2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Owner Complaints

On 11/6/2022, while driving the vehicle, it suffered a loss of power and would not accelerate. I was in the vehicle with my wife and 2 young children who felt the vehicle shudder. I was able to drive the vehicle to my home. On 11/7/2022, upon starting the vehicle, I received an error notice from the internal diagnostics system: transmission control P087501 POWERTRAIN TCU. System advised to have vehicle serviced immediately. Vehicle was towed to nearest Hyundai dealership. Further information awaited.

11/8/2022

Sat Feb 4 2023 .There is a safety issue I have .with fact I left walmart pulled out into traffic went to 20 miles hour would not go any faster let off gas 3 times pushed and it finally took off this car has less than 3,000 Miles on it the only gd thing was I was on side street could only imagine. Pulling in in to traffic moving over 50 mph and getting hit .my wife drives it more than I do .I asked her about this weekend she said it's started doing more and more so it's happening more often. I am taking it to dealer. But therr is no service lights on on dash it's bothers me alot but she has to go to work and so do I she is nurse

2/5/2023

Joined a Santa Cruz Owners blog immediately after purchase. This safety defect involves BOTH the 2022 and 2023 - ALL models. The front grill (especially the lower section) has no mesh and the openings are too big. Road debris entering this area can disable the Engine Cooling System and/or the vehicles Air Conditioning System. A protective mesh or screen has to be designed by Hyundai, to fit behind the grill, to deflect large rocks and objects that could disable the motor.

12/21/2022

Brand new. I hit the gas trying to pull out onto a busy road and I couldn't go above 30-40Mph. The RPMs went up but the car would not accelerate. I pulled onto a slower road and tried changing gears manually, and different drive modes such as sport or snow. The problem persisted. I shut the vehicle/engine off and started it back up. Everything ran perfect after that. I googled "Hyundai Santa Cruz No Power" and came across dozens of post of the 2022 and 2023 model experiencing the same thing. Like me, no warning lights or codes came up on the dash or the smart app which reports errors. This could cause an accident if someone was behind me.

1/1/2023

Less than a week after purchasing the vehicle, the audio stopped working. All warnings had no audible indication, including lane departure, rear collision, front collision, blind spot, and back seat. Looking up the issue online, it seems this is common on the trim of my vehicle (Limited). I brought it to the dealership for repair. When I got it back, they said there was a loose connection in the back of the radio.

10/27/2022

Driver's seat power height adjustment does not work. Brought it to the dealership and they claimed they verified the issue and it was because of something I had under the seat. They claimed to have corrected it, and verified operation, but it still doesn't work. When confronted about it, the service manager now insists it's the switch that's the problem, and he is ordering a new one. This issue prevents me from adjusting the height of my seat, so I sit so high that the rest view mirror blocks my field of view. This remains unresolved as of 10/26/22.

10/27/2022

Hyundai manual requires 0w20 oil (which is synthetic) in this engine, to avoid engine failure. Hyundai promises 3 years of free maintenance. BUT, all local Hyundai dealers tell us that Hyundai Corporate won't pay for the recommended oil when servicing our vehicles. SO, they will do the free maintenance but are putting the incorrect weight oil, according to HYUNDAI itself. The Hyundai free maintenance, promised when purchasing a new Hyundai (35k in our case), can actually damage our new car. And if we don't take the free maintenance, it could void our warranty, down the road. SOMEONE NEEDS to do SOMETHING about this. This is fraud. MAKE Hyundai put THEIR required oil in THEIR engine, as stated in THEIR owners manual.

