2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz engine problems
51 of the 185 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 10 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database0 of the 51 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2022: 20 · 2023: 14 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 5
Too few of these complaints carry an odometer reading to say when the problem shows up.
185 complaints in all about the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, 5 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Hyundai Santa Cruz engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
On June 21, 2022 around 10:55AM, while driving in the center lane on I-75, close to Ocala, Florida, warning sounds and a message on the panel indicated, "Warning, stop the vehicle intermediately" .
I have had this vehicle for less than 2 months, and the engine started knocking after about 800 miles. This seems to occur after putting about 100+ miles on the car throughout the day, letting it rest for a few hours between the long driving sessions. The knock occurs on first start up the next day.
On 08/13/2022, I was driving from Miami, FL, already 2 hours on the road and like 9:45 PM I was driving with my wife on the Interstate I-95 in the City of Melbourne, state of Florida, and stop at the I-95 North Bound Rest Area to use the rest rooms and change driver seat with her.
While driving between 30 to 40 MPH the vehicle jerks. It feels like the transmission is not getting in gear and it slows down. Then the engine and transmission kind of engage and it goes back to normal. I have tried to figure out as to when specifically it does it but it does it at different time and situations.
Left my neighborhood and as I pulled away from the stop sign the 1-2 shift felt abrupt, which has never happened before. No other issues were noticed until I got about a mile from home and my Santa Cruz wouldn't accelerate past 25-30 mph. The transmission wouldn't shift and the engine wouldn't rev past 3000 rpm.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 22V197000 HighMar 28, 2022 · 16 vehicles
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Santa Fe and Santa Cruz vehicles. The oil supply pipe to the turbocharger may crack, which could result in an oil leak in the engine compartment.
10 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems 91 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 51 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (28% of everything owners filed about it), and 10 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 22V197000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Too few of the complaints carry an odometer reading to say. The model year's page shows the mileage curve across every system where it can.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.