BrakeNewsOwner complaints, read early

Your vehicle report

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
79
Received Oct 2022 to Sep 2026
Official recalls listed
2
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Unintended acceleration despite braking6 complaints · 7.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Vehicle catches fire from wiring4 complaints · 5.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Head gasket leaks coolant into engine4 complaints · 5.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #23V181000Park outsideHyundai 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.
  • Recall #23V038000Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Tucson and 2022-2023 Santa Cruz vehicles. The roof moldings may detach.
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 2 crashes, 3 fires, 1 person injured, 0 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 8 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

2 more problems

Brakes

Electrical & lights

Airbags, belts & seats

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Steering, suspension & tires

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Body, doors & glass

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Driver assistance

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Other

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Complaints received about the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz
7
Show as a table
MonthComplaints
October 20222
November 20221
December 20221
January 20234
February 20233
March 20232
April 20231
May 20233
June 20237
July 20232
August 20232
September 20231
October 20235
November 20232
December 20231
January 20241
February 20241
March 20241
April 20240
May 20241
June 20241
July 20244
August 20241
September 20241
October 20242
November 20240
December 20242
January 20256
February 20251
March 20252
April 20251
May 20252
June 20250
July 20250
August 20250
September 20254
October 20252
November 20251
December 20250
January 20261
February 20261
March 20260
April 20261
May 20260
June 20260
July 20263
August 20260
September 20262
October 20260
Total79

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Unintended acceleration despite braking67.6%–
Vehicle catches fire from wiring45.1%–NHTSA recall #23V181000
Head gasket leaks coolant into engine45.1%–
Transmission fails or loses power while driving45.1%–
Headlights dim or fail at night33.8%–
Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips33.8%–
Automatic emergency braking applies without reason33.8%–
Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed33.8%–

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

  • NHTSA recall #23V181000March 17, 2023584,784 vehicles affected

    Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.

    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.

    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. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.

  • NHTSA recall #23V038000January 31, 202316,104 vehicles affected

    structure: body: roof and pillars; structure: critical fasteners

    Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Tucson and 2022-2023 Santa Cruz vehicles. The roof moldings may detach.

    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.

Other model years

About this data

NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz.

Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.

Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN