2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz problems & reliability
79 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz vehicles were involved in 7 fatal crashes with 5 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train → | 25 | 32% |
| Engine → | 20 | 25% |
| Electrical System → | 14 | 18% |
| Unknown / Other | 10 | 13% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 6 | 8% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 8% |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 5% |
| Trailer Hitches | 3 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 18 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Unknown. I have had a clunking in the rear and have come across a TSB TSB 25-SS-003H. Seems like a safety issue. Rear shocks could be defective.”
Suspension · filed Sep 14, 2026
“The push-to-open fuel filler door repeatedly failed to release, preventing refueling. The door locks through an electronic actuator tied to the central locking system, and there is no interior lever or owner-accessible manual override. Beginning in August 2026, the door intermittently failed to open when pushed with…”
Electrical System · filed Sep 9, 2026
“my 2023 Santa Cruz had 7500 miles when purchased 4/25/26. I have had issues with the screen blackening/fading which cuts of electronics; ex; safety features. This was taken in twice. Then the truck loses power. Going 55 or 75, suddenly truck drops to 20mph. Car's honk, brake & swerve not to hit us. It has been at…”
Unknown / Other · filed Jul 27, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
49 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The 10 most recent:
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…
Z08 OL · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Aug 4, 2026
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…
26-BD-003H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 7, 2026
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 for…
26-BD-007H DCS · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Jul 6, 2026
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 for…
26-BD-007H DN · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Jul 6, 2026
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 for…
26-BD-007H TSB · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Jul 6, 2026
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…
26-AT-005H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 5, 2026
This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and…
26-GI-002H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 27, 2026
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.…
DTN DL · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026
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…
DTN DCS · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026
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…
26-01-028H · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Mar 16, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.