Most common 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz problems
Share of the 185 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hyundai Santa Cruz complaints by model year
Best Santa Cruz years: 2024, 2025. Compare all years →
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz recalls (4)
Trailer hitches
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.
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.
Structure › Critical fasteners
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Tucson and 2022-2023 Santa Cruz vehicles. The roof moldings may detach.
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.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, 2022 Santa Cruz, Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
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.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Oil/lubrication › Pipes, hoses, and fittings
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Santa Fe and Santa Cruz vehicles. The oil supply pipe to the turbocharger may crack, which could result in an oil leak in the engine compartment.
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.
What 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 90 →
The contact's husband owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that after her husband parked the vehicle in the driveway, he exited the vehicle and went into the garage when the vehicle unintentionally rolled forward into the garage and crashed into her vehicle. The contact's husband did not sustain any injuries, and no medical attention was received. No police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure recurred with the "Shift To Park" message displayed while the gear shifter was shifted into park(P). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,700.
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the message "Pull Over and Stop Immediately" was displayed. The contact veered to side of the road. The contact stated that while attempting to shift into gear the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle appeared as if the transmission was in neutral(N). The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to an unknown dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was then towed to the second dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced and that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V746000 (Power Train) however, parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. …
Engine & cooling all 51 →
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.
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle independently started to decelerate. The contact stated that unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to enter a parking lot before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a seized engine. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V746000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
Electrical system all 22 →
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that after letting up off the accelerator pedal, the engine revved up and the vehicle lunged forward. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the instrument panel background lighting was very dim for all the display functionality. The local dealer was contacted and informed that the failure had occurred intermittently, and while driving at various speeds. The dealer suggested that the vehicle be taken in to be diagnosed; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 37,000.
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. …
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 26 / 23 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 21 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the Santa Cruz to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 185 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
The transmission & drivetrain — 90 complaints, 49% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (51) and electrical system (22).
How many recalls does the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, the most recent from March 17, 2023 (trailer hitches). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Hyundai Santa Cruz?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2024 and 2025. See the full Hyundai Santa Cruz years comparison.
At what mileage do 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 25,000 miles; 76% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.