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2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 35.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 6 of 79 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports3 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

79 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 9, 2023
Power Train

coolant temperature gauge keeps fluctuating between midpoint and cold. engine light is on. dealership has no remedy.

NHTSA ODI #11526281

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2023
Trailer Hitches

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 repa…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11526080

Mileage unknown · May 26, 2023
Electrical SystemFire

On May 1, 2023 I pulled my 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz into my garage at about 5pm and fyi It was blustery outside and had been raining & snowing all day. At about 5:15 pm I heard a loud bang followed by another. I looked out the back door and saw that the whole garage was completely engulfed in flames. My garage is attached to my h…

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On May 1, 2023 I pulled my 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz into my garage at about 5pm and fyi It was blustery outside and had been raining & snowing all day. At about 5:15 pm I heard a loud bang followed by another. I looked out the back door and saw that the whole garage was completely engulfed in flames. My garage is attached to my home and the fire spread fast especially with 40 to 50 mile per hour winds feeding it. The only thing we could do was to get out with with our 2 dogs and nothing else. The consensus among fire professionals are that my vehicle started the fire. So here I sit with absolutely nothing!

NHTSA ODI #11524087

1,200 miles · May 25, 2023
Air BagsCrashInjury

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 n…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11523859

Mileage unknown · May 8, 2023
Exterior Lighting

*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 …

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*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.

NHTSA ODI #11521056

4,000 miles · Apr 6, 2023
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

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 a…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11515793

Mileage unknown · Mar 27, 2023
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

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 …

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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

NHTSA ODI #11513908

Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2023
Engine

Coolant leaking onto engine shield and ground from front a small rock that hit of vehicle radiator. The radiator is not nearly shielded well enough to protect it from rocks and other debris. A 1/4 inch diameter rock struck the front of radiator through grill opening resulting in a leak and possible risk of overheating the …

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Coolant leaking onto engine shield and ground from front a small rock that hit of vehicle radiator. The radiator is not nearly shielded well enough to protect it from rocks and other debris. A 1/4 inch diameter rock struck the front of radiator through grill opening resulting in a leak and possible risk of overheating the engine. The radiator tube size is also made of extremely insufficient material to withstand any impacts. Hyundai dealer and corporate at this time refuse to take any responsibility for this issue and will not warranty the replacement. The car is a 3 month old 2023 Santa Cruz Limited with just over 3,000 miles on it. This is an extremely common issue with a quick google search of the 2022-2023 Santa Cruz.

NHTSA ODI #11513356

Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2023
Power Train

On February 10, 2023, I was driving my 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz on Interstate 10 near Gautier, Mississippi. My cruise control was activated and I was cruising at a speed of about 76mph. Suddenly the vehicle began to rev up to 7,000 RPMs and decelerate. The vehicle then began to coast at around 45mph and pressing the accelerator d…

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On February 10, 2023, I was driving my 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz on Interstate 10 near Gautier, Mississippi. My cruise control was activated and I was cruising at a speed of about 76mph. Suddenly the vehicle began to rev up to 7,000 RPMs and decelerate. The vehicle then began to coast at around 45mph and pressing the accelerator did not increase the speed but did cause the vehicle to rev. I was able to coast down the off-ramp and turn into a parking lot, however I was nearly hit by oncoming traffic because the vehicle was losing power and I was unable to accelerate. Hyundai Roadside Assistance towed me to the nearest dealership with service center, Jason Pilger Hyundai. By the time the tow truck arrived, the vehicle would not accelerate at all and the driver had to push the vehicle around to the tow truck. After assessing the vehicle, the Hyundai dealership called Hyundai Tech Line and told me that my 2023 Santa Cruz needed a new transmission. The transmission is also on backorder, so I have no idea when my vehicle will be repaired. Hyundai Customer Care is also refusing to reimburse me the cost of my car payment for a brand new vehicle that I will be unable to drive or access for the foreseeable future. My Santa Cruz only had 5,337 on the odometer when this occurred.

NHTSA ODI #11508541

Mileage unknown · Feb 9, 2023
EnginePower Train

The car has 1,360 miles and is only a month old since I bought it. Car sat for 8 hours at my work parking lot. When I went to start it it ran rough like an engine misfire for about 10 seconds then normal. When I drove off with engine cold... the transmission would not shift up and was at 4,000 rpms. The accelerator pedal …

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The car has 1,360 miles and is only a month old since I bought it. Car sat for 8 hours at my work parking lot. When I went to start it it ran rough like an engine misfire for about 10 seconds then normal. When I drove off with engine cold... the transmission would not shift up and was at 4,000 rpms. The accelerator pedal was not responsive.. even flooring it yielded no acceleration and the car would not go over 25mph. No check engine lights or trouble lights. I was able to put the automatic into paddle shift mode but the car still did not want to accelerate and when it did it seemed to get stuck at 3500-4000 rpm and no accelerator input. Shut the car off then back on again after I pulled over because the car would not accelerate. - now it is fine with no issues it seems like. Took to the dealer and they could not recreate the issue .. no trouble codes or open flash information available for a fix.

NHTSA ODI #11506502

Official recalls

2

23V181000 · Trailer Hitches

Mar 17, 2023

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Santa Fe, 2021-2023 Santa Fe HEV, 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-in HEV and Santa Cruz vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

23V038000 · Structure:body:roof And Pillars; Structure:critical Fasteners

Jan 31, 2023

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Tucson and 2022-2023 Santa Cruz vehicles. The roof moldings may detach.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Structure:critical Fasteners

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Tucson and 2022-2023 Santa Cruz vehicles. The roof moldings may detach.

Consequence: 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.

Structure:body:roof And Pillars

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Tucson and 2022-2023 Santa Cruz vehicles. The roof moldings may detach.

Consequence: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.