2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Problems, Recalls & Complaints
NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints for the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz, and what to keep if your vehicle keeps going back to the shop.
Recall campaigns
3
NHTSA owner complaints as of November 6, 2026, from NHTSA's complaint data files.
22
Data last refreshed (Eastern time)
November 6, 2026
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2025 Santa Cruz and 22 owner complaints; the most-reported component in owner complaints is forward collision avoidance: warnings, with 6 reports.
Counts come from NHTSA records for this model year and refresh daily. Complaints are unverified owner reports; one complaint can name more than one component.
Top Reported Problems
Owner complaints grouped by NHTSA component (top 8). Linked components open a page comparing models for that problem.
- FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS6
- FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL4
- FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING3
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER3
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING3
- SERVICE BRAKES2
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
- ENGINE2
2025 Santa Cruz Recall Records
Campaigns can apply only to specific configurations and production dates. Confirm whether your VIN is affected with NHTSA or the manufacturer.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING · 26V316000
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.
Remedy: Dealers will update the front camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 302. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 20, 2026.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN · 25V809000
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.
Remedy: Dealers will reinstall the side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 29, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 289 and 029G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 22, 2025.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING · 24V877000
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.
Remedy: Owners are advised to use the parking brake when parking the vehicle. Dealers will reroute the console extension wiring assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 17, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 273.
2025 Santa Cruz Service Bulletins
A service bulletin is a manufacturer's repair instruction to dealers. It is not a recall and does not by itself establish a defect or a claim.
Manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA for this model year, newest first. A bulletin may apply only to certain configurations. Source data refreshes daily.
| Number | Date | Component | Summary | NHTSA record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26-GI-003H | Oct 27, 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 2nd Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary d… | 11038798 |
| 26-EM-015H TSB | Oct 7, 2026 | ENGINE | Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures f… | 11038456 |
| Z08 OL | Aug 4, 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | 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… | 11036205 |
| 26-BD-003H TSB | Jul 7, 2026 | STRUCTURE:BODY | 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 du… | 11035139 |
| 26-BD-007H DCS | Jul 6, 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | 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. Hyun… | 11035138 |
| 26-BD-007H DN | Jul 6, 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | 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. Hyun… | 11035137 |
| 26-BD-007H TSB | Jul 6, 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | 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. Hyun… | 11035136 |
| 26-AT-005H TSB | Jun 5, 2026 | POWER TRAIN | 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).… | 11033840 |
| 26-GI-002H TSB | May 27, 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 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 d… | 11033710 |
| 26-01-044H TSB | May 8, 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Certain Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may experience Over-the-Air (OTA) update failures due to outdated Central Communication Unit (CCU) software. This bulletin provides instruction… | 11032592 |
| DTN DL | Apr 10, 2026 | AIR BAGS | The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Provin… | 11032523 |
| DTN DCS | Apr 10, 2026 | AIR BAGS | The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by J… | 11032522 |
| 26-01-035H TSB | Apr 8, 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink functions. This may be due to an occasional disconnection on Verizon’s commun… | 11031315 |
| 26-AT-001H TSB | Mar 3, 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Some Santa Cruz (NXT), Santa Fe (TMA, MX5A), and Sonata (DN8A) models may require replacement of the 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission (8WDCT) when the vehicle sets one of th… | 11029937 |
| 26-AD-001H TSB | Feb 25, 2026 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Some 2019MY and newer vehicles equipped with a front view camera may illuminate certain warning lights and trigger DTC C272246 fault code for the front camera. In the following… | 11029906 |
| 25-BD-011H-1 TSB | Jan 24, 2026 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Some Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may have a tonneau cover that does not latch or unlatch, retract properly, and/or have a v-gap is present when closed. This may be due to a broken… | 11027055 |
| 25-01-079H-1 DCS | Nov 11, 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Certain Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may exhibit a Data Communication Unit (DCU) software error due to the internal timer initialization logic not being implemented. The DCU module… | 11025588 |
| 25-01-079H-1 TSB | Nov 11, 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Certain Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may exhibit a Data Communication Unit (DCU) software error due to the internal timer initialization logic not being implemented. The DCU module… | 11025587 |
| 25-BD-012H TSB | Nov 6, 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. Th… | 11025476 |
| 25-01-079H TSB | Oct 30, 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Certain Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may exhibit a Data Communication Unit (DCU) software error due to the internal timer initialization logic not being implemented. The DCU module… | 11024813 |
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