The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 600,888 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 106 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.
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…
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.…
STRUCTURE23V0380002023-01-3116,104 affected
Defect
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.
Complaints by component
POWER TRAIN
25
ENGINE
19
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
11
2fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
9
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
6
1crashes
SERVICE BRAKES
5
1crashes
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
5
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
4
TRAILER HITCHES
3
AIR BAGS
2
1crashes1injuries
Total complaints106
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Sudden unintended acceleration: coming to a stop in a driveway and planning to put vehicle in to reverse, the santa cruz suddenly accelerated and kept accelerating ... It would not stop moving, brakes were applied continuously and forcefully, but with no effect. Vehicle crashed through shrubbery…”
“Sudden unintended acceleration: coming to a stop in a driveway and planning to put vehicle in to reverse, the santa cruz suddenly accelerated and kept accelerating ... It would not stop moving, brakes were applied continuously and forcefully, but with no effect. Vehicle crashed through shrubbery…”
“Oil leak the oil leak has be too the dealer twice for repair each time they said it was fixed it has now has happend again for the third time in less than 306 miles could cause engine failure at highway speed and engine lockup at such speed first time it was found by dealer after third oil change…”
“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.”
“Transmission does not advance through its ranges fails to shift leaving stranded middle of intersection. Misses a whole range looses excelleration. You”
“Transmission does not advance through its ranges fails to shift leaving stranded middle of intersection. Misses a whole range looses excelleration. You”
“Hyundai santa cruz with transmission problems. 5 attempts to repair and manufacture failed to. Last time, vehicle had a sudden transmission failure while driving. Car stop responding to acceleration and transmission was not switching gears, that could had cause loss of control, especially in…”
“On [xxx], I went out to start my 2023 hyundai santa cruz (sc) to leave work to go home. It was difficult to start, however, it started. As I entered [xxx] , I was nearly rear ended by another car, because my sc lost all acceleration. I turned on my hazards for safety and then began to try to…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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