray from rock salt melting snow and ice turn things to a slush? Who's going to clean that? What happens when the water turns to ice? I mentioned windshield gets foggy and has to be cleaned inside, I was told to use my defroster to clean it. There is no defroster in grill. I'm seeing water collect by an electrical component and soap during a wash. Thats now, the winter road spray won't be as kind. Those are not individual lights, it's one component of 4 lights. The longer this goes on, the effectiveness of those lights will go down. That's not gonna help me at night. Those lights are expensive and you have to have the entire panel replaced. Im not a mechanic or body & fender man. Who's going to pay for that? But, the big question is, "why aren't these lights sealed?

May 12, 2022

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint

I purchased a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, Limited edition. The vehicle went into neutral while driving on a busy highway. There was no forward or reverse gear operation. I had to call the local police to block off the lane till a tow truck arrived. After 60 days the dealer finally located the problem. A ground wire to the transmission control module came loose and caused the vehicle transmission to fail. The ground ID Number was GE204 and is located inside the left front fender. This problem took 2800 miles to occur. I feel one ground connection should not cause this type of safety issue.

Apr 24, 2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES

1 complaint

ALL DASH LIGHTS ARE ON WHILE DRIVING. OIL, ABS, TIRE PRESSURE, CHECK ENGINE. CAR IS AT DEALERSHIP NOW AND THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD TO ME WITH A LOANER AND CONSTANT UPDATES. THEY HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH CORPORATE AND THEY ADVISED THEM TO CHANGE SOMETHING IN THE ABS SYSTEM WHICH IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE MIDDLE OF FEBRURARY. NOTHING TO DO BUT WAIT.

Feb 02, 2022

2022 HYUNDAI Santa Cruz Problems & Complaints

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