Hyundai · Known Issues
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Problems: 12 Known Issues
2022 model year · 1,270+ owner reports · Updated September 2026
2022 · All trims · All engines
Choose the year and equipment for your written issues and visual request.
2022 model year · 1,270+ owner reports · Updated September 2026
2022 · All trims · All engines
Choose the year and equipment for your written issues and visual request.
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According to Au7o's analysis of 1,270+ owner reports, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has 12 documented known issues, with 4 rated critical. The most serious are Roof Side Molding Detachment While Driving (Recall 23V-038), Tow Hitch Harness Water Intrusion Causing Fire Risk (Recall 23V-181), Transmission Electric Oil Pump Fault Causing Loss of Drive Power (Recall 22V-746) and Turbocharger Oil Supply Pipe Cracking at the Eye Joint Causing Engine Bay Oil Leak and Fire Risk (Recall 22V197) ($0-$0 repair). The most commonly reported issue is Infotainment Screen Freezing / Black Screen with 420 owner reports. Across all issues with published estimates, repair costs range from $10 to $4,500. DIY maintenance guides at au7o.io.
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Tucson and 2022-2023 Santa Cruz vehicles. The roof moldings may detach.
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. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Tucson and Santa Cruz vehicles. The console extension wiring assembly may be routed improperly, allowing the transmission to be shifted out of Park without applying the brake pedal.
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According to Au7o's analysis of 1,270+ owner reports, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has 12 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), Transmission Electric Oil Pump Fault Causing Loss of Drive Power (Recall 22V-746). Of these, 4 are rated critical and should be addressed promptly.
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has 12 known issues documented across 1,270+ owner reports. 4 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) and Transmission Electric Oil Pump Fault Causing Loss of Drive Power (Recall 22V-746) and Turbocharger Oil Supply Pipe Cracking at the Eye Joint Causing Engine Bay Oil Leak and Fire Risk (Recall 22V197). 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.
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.
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.
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.
Content on this page was compiled with AI assistance using NHTSA complaints, TSBs, owner reports, and public automotive data. While we strive for accuracy, this information may contain errors. Always verify repair procedures and specifications with your vehicle's service manual or a qualified mechanic.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Tucson, 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2026 Genesis GV70 vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not have been installed properly, which can cause the air bags not to deploy as intended.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, and Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) vehicles. Software in the front cameras may cause the forward collision avoidance system to activate prematurely and unexpectedly apply the brakes.
+ 3 more recalls. Check all on NHTSA.gov
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NHTSA recall 22V-746 (Hyundai recall 236) covers certain model-year 2022 Santa Cruz vehicles. An internal fault in the transmission high-pressure electric oil pump can trigger diagnostic codes and warning lamps. Improper software logic for the fail-safe condition can allow about… Severity: high.
On early-build 2022 Santa Cruz trucks fitted with the 2.5L turbocharged Smartstream engine, the oil supply line feeding the turbocharger can crack at the eye joint. Pressurized oil then sprays or weeps into the engine compartment onto hot turbo and exhaust components. NHTSA campa… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.