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2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Owner Complaints

Updated May 30, 20262 Critical Recalls
Ryan Davis

Complaint Summary

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has 259 reported complaints.

  • Top issues involve power train and engine.

Reliability Score

Reliability Score

5.5/ 10

Based on 259 complaints

Most Frequent Issues

POWER TRAIN

82 31.7%

ENGINE

46 17.8%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

34 13.1%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

18 6.9%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

17 6.6%

Quick Insights

  • The top category is POWER TRAIN, accounting for 31.7% of all complaints.

  • Owners have reported issues across 30 distinct vehicle systems.

  • Note: Complaint data reflects owner reports and may not always indicate a verified defect. Compare with Recalls and TSBs for a complete picture.

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Complaint Summary

What owners keep reporting on the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has 259 owner complaints in this dataset. POWER TRAIN is the most common complaint category, representing about 32% of the reports shown here.

Most common complaint categories

The top complaint groups for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz are POWER TRAIN (82), ENGINE (46), UNKNOWN OR OTHER (34).

Are these complaints a serious red flag?

Potentially. 92 complaint reports involve higher-attention systems like brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components, which is enough to justify a focused inspection.

What should buyers inspect on a used 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?

Start with the top complaint systems, compare them against the recall report, then inspect service records for evidence that those same areas were already repaired or monitored.

Read the full buyer guideRecall report and remedy notesMaintenance costs and intervals2023 Santa Cruz complaints2024 Santa Cruz complaints2025 Santa Cruz complaints

Detailed Complaint Log

Showing 29 of 29 systems

POWER TRAIN

79 Reports32% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

When taking off from a stand still the Santa Cruz will hesitate.. Not all the time but it's usually when you need to get into traffic... It will lose power and finally take off...

2/17/2022

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.

2/17/2022

77 more complaints are available in this category.

ENGINE

45 Reports18% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

E.ngine took longer than normal to start. After starting, I drove 1/4 mile and engine had no power at all. RPM would rev but no power. Pulled over and stopped. Restarted vehicle and everything returned to normal.

4/4/2022

The main concern is loss of power. Have non-turbo version and have no idea what is a cause of the problem. Probably is computer. Had this issue once or twice. Switched to Normal mode from Smart.

5/28/2022

43 more complaints are available in this category.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

33 Reports13% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

2/17/2022

I was passing on a 2 lane road with the gas pedal to the floor.  After I passed the vehicle, still in the passing lane i let off on the gas.  At that moment I had no power.  Had to brake and get back behind the vehicle I was passing.  Thank god there was no on-coming traffic, or I would not be here telling you this story. It took what seemed forever before I had power again.  Not sure what I did shifting gears or just timing out. I am aware of other people reporting a similar problem with no power on SantaCruzForums.com.  I am concerned about this moving forward. The car was new to me at the time, i thought i had done something wrong, then i read about other people having the same problem. I have had this occur since where it was not a issue, more of a irritant.

2/17/2022

31 more complaints are available in this category.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

18 Reports7% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

7/26/2022

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.

8/27/2022

16 more complaints are available in this category.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

17 Reports7% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

2/2/2022

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.

4/24/2022

15 more complaints are available in this category.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

16 Reports6% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

2/17/2022

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.

5/29/2022

14 more complaints are available in this category.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

9 Reports4% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

Halogen headlights too dim, even on high beams. Called dealership and was told they couldn’t switch to a brighter bulb. Was also told I couldn’t convert to LED headlights without voiding warranty; that if I wanted LED headlights I should have “purchased a higher trim model”. I purchased the SEL with activity package trim and you would think an almost $40,000 vehicle would have better headlights than this.

1/26/2022

My Santa Cruz headlights have a dark shadow on the drivers side while driving at night. It is extremely distracting and it can be a danger. The blind spot is very obvious. It can lead the driver to look at the shadow instead of the road as well as a portion of the headlight projection is not illuminating the road. The 2022 Tucson has the same front headlight configuration and while searching the Hyundai forum, the same problem exists for that vehicle. This is a constant problem while driving at night.

3/10/2022

7 more complaints are available in this category.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

3 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

2/25/2022

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.

1/30/2023

1 more complaint is available in this category.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

3 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

9/13/2023

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.

9/20/2023

1 more complaint is available in this category.

SERVICE BRAKES

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

2/2/2022

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.

8/11/2022

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

7/26/2022

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???

6/14/2023

LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

12/7/2022

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???

6/14/2023

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

12/19/2022

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.

9/20/2023

AIR BAGS

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

8/29/2023

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

8/18/2025

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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)

10/6/2023

Loss of power transmission failure Recall issues continue

9/10/2024

TRAILER HITCHES

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

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.

12/7/2023

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.

7/18/2024

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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.

10/19/2022

SUSPENSION

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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.

11/18/2022

LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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.

12/7/2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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

2/12/2023

STEERING

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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.

2/14/2023

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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.

3/6/2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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???

6/14/2023

LANE DEPARTURE: LANE KEEP: AUTOMATIC STEERING

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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.

9/13/2023

LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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.

9/20/2023

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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.

7/5/2024

STRUCTURE:BODY

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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.

6/10/2025

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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.

7/8/2025

SEAT BELTS

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

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

8/18/2025

About This Data

Data and Methodology

MethodologyHow we score →

Scores are derived from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints, normalized by vehicle segment averages.

FAQ

What are the most common owner complaints for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?

The most reported complaint category for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is POWER TRAIN, with 82 owner reports. That is about 32% of all complaints logged here. Other recurring themes include POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

Are complaints about the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz a serious warning sign?

Potentially. 92 complaint reports fall into higher-attention systems such as brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components. That does not prove every vehicle has a defect, but repeated complaints in those systems justify a more careful pre-purchase inspection.

How should buyers use complaint data for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?

Use complaints as an early pattern to investigate, not a standalone verdict. Start with the top complaint categories, compare those themes against the recall report and maintenance guide, then inspect service records for evidence that the same problem areas were already addressed. If the same issue appears repeatedly across complaints and recalls, treat it as a real ownership-risk flag.

Are complaints about the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz severe?

92 complaint reports involve higher-attention systems such as brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components, which is enough to justify a focused inspection before purchase.

Complaint list entries are sourced from owner-submitted NHTSA ODI records.

Read complaint summaries

Hyundai Santa Cruz: How should complaint data influence buying decisions?

Use complaint patterns together with recalls and maintenance guidance to estimate ownership risk and inspection priorities.

Carfocal links complaint data directly to recall and maintenance routes for the same model year.

Return to full vehicle report
Complaint entries
259
Top-topic view
5 grouped topics shown
Primary source
NHTSA ODI owner complaint records

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In this guide

  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Common Problems
  3. 03Owner Complaints
  4. 04Data and Methodology

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