1/5/2023

Discovery on vehicle from Crown dealership, as formal QM from automaker, this particular vehicle could no pass safety and quality inspection due to missing parts in interior. Charging USB port is missing and uninsulated electric cables visibly not connected properly due to missing part can cause short connection, fire hazard or minor electrocution. This particular vehicle is safety risk for user and it was discovered during delivery and dealer said it is OK it is small part missing - no precautionary measures has been done and removal issues are not in place until maybe 4 weeks from now

3/27/2023

The most major problem that occurred on 2-3 different occasions is that the emergency braking system activated for no reason on one occasion, almost causing a Rear end collision with a person behind me. No one to my sides, and in front of me on all of the occasions. Headlights on the automatic, setting on a bright sunny day, will turn off and on no change in lighting which annoys other drivers because they think I’m flashing them. After starting the car in Drive the first time I break and then go to accelerate there’s a delay in the acceleration. as well as other times while driving. Today, the back up camera didn’t shut off when shifting into drive like it normally does it didn’t go off until I went into parking pushed the radio button. I’m pretty sure it’s a computer issue

6/13/2023

The Highway Drive Assist (HDA) designed to auto change cruise speed according to posted speed limit signs - at 80mph limit will auto change to 83mph and 85mph limit will auto change to 95mph. Hyundai has said this is not available to inspect.

10/14/2023

Rough Idle, Loss of engine power, and cylinder misfire on 2023 Santa Cruize Limited approx. 26,700 miles(currently) purchased new 04-28-2023 at Hyundai in North Knoxville, TN. Vehicle is stored in insulated garage at all times when not in use. 1) Approx. 2k-4k mi vehicle was having rough idling upon start up & have to sit, wait several minutes to allow vehicle ample time to warm up like a cold natured, carbureted engine. Dealer was unable to replicate at vehicle service intervals(60 miles away from home). 2) During Oct 23 approx. 24k-25k experienced 3 occurrences of loss of power while accelerating to merge into traffic, toggled through drive modes, put in manual, then back. Power came back each time. 3) 11/12/2023 Second start of the day, immediately upon startup was running extremely rough in idle, very little response. Check engine light is on, made video of issue & documented miles: 26,121. Turned off, then back on, issue was resolved. 4) 11/15/2023 26,373 miles: Second start of the day, same issue described in "#3", extremely rough idle, check engine light, & sounds coming from tailpipe that can be identified as "drone". Opened hood, inspected intake components, removed engine cover to check for burned or odd colored wires to injectors & coil packs, but no evidence of fouled or damaged wires. Turned vehicle off, then back on & the issue cleared. Contacted dealer where purchased, advised to bring vehicle in for diagnostic evaluation. 5) 11/16/2023 26,606 miles: Again, second start of the day, check engine light, extremely rough idle & louder "drone" sound. Left vehicle in the state that it was in, drove to dealer from work(25miles away) to be diagnosed while issues were occurring. While driving vehicle had very little power, experienced odor while driving, shudder, & jolting during accelerations. Diagnostic eval. revealed misfire in cylinder #3, dealer inspected coil packs, wires, & removed spark plug. Currently being serviced, issued loaner by dealer.

11/20/2023

Lack of power upon accelerating. I could slowly get car up to 40 MPH however when trying to accelerate it would lose power. I had to pull over for faster traffic to pass.

10/18/2024

On 04/26/23 a lamp assy-rear comb outside Qty: 1 installed 92402-K5000, was replaced due to condensation inside the taillight. On 09/22/23 both taillights, lamp assy-rear comb outside Qty: 1 installed 92401-K5000, was replaced and lamp assy-rear comb outside Qty: 1 installed 92402-K5000, were replaced due to condensation inside the taillights. Should the condensation in the taillights cause the brake and or turn signal lights to fail this could cause a serious accident! I have an appointment at 1:00 PM at my dealership Hyundai of Anderson in Anderson, SC to have both taillights inspected for the third time, tomorrow on 10/10/2023 because of condensation inside them. I might add that the condensation has occurred when there has been no rain on the vehicle and the vehicle has not been washed. My Santa Cruz is also housed in a completely enclosed garage.

10/9/2023

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH with the cruise control feature activated, the braking system erroneously activated causing the vehicle to abruptly decelerate. After parking and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally, and the failure was corrected. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. There was no repair performed. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 1,000.

