2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz User Complaints and Problems
Even though it has hardly been a year since the showcase of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, more than half a dozen complaints have already been lodged against the compact truck on the NHTSA website by owners. Engine issues stand out as the primary niggle stacking up to almost 13 cases, while electrical complaints follow with almost 3 instances recorded.
Listed below are the most common problems of the Hyundai Santa Cruz and their implications on the ownership experience.
Mechanical Complaints
- Engine- Power loss and laggy throttle response were noticed by several owners when driving casually through the freeway and when trying to roll from a standstill. It feels as if the vehicle is stuck in a higher gear and does not want to accelerate. Some complaints lodged have instances where the owners claim that the engine does not rev past 2,500 RPMs even though the throttle pedal has been completely depressed. Even though most of them were able to resolve these issues by restarting the engine, no official statements on this issue have been released. No crashes have been reported in this case though. Random engine stalls and engine warning lamps also affect some batches of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz.
- Service Breaks- In an isolated case, a faulty ABS module has been said to have brought up multiple warning lights on the dashboard of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. Even though it has not affected the usage or even braking performance of the truck, the lit ABS light, engine malfunction light, and TPMS light does compromise the safety to an extent.
Electric System Complaints
- Exterior lighting-There are at least two instances of recorded customer complaints pointing towards the poor performance of the headlamps that come on the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The road illumination and light thrown from these lamps are said to be below par. For one buyer, they create a dark shadow on the driver’s side, which might result in compromised visibility. No crashes or injuries have been reported against this issue though.
- Windshield wiper/ washer fluid issue- The washer fluid does not get evenly distributed on the windshield at freeway speeds leaving streaks on the windshield that obstructs driver visibility. Owners are forced to pull over and manually clean the windshield. Spraying on excessive washer fluid brings the risk of running out of the fluid quickly. This is a common issue as per forums and owners point out the defective sprayer nozzle design for this.
Compared to its sister car, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck has considerably fewer consumer complaints lodged against it. This can be directly attributed to the sales volume of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz being considerably low when compared to the compact SUV segment. Thus, we cannot rule out the possibility of similar complaints popping up on the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz since both these vehicles are mechanically identical under the skin. Infotainment bugs and faulty airbags are something to expect on this platform.
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Category
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Number of complaints
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Fuel and Propulsion System
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1
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Engine/ Powertrain
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11
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Safety
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0
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Service brakes
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1
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Electrical
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3
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Structural
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0
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2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Recalls
Since it has been only a few months from its launch, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has just one recorded instance of recall as per the NHTSA. Well, that is not to say that the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is devoid of any issues as its sister car, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson has already received another recall for faulty/ inoperable headlamps and tail lamps. Given that both vehicles employ similar equipment under the body, it would be safe to assume that both vehicles would share problems if noticed in large numbers.
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S. No
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Date
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NHTSA ID
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Issues Noticed
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Additional Remarks
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Remedy
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1
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28th March 2022
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22V197000
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Turbocharger oil pipe may leak.
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The oil supply pipe to the turbocharger may crack, which could result in an oil leak in the engine compartment, which in presence of hot surfaces such as the exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
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The dealers will replace the turbocharger oil supply pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 27, 2022.
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Compared to its competition, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz comes out better with zero recorded recalls. The 2022 Ford Maverick, on the other hand, already has two recalls under its belt for suspected fuel tank damage and improper rear seat belt attachments towards the tail end of the year 2021. Also, the current-gen Honda Ridgeline has gone through at least 5 recalls since its introduction in 2017.
Which Hyundai Santa Cruz model year should you avoid?
TheHyundai Santa Cruz comes in as an all-new model for the year 2022. Also, it would only be sold as a crew cab model. So, the only options that you would be getting with the Hyundai Santa Cruz would be the different trim models. We would recommend you to go with a higher trim that comes with LED headlamps as the halogen units on the base trims have been criticized for their poor performance.Also, trying to upgrade to an LED unit post-purchase may lead to a void in the warranty as quoted by one owner.
Should you buy a used Hyundai Santa Cruz?
If you are on the lookout for a well-equipped, silent, comfortable, and easy-going compact pickup truck that doubles up as your daily, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz would come across as a great option. There is just one instance of officially recorded recalls on this pick-up as per NHTSA as things stand, which is not all that concerning for a vehicle that is brand new for this model year. As for the complaints lodged, we don’t think there is anything concerning that would adversely affect the overall usability of the pickup. Also, the 10-year powertrain warranty that Hyundai provides on their vehicles is transferable and this should help ease out the ownership experience as a whole even for a second owner.
