What are the most common Hyundai Santa Cruz problems?
According to Au7o's analysis of 1,270+ owner reports, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz has 10 documented issues. The most frequently reported are: Roof Side Molding Detachment While Driving (Recall 23V-038), Tow Hitch Harness Water Intrusion Causing Fire Risk (Recall 23V-181), 8-Speed DCT Overheating Under Load / Towing. Of these, 2 are rated critical and should be addressed promptly.
Is the Hyundai Santa Cruz reliable?
The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz has 10 known issues documented across 1,270+ owner reports. 2 issues are rated critical: Roof Side Molding Detachment While Driving (Recall 23V-038) and Tow Hitch Harness Water Intrusion Causing Fire Risk (Recall 23V-181). Prospective buyers should inspect for these issues and factor potential repair costs into their purchase decision. Regular maintenance following the manufacturer's schedule helps prevent many common problems.
How much does it cost to fix common Hyundai Santa Cruz problems?
Repair costs for known Hyundai Santa Cruz issues range from $0 to $4,500, depending on the specific problem and whether you choose DIY or professional repair. Au7o provides step-by-step DIY maintenance guides that can help reduce repair costs.
What is the 2022-2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Roof Side Molding Detachment While Driving (Recall 23V-038)?
NHTSA recall 23V-038 (Hyundai recall 241) covers certain model-year 2022-2023 Santa Cruz vehicles. Insufficient retention between the roof flange and mounting clips can allow a roof molding to detach while the vehicle is moving. A detached molding can become a road hazard and inc… Severity: high.
What is the 2022-2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Tow Hitch Harness Water Intrusion Causing Fire Risk (Recall 23V-181)?
NHTSA recall 23V-181 (Hyundai recall 244) covers model-year 2022-2023 Santa Cruz vehicles that may have a Hyundai accessory tow-hitch harness. The harness module printed circuit board can be susceptible to water entering through the 4-pin tow-hitch harness connector. An electrica… Severity: high.
What is the 2022-2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz 8-Speed DCT Overheating Under Load / Towing?
The 8-speed wet dual-clutch transmission (DCT) on the 2.5L turbo Santa Cruz can overheat when towing near its 5,000 lb capacity or during spirited driving in warm weather. The transmission overheating warning forces the vehicle into limp mode. The DCT cooling system is undersized… Repairs typically run $0-$400. Severity: medium.
What is the 2022-2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz 12V Battery Parasitic Drain and Premature Failure?
Santa Cruz owners report the 12V battery going dead after the vehicle sits only a few days, attributed to parasitic draw from the Bluelink telematics modem and constant key-fob pinging. Owners receive Bluelink low-battery alerts on nearly-new trucks, and some have had batteries d… Severity: medium.
What is the 2022-2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz 8-Speed Wet Dual-Clutch Judder and Hesitation Pulling Away from a Stop (TSB 23-AT-012H / 24-AT-001H-1)?
Trucks with the 2.5L turbocharged engine use an 8-speed wet dual-clutch transmission (8WDCT); the naturally aspirated 2.5 uses a conventional 8-speed torque converter automatic and does not share this behavior. On the DCT, variation in clutch touch-point learning produces a shudd… Repairs typically run $0-$4,500. Severity: medium.
What is the 2022-2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Sunroof Drain Clogging Causing Interior Water Leaks?
Santa Cruz owners report water leaking into the cabin, frequently onto the front passenger floorboard, traced to clogged, crimped, or disconnected sunroof drain hoses. In several documented cases dealers found multiple drain slots blocked or a factory drain hole that was never fu… Severity: medium.
What is the 2022-2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Infotainment Screen Freezing / Black Screen?
The 10.25-inch infotainment system in the Santa Cruz is prone to freezing, going black, or rebooting randomly. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connections can trigger the freezes. The backup camera feed may also be lost during a freeze. Hyundai has released multiple softw… Repairs typically run $0-$2,000. Severity: low.
What is the 2022-2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Factory Bed Liner Peeling / Delaminating?
The factory-applied composite bed liner on the Santa Cruz peels, chips, and delaminates prematurely, often within the first year. The issue begins at the edges and tailgate area. UV exposure and temperature cycling cause the liner adhesion to fail. This is a widespread cosmetic i… Repairs typically run $0-$650. Severity: low.
What is the 2022-2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz Rear Window and Tailgate Rattle / Wind Noise?
The rear sliding window and tailgate area of the Santa Cruz develops rattles and wind noise, particularly at highway speeds. The rear window weatherstripping and tailgate seal are inadequate, allowing air intrusion and vibration. Some owners also report water leaks around the rea… Repairs typically run $10-$300. Severity: low.
What is the 2022-2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Factory Retractable Tonneau Cover Binding, Failing to Retract, and Leaving a Front Gap That Lets Water Into the Bed (TSB 24-BD-003H / 24-BD-004H)?
The roll-up tonneau cover fitted to SEL Premium and Limited trucks develops two related faults that Hyundai acknowledged in service bulletins issued March 2024. The cover binds in its rails and becomes hard or impossible to open and close (TSB 24-BD-003H), and it retracts incompl… Repairs typically run $0-$900. Severity: low.