7/15/2024

On this new Hyundai design the headlights and bright lights are put low, into the area where the bumper and turn signals normally are. They put halogen bulbs in 3 versions (including the version we own). We are older and don't have perfect vision. The lights in this location are unusually dim and can be unsafe at times. The bulbs, in this real location, from the hood, project unusually low, creating a weird field of view, at night. The upper models have LED headlights, so we are not sure if this is an issue with that version, although it should be definitely brighter. LED housings and bulbs should be required in all models based on the safety concern. Who puts bulbs so low on the front, under the hood? Is there a law about placement/location of headlights?

1/10/2023

*Headlights are not shining correctly. Traveling on a two lane highway, a big black spot covers the whole left lane, about 75 yards. No black spot on traveling lane Driving on a curve road in a subdivision, your eyes follows the black spot , instead of paying attention the road. This is a bad scenario for a accident. I do not know if oncoming traffic sees the black spot or not. *This has a known safety issue that was not disclosed to me at the time of purchase. It has been well documented all over the Internet since 2021. The service manager and sales manager confirmed that it is a manufacturer issue. This particular model cannot be resolved.

5/8/2023

The contact owns a 2023 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 was contacted. 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.

6/8/2023

The contact owns a 2023 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 was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

10/4/2023

The windshield washer spray nozzles do not provide proper coverage to clean the windshield. They spray almost directly at the very bottom of the windshield while at rest, and it's even worse when at speed. I had the dealer check it out. They originally told me they adjusted the spray nozzles, but when I picked up the vehicle, the problem was still there. So I brought the vehicle back to the dealership. This time, they told me that these nozzles are not adjustable. The wipers aren't able to clean the windshield, so this causes significant visibility issues; especially with road salt or light rains. And at night, it's very difficult to see where I'm driving.

1/17/2023

Rain sensor wiper function. On this setting, even in consistent rain, the system will jump to slow wiper intervals all the way to the fastest setting...with no change in the amount or rain hitting the windshield. It seems confused and searching for the proper speed. It becomes dangerous when it arrives at a very slow intermittent setting for rain that requires a faster interval for adequate removal for the driver to see properly.

8/23/2023

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while pulling into a parking space, the contact crashed into a pole; however, the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries and received medical attention. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The vehicle was not diagnosed by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,200. The VIN was not available.

5/25/2023

1- Air bag light randomly comes on and off. 2- Today (5.20.25) I brought it to dealer. Dealer said they disconnected the sensor switch and cleaned it, then reconnected and light went off (covered under warranty). 3- I got in the truck, started it, and light was off. 4- I drove one block and airbag light came on again. 5- Returned to dealer, who asked me to leave the car with them. 6- Dealer called and said they will replace air bag (did not specify which one). I hope this solves the problem. 7- I checked a Santa Cruz forum: [XXX] and it looks like A LOT of people have the same problem. Some report it's the sensor assembly underneath the seat. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

5/20/2025

The most major problem that occurred on 2-3 different occasions is that the emergency braking system activated for no reason on one occasion, almost causing a Rear end collision with a person behind me. No one to my sides, and in front of me on all of the occasions. Headlights on the automatic, setting on a bright sunny day, will turn off and on no change in lighting which annoys other drivers because they think I’m flashing them. After starting the car in Drive the first time I break and then go to accelerate there’s a delay in the acceleration. as well as other times while driving. Today, the back up camera didn’t shut off when shifting into drive like it normally does it didn’t go off until I went into parking pushed the radio button. I’m pretty sure it’s a computer issue

6/13/2023

Transmission does not advance through its ranges fails to shift leaving stranded middle of intersection. Misses a whole range looses excelleration. You

10/12/2025

The emergency brake system comes on while driving 60 - 70 miles an hour on freeway. It has happened twice. It does not happen every time I drive 60 - 70. The light comes on stating Emergency Braking and my vehicle slows down. It does not last for very long then goes away. I took it to the dealership and it did not do it for them. They kept it 3 days.

3/15/2025

While driving on the highway at a speed of approx 35 mph, no traffic in front of me, I got an audile warning and the car started slowing down, and the message on the dash said EMERGENCY BRAKING, this has happened twice in the last month.

11/2/2025

Less than a week after purchasing the vehicle, the audio stopped working. All warnings had no audible indication, including lane departure, rear collision, front collision, blind spot, and back seat. Looking up the issue online, it seems this is common on the trim of my vehicle (Limited). I brought it to the dealership for repair. When I got it back, they said there was a loose connection in the back of the radio.

10/27/2022

Less than a week after purchasing the vehicle, the audio stopped working. All warnings had no audible indication, including lane departure, rear collision, front collision, blind spot, and back seat. Looking up the issue online, it seems this is common on the trim of my vehicle (Limited). I brought it to the dealership for repair. When I got it back, they said there was a loose connection in the back of the radio.

10/27/2022

Driver's seat power height adjustment does not work. Brought it to the dealership and they claimed they verified the issue and it was because of something I had under the seat. They claimed to have corrected it, and verified operation, but it still doesn't work. When confronted about it, the service manager now insists it's the switch that's the problem, and he is ordering a new one. This issue prevents me from adjusting the height of my seat, so I sit so high that the rest view mirror blocks my field of view. This remains unresolved as of 10/26/22.

10/27/2022

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated while slowing down at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle downshifted roughly and would jolt while shifting into gear. The contact stated that the failure had been occurring intermittently. Additionally, the contact stated that the RPMs would remain high while he was at a complete stop. The contact stated that the RPMs would rise above 3,000 RPM while depressing the brake pedal, and he would turn the vehicle off to stop the engine from revving. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the throttle body needed to be replaced. The part was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000. The contact stated that the information in this complaint is inaccurate. The manufacturer has resolved the issue now so the contact would like to withdraw this complaint.

4/6/2023

The Highway Drive Assist (HDA) designed to auto change cruise speed according to posted speed limit signs - at 80mph limit will auto change to 83mph and 85mph limit will auto change to 95mph. Hyundai has said this is not available to inspect.

10/14/2023

Tire size Michelin 245/50. R20. Multiple tire flats right rear vehicle has 8368 miles. Last flat was puncture in sidewall requiring replacement of tire. Suspect tire rubber faulty as appears odd color and extremely difficult to clean also has odor or odd smell when cleaning. All flats were displayed on the pressure dash warning it is unknown to me why multiple flats could be a malfunction of all wheel drive system rt wheel turning different from rest of wheels?

11/15/2023

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH with the cruise control feature activated, the braking system erroneously activated causing the vehicle to abruptly decelerate. After parking and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally, and the failure was corrected. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. There was no repair performed. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 1,000.

7/15/2024

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH with the cruise control engaged, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle slowed to approximately 15 MPH while depressing the accelerator pedal and failed to respond as needed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence. The contact turned off the vehicle and attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that a fuel injector had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,803.

9/26/2024

This has happened twice in the last 3 months of owning this vehicle. Both times were luckily in uncrowded slow speed areas, and I had nothing in the bed. First time was in a parking lot (without my tonneau installed), the Most recent incident happened as I was reversing out of my driveway and as I Put my Vehicle in Drive slowly moving forward my Tailgate opened Unexpectedly (with a tonneau installed). My tail Gate Did not open fast, it was its standard controlled open.

1/9/2025

The contact owned a 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while exiting the vehicle to go into a store, he looked back and noticed the vehicle was on fire. No warning lights illuminated. The contact mentioned he noticed the fire was coming from the rear driver's side quarter panel. The contact called 911. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was required. A police report was not filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was taken to a savage yard, and the insurance will then have the vehicle towed to a body shop. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they informed the contact that they would inspect the vehicle, and they also offered to buy back the vehicle. Recently, he got an email informing him that they are not going to buy back the vehicle. The failure mileage was 18,000.

9/17/2025

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while hauling a trailer and attempting to accelerate at various speeds, the vehicle was bouncing, and the tires was losing traction before being able to accelerate. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to raise and lower as the shock absorbers needed to perform. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the rear shocks had failed to allow the vehicle to self-level. The rear shocks were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact reported the persistence of the failure and was advised to go to another dealer, Greg Hubler Hyundai (6200 W Hometown Blvd, Muncie, IN 47304) who also replaced the rear struts. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 7,000.

9/30/2025