2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz transmission and drivetrain problems
91 of the 185 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz name the transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA’s “Power Train” heading — the transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading). Filed under the same heading: 16 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 transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 91 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2022: 45 · 2023: 27 · 2024: 7 · 2025: 5 · 2026: 7
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, 7 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 “Power Train” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Hyundai Santa Cruz transmission and drivetrain problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the transmission and drivetrain. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Complete transmission failure on the highway without warning. Issue occured at 12,237 miles on the vehicle. While traveling under cruise control at 75MPH on the highway in the far left lane and the dashboard lit up and told me to pull over immediately. There were no warning signs ahead of the failure.
Was driving along and the truck said pull over immediately and the power train disengage . It slow down in a construction zone with no place to pull over and cars coming right at me .
Merging onto interstate and experienced loss of power. Slowly accelerated to 50 mph with gas pedal to the floor could not exceed 50mph. No warning lights just sudden loss of power. I had to drive onto side of the road to avoid being hit from cars behind me on interstate. Pulled over and restarted vehicle and drove normally back home
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited, 2.5T with 8-speed DCT, with 11,765 miles. This has happened 3 times in a 3 day period. Upon accelerating from a stop, there was a complete loss of power. I applied more pressure to the accelerator and still no power. It seemed like the vehicle was out-of-gear or had an engine misfire.
Vehicle took longer to start after pressing start button. Upon leaving my driveway, vehicle struggled to accelerate, taking nearly 60 seconds to reach 55 MPH. No warning lights indicated on dash. I manually changed gears with paddle shift, which did nothing. Also changed driving mode from "smart" to "normal" to "sport" which did nothing.
What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 22V746000 HighOct 6, 2022 · 56,148 vehicles
- Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, 2022 Santa Cruz, Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
16 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- 26-AT-005H TSB Service bulletinJun 5, 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 point learning variation, improving drivability and judder symptoms. Some 8WDCTs (indicated by a new part number) received an updated clutch spring. The correct TCU software update must
- 26-01-028H Warranty extensionMar 16, 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 update the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) with improved logic to address these DTCs and enhance operation of the 8DCT.
- 26-AT-001H TSB Service bulletinMar 3, 2026
- 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 the high pressure electric oil pump (HP EOP) DTCs listed below. This bulletin provides instructions to replace the 8WDCT.
The 3 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- engine problems 51 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre transmission and drivetrain problems common on the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 91 owner complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain on this model year (49% of everything owners filed about it), and 16 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 transmission and drivetrain on the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 22V746000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do transmission and drivetrain 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 "Power Train" heading cover?
The transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.