The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz demonstrates a concerning reliability outlook due to the single recall involving the electric power assist steering system, which raises safety apprehensions. Coupled with multiple Technical Service Bulletins, particularly regarding potential suspension noise and electrical issues, owners should remain vigilant.
Key Factor:Steering system risks
โ
Standard Safety Record
The 2024 Santa Cruz maintains a standard safety record for HYUNDAI, with 1 recall documented.
1 recall for this vehicle1.7 avg. recalls per vehicle (brand)
๐Why This Matters
In the competitive compact pickup segment, reliability and quality have become paramount, especially given consumer expectations for both daily utility and safety. The presence of a recall specifically addressing the power steering assist system is particularly troubling as it could lead to significant handling issues. This kind of defect not only jeopardizes driver confidence but also can affect the vehicle's overall reputation within a market that demands dependability from emerging models like the Santa Cruz.
Focus Area:Safety Profile
๐
Expert Analysis
๐
Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
โ ๏ธ
Primary Risk Area:Acceleration Issues
โ๏ธ
Vs Brand: Better than avg (1.7)
๐
Summary: Year-over-year, Hyundai has worked diligently to enhance its safety protocols and engineering standards; however, this model shows an unsettling trend with its singular recall linked to critical steering functionality. Compared to its competition, this raises concerns about Hyundai's ability to maintain their reputation for reliability in this emerging segment.
Safety & Reliability Score
91/100
Score Breakdown
Recall Impact-8
Complaint Impact-1.35
Investigation Impact-0
Technical Specifications
Key specifications for the 2024 HYUNDAI Santa Cruz
Model Year2024
MakeHYUNDAI
ModelSanta Cruz
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle
Safety History Timeline
Nov23
ISSUEFirst Report
Jan24
NEWProduction
May24
RECALLRecall Issued
Consumer Complaint Analysis
โ ๏ธ
Most Reported Issue
8 complaints (30% of total)
โก๏ธ
Complaint Trend
Stable
No trend data
โ
Safety Incidents
No critical incidents
Complaint Severity Distribution
Breakdown of 27 consumer complaints by severity level.
๐ High
1(4%)
๐กMedium
8(30%)
๐ขLow
18(67%)
Mileage Failure Analysis
โ๏ธEngineering Insight
With peak failures occurring between 0-20k miles and an average failure mileage of just 3,120 miles, current owners of the Santa Cruz should be prepared for potential early issues that could manifest shortly after purchase. This early failure range often indicates suboptimal initial assembly quality or component robustness, warranting proactive attention from buyers.
๐ Mileage data extracted from 7 of 27 complaints (26% coverage)
0-20k
7 reports (100%)
20k-40k
0 reports (0%)
40k-60k
0 reports (0%)
60k-80k
0 reports (0%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
0 reports (0%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.
๐ ๏ธ DIY Diagnosis Center
Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).
Primary Risk Areas
STEERING
๐ฏRisk Areas & Recommended Actions
Based on recall data, these components require verification:
1
Steering System
Issue: Risk of loss of power steering assist due to circuit board short circuit in the motor-driven power steering assembly.
โ
Contact your dealer immediately for inspection and potential repairs related to steering functionality.
๐
Inquire about any recall service completion related to steering before purchasing.
Campaign:23V123
๐กVisit NHTSA.gov or contact your HYUNDAI dealer to verify recall completion status.
Official Safety Recalls (1)
Campaign: 24V412000
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
โผ
Summary
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024 Tucson and Santa Cruz vehicles. The circuit board in the motor-driven power steering assembly may short circuit, resulting in a loss of power steering assist.
Consequence
A loss of power steering assist can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the motor-driven power steering electric power pack, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 261.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA Investigations
0 investigations
โ
No active investigations for this vehicle.
Consumer Complaints
27 total complaints
Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2024 Santa Cruz.
Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis
Acceleration Issues30%
Warning22%
Noise15%
Stall7%
Power Loss7%
Accident7%
Check Engine Light7%
Engine/Powertrain๐ถ Medium
POWER TRAIN
Sporadically, when shifting from first to second gear, the engine/transmission will stall, causing a loss of power for several seconds. This is generally when pulling away from a stop sign/light into traffic. I picked a single date below, but this continually happens from time to time.
Engine/Powertrain๐ต Low
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE
Upon starting the vehicle is doesn't act normal and when placed In drive it feels like brakes are applied and it doesn't want to hardly move even when pressing the throttle all the way down. This has also happens a couple times when at a stop and have to pull over and turn the vehicle off and restart. My so. Drives this vehicle and I feel this is a huge safety concern if he is able to get the vehicle moving and can get to a safe spot to shutdown and restart.
Steering/Suspension๐ถ Medium
SUSPENSION
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop and then accelerating, there was an abnormal, creaking sound coming from the suspension. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the contact was informed that the failure was related to an aftermarket lift kit that was installed on the vehicle prior to the contact owning the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer for weeks. The contact was provided a loaner vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 600.
Engine/Powertrain๐ต Low
POWER TRAIN
As I was attempting to accelerate at a stop light, once I got to 10mph I lost all power and the vehicle appeared to be in neutral, even though it was in gear. The engine just revved and would not go any faster. It appeared that the transmission just completely slipped out of gear. I had to figure out a way to exit the road as I was in full rush hour traffic. When I re-entered traffic to try again, the same thing happened and I exited into a side street neighborhood. The third time, the car did accelerate although it was rough shifting. This problem is extremely unsafe. This is a brand new car and unacceptable. When I researched this issue online, it appears to be a very common issue in the 2022-2024 Hyundai Santa Cruzโs. I hope that this will be investigated.
Steering/Suspension๐ถ Medium
STEERING
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while in the process of towing the vehicle on a tow dolly, the contact attempted to steer the steering wheel to verify that the steering wheel was locked, but the steering wheel was not locked and could be turned. The contact stated that the Owner's Manual stated that the steering wheel would lock while the vehicle was turned off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the steering wheel had