AI Damage2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz: common problems
Owners of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz filed 185 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine. The maker issued 66 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 185
- involving a crash
- 5
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 66
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 49% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 28% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 11% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
- 6 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
- 7 Forward collision avoidance 4% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 3% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 90 complaints (49% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 16.
- Engine: 51 complaints (28% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Electrical system: 22 complaints (12% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 12.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 21 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Vehicle speed control: 18 complaints (10% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- automatic, 8-speed
- dual-clutch (DCT), 8-speednamed in 7 complaints
Drive: AWD, FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 185 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 90 | 1 | 16 |
| Engine | 51 | 0 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 22 | 0 | 12 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 21 | 0 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 9 | 0 | 2 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| Visibility | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Lane departure | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Air bags | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Backover prevention | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 2 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
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.
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
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 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.
The tow hitch wiring harness is failing and all the warning lights are failing. The transmission is slipping upon takeoff and will rev at elevated RMS on the highway at times. When in reverse it will still move forward at times and on a hill it rolls back.
In approximately late 2024, at just under 30,000 miles, the vehicle lost motive power while driving on the interstate. Multiple warning lights illuminated and the vehicle lost drive shortly afterward, leaving me unable to accelerate in traffic.
Vehicle in the middle of turning in to a hazardous highway lost power and then began to drive sluggish at 20 miles per hour skipping. It acted like the fuel injectors were not allowing it to get fuel. After having some one check it is exactly what was wrong..
The cars transmission has become very jerky at low speeds. The drive train will either hesitate or rev without power for a couple seconds. The problem started at around 14k miles.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 355 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Santa Cruz has 53 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 185, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles exhibiting this condition…
- Certain 2022 – 2025 model year Santa Cruz and 2022 – 2025 model year Tucson vehicles may have front wipers…
Certain 2022 – 2025 model year Santa Cruz and 2022 – 2025 model year Tucson vehicles may have front wipers that do not return to the designated park position due to a loose wiper motor crank arm nut. At Hyundai, we are…
- Some Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may have a tonneau cover that does not latch or unlatch, does not retract…
Some Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may have a tonneau cover that does not latch or unlatch, does not retract properly, and/or has a v-gap that is present when closed. This may be due to a broken or missing clip on the…
- Some Tucson (NX4A and NX4M) and Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may have front wipers that do not return to the…
Some Tucson (NX4A and NX4M) and Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may have front wipers that do not return to the designated park position due to a loose wiper motor crank arm nut. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage…
- This bulletin provides information related to a Transmission Control Unit (TCU) software update for some…
This bulletin provides information related to a Transmission Control Unit (TCU) software update for some vehicles equipped with an 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission (8WDCT). The software update revises the touch…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
- Certain Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles equipped with 8-speed dual clutch transmissions (8DCT) may set one of…
Certain Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles equipped with 8-speed dual clutch transmissions (8DCT) may set one of the high pressure electric oil pump (HP EOP) DTCs listed below. This bulletin provides the service procedure to…
- Some Santa Cruz (NXT), Santa Fe (TMA, MX5A), and Sonata (DN8A) models may require replacement of the…
Some Santa Cruz (NXT), Santa Fe (TMA, MX5A), and Sonata (DN8A) models may require replacement of the 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission (8WDCT) when the vehicle sets one of the high pressure electric oil pump (HP…
- Some 2019MY and newer vehicles equipped with a front view camera may illuminate certain warning lights and…
Some 2019MY and newer vehicles equipped with a front view camera may illuminate certain warning lights and trigger DTC C272246 fault code for the front camera. In the following cases, the front camera auto-calibration…
- Some vehicles equipped with a 2.5L GDI Theta III engine (non-Turbo) may exhibit one or more misfire DTCs…
Some vehicles equipped with a 2.5L GDI Theta III engine (non-Turbo) may exhibit one or more misfire DTCs due to the GDI fuel injectors leaking internally. This may be caused by internal filter breakage in the injector…
- Some Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may have a tonneau cover that does not latch or unlatch, retract properly,…
Some Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may have a tonneau cover that does not latch or unlatch, retract properly, and/or have a v-gap is present when closed. This may be due to a broken or missing clip on the underside of the…
NHTSA lists 66 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine, electrical system. Total complaints: 185. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (28%), loss of power / limp mode (21%), stalls while driving (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
NHTSA lists 66 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2022 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.