Electrical system and loss of power transmission issues are among the top complaints.
The first 4-door Hyundai pickup truck available in the North American market, the Santa Cruz has had plenty of problems since it was launched in 2021 as a 2022 model. The worst problem has been a loss of power issue, which has attributed to a failing powertrain and malfunctioning engine. And it’s not improving with the 2023 model. Additionally, consumers have lodged multiple complaints about the electrical system.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2022
The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz is considered a carry-over model from its 2022 predecessor. There are only very minor changes between the two models. For example, there is a new Night trim package, and certain multimedia/technology features are included in more models. Safety improvements, including blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, aren’t new but are now standard on all models. There are also a couple of color changes.
What hasn’t changed is the powertrain or engine, both of which top the list of complaints about the 2022 model to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). We highlighted these issues in our post about top complaints to the NHTSA about the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz.
Like the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, the 2023 model has serious loss of power transmission problems, highlighted as both powertrain and engine problems. But, unlike the 2022 model, Hyundai has not released a recall relating to transmission problems, despite an increasing number of complaints. This is a major concern.
Other components that feature in NHTSA complaints are the electrical system, vehicle speed control, exterior lighting, forward collision avoidance, trailer hitches, fuel/propulsion systems, service brakes, visibility/wiper, airbags, lane departure, seats, and tires. There are also alarming reports that dealerships won’t use the recommended oil when undertaking complimentary maintenance services.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Power Train | |
| Engine | |
| Electrical System | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Exterior Lighting | |
| Trailer Hitches | |
| Air Bags |
There have been so many complaints about loss of power and acceleration in the 2022 model, Lemberg Law is already investigating these issues.
A 2023 owner from Malverne in New York describes this very same issue in an early NHTSA complaint dated November 8, 2024. He describes how his new 2023 Santa Cruz “suffered a loss of power and would not accelerate.” He was in the car with his wife and 2 young children at the time. They all “felt the vehicle shudder,” but he was able to drive the vehicle home.
A day later, when he started his Santa Cruz, he got an error notice from the internal diagnostics system: “transmission control P087501 POWERTRAIN TCU.” The system advised him to have the vehicle serviced immediately. So, he had it towed to the nearest Hyundai dealership and was waiting for feedback when he lodged the complaint.
Since then complaints have escalated, with a steady stream being lodged with the NHTSA. In October 2024, an owner from Harrison, Ohio stated that the problem had occurred three times at about 10,000, 15,000, and 20,000 miles. “When accelerating, the engine or power train completely loses all propulsion. Twice I was starting a left hand turn and crossing oncoming traffic. On one occasion I was turning right onto a 50 MPH highway and quickly veered off the road onto the berm. The only item on the dashboard flashing on the third incident was the cruise control preset and it was flashing 20. At the time I was not using the cruise control and I did not set it for 20.” Incredibly, the dealer found no codes to identify the issue and therefore couldn’t fix it!
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As mentioned above, Hyundai issued a recall because of a loss of driver power that affects the 2022 Santa Cruz (Recall 236), but has not included the 2023 model. Nevertheless, there is an October 2022 manufacturer communication that relates to both models, that provides dealers with information regarding the replacement of 8-speed dual-clutch transmissions and the associated transmission control module (TCU).
The technical service bulletin (TSB 22-AT-011H) doesn’t provide information relating to why these transmissions will need to be replaced. So, it isn’t clear whether they do, in fact, play a role in the loss of power or acceleration issues.
The recall that affects the 2022 model, on the other hand, states that a transmission oil pump malfunction can cause a “complete loss of drive power.” This is because the car’s “fail-safe,” limited-mobility drive mode can be impaired. The question is, why haven’t they issued a recall for the 2023 model? After all, nothing has changed!
There are two more service bulletins released in August 2023 that relate to the TCUs of both the 2022 and 2023 models. These deal with “an improved clutch spring” and software.
Oddly, TSB 23-AT-004H, which only lists the 2023 Santa Cruz and 2021-2022 Sante Fe and Sonata models, states that it only applies if Recall 236 (which isn’t relevant to the 2023 Santa Cruz) or Service Campaign T8N has been performed. T8N, detailed in TSB 22-AT-011H, addresses a TCU software update aimed at enhancing drivability and shift quality.
These vary from an owner not being able to adjust the height of the driver’s seat to multiple, warning light issues, and audio failure on all warnings to vehicles suddenly catching alight for no apparent reason.
An owner from Minoa in New York says that the audio in his vehicle stopped working less than a week after he bought it. None of the warnings had any kind of audible indication. These include blind spot, back seat, lane departure, rear collision, and front collision. “Looking up the issue online, it seems this is common on the trim of my vehicle (Limited).” But the dealership maintained there was a loose connection in the back of the radio.”
An owner from Wisconsin tells how “all warning lights on the dash came on like a Christmas tree. I was coming to a 4 way stop, both roads were 55 mph speed limits. There was a car behind me and another coming to a stop from the left. I wanted to get across the intersection to pull over and assess the situation. While trying to get across the intersection there was no response to the throttle pedal, ended up idling through the intersection at 4 mph.
Another electrical system complaint states that the driver’s seat power height adjustment doesn’t work. The dealership told him they had verified the issue “and it was because of something I had under the seat. They claimed to have corrected it, and verified (the) 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 rearview mirror blocks my field of view.”
An owner from Michigan tells how, after parking his 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz in the garage at 5 pm, about 15 minutes later he 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 our 2 dogs and nothing else. The consensus among fire professionals is that my vehicle started the fire. So here I sit with absolutely nothing!”
There have been many reports on Hyundai Forums from owners expressing concerns that dealerships are using oil grades different from those specified in the owner’s manual during complimentary maintenance services. For instance, some owners have noted that while their manuals recommend 0W-20 full synthetic oil, dealerships have used 5W-30 oil instead.
In some cases, service advisors have informed customers that Hyundai’s complimentary maintenance program covers only certain oil grades, and if owners prefer the manufacturer-recommended 0W-20 oil, they may need to pay the difference.
A 2023 NHTSA Unknown or Other complaint from an owner in LA states that the “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 (in) 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 owner’s manual.”
If your 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz has problems that affect its value and/or use, you might be sitting with a lemon. But, auto manufacturers are constantly buying back, replacing, and paying owners cash settlements because people prove they have bought lemons.
If you think you have a lemon, you can contact Lemberg Law and we will assess your problems free of charge. You’ve got nothing to lose because the law says that Hyundai must foot the bills for lemon law cases.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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I have a 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz ACM went out, it is covered but I no longer trust this car. What can I do?
I have a 2023 Santa Cruz too, my transmission (20k miles) has been determined defective. I’m waiting for new transmission to be delivered and installed, it’s been 2 weeks. The dealership said it could take up to 5 weeks. In the meantime, I have to pay for a rental vehicle, which Hyundai claims that they will reimburse. They really need to move these things along quicker, as it’s a brand new car and should be a priority.
My 2023 Santa Cruz has been sitting at the dealership now for 7.5 weeks. I was losing power so I had it towed to them. The vehicle had less than 5000 miles. After calling many times for an update, it was determined it needed a transmission. Now the dealership has been saying the trans was approved by Hyundai and they are still waiting for shipment. Now I’m told it may be end November it will be done.
Time for action, called Hyundai, got a case #, going for the “lemon” law. As much as I loved the Santa Cruz, I don’t want all the problems that comes with it. BEWARE and BE AWARE!
2023 Santa Cruz SEL Premium. I’ve had the car 45 days with about 4,000 highway miles on it. I am noticing increasingly the engine shudder when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear (right as 2nd gear engages). I’ve had an excellent experience with other Hyundais over many years. This is my first major complaint.
I was looking at purchasing a santa cruz … but am having second thoughts now. This engine issue, can’t accelerate, happened to me in a 2023 santa fe rental, so I guess I will remove Hyundai from my list altogether…