At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. Confirm by VIN that the repair was completed before driving or buying this car. The fix is free at a dealer.
Recalls
Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.
Safety recall
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.
- Status
- Park outside and away from buildings until repaired. Dealer fixes it free.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Structure recall
A detached roof molding could become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace, or secure the roof moldings, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 30, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 241.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Transmission recall
Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 236.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Engine recall
An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the turbocharger oil supply pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall 222.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Owner complaints by system
Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.
Engine & powertrain
136
Most reports here involve transmission slipping. Of these, 1 mention a crash.
Read full complaint
My INTEGRATED THERMAL MANAGEMENT (ITM) module went bad in my 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. I notified Hyundai about it and found out there are several service bulletins related to this part. My truck was outside the bumper-to-bumper warranty, so I had to pay over $1000.00 to get it replaced. I think it's shitty that Hyundai knows there is an issue with part on 2022-2023 Santa Cruz's and aren't willing to cover it. On top of that, the ECU has to re-calibrated after the repair, which didn't allow me to replace the part myself.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11763482 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Electrical & infotainment
23
Most reports here involve software faults.
Read full complaint
While driving my vehicle on a two-lane highway, I experienced multiple sequential electronic system failures (including the vehicle no longer detecting the smart key), and all electronic systems on the car became inoperative. I lost all instrumentation, including my speedometer and tachometer. At the same time, I also experienced a loss of motive power, and the engine of the vehicle began running extremely erratically before completely cutting off. I attempted to make a safe stop on the side of the road, but after doing so, could not restart the vehicle. The electrical systems of the vehicle continued to behave erratically, and the engine would not restart. I contacted roadside assistance, but they were unable to start the vehicle as well. It was towed to my local Hyundai dealership, but instead of expressing any genuine concern for the significant risk I endured while being placed In harm's way, they refused to fully diagnose the vehicle, and instead accused me of "jumping in reverse," even though I did no such thing (and don't even know what that means). The dealership has no evidence to suggest any such event took place, and simply wants me to pay over $1,800 for replacement of the battery connection terminals, despite being in-warranty. Obviously, the vehicle was already running – there is no way that the dealership's false allegations could possibly be correct. I contacted Hyundai Motor America and was assigned a caseworker, but they were not interested in finding a resolution, and unable to compel the servicing dealership to perform a full diagnostic or provide warranty service. Feeling that I was running out of options for the vehicle to be properly diagnosed, I contacted the dealership where I purchased the car, and provided the photographic evidence & service documentation required. They agreed that there's no way that I could have created this issue, and that further investigation is warranted, but HMA only cares about money – not my or my family's safety.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11745435 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Brakes
4
Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while driving on I-95 and approaching a stopped vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed, and the automatic emergency braking system engaged. Upon depressing the accelerator pedal to accelerate when traffic started moving, the emergency braking light remained illuminated, and an alarm sounded even after the preceding vehicle drove away. The automatic emergency braking system failed to disengage, causing the vehicle to be rear-ended by an ambulance. The contact sustained body soreness from head to feet and whiplash but had not yet received medical treatment. The ambulance air bags deployed, and the ambulance was undrivable. The vehicle was taken to an autobody shop, where an estimate was provided. The contact believed that the vehicle would be totaled, but the insurance company had not yet evaluated the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11763570 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Steering, suspension & tires
2
Most reports here involve software faults.
Read full 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.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11507214 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Airbags & seat belts
3
Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 3 mention a crash, 4 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
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.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11705417 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Structure & body
10
Most reports here involve other issues.
Read full complaint
The tailgate of this vehicle opened by itself while driving and pulling a trailer. The key fob was stored safely in the cup holder of the vehicle. When I attempted to back the trailer into a driveway, the open tailgate was caught between the vehicle and the trailer, causing serious damage to the tailgate as well as the trailer that was being towed. If items that were stored in the bed of the vehicle had fallen out into the path of another vehicle or pedestrian, they could have been injured or killed. This problem has been reported to both my local Hyundai dealership as well as to the Hyundai Corporate Case Management group (HCCM). (case #[XXX] of the HCCM) The dealership attempted to reproduce the incident while the vehicle was parked in the shop and was unable to duplicate the condition that happened while driving on a rough public road, towing a trailer. No warning lamps or messages appeared prior to the failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11745564 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Other systems
5
Most reports here involve fire.
Read full complaint
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.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11603137 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
How does it compare with other years? The 2022 has 183 complaints on file, more than the 2023 (79). That is the most of the 4 model years of the Hyundai Santa Cruz we cover. Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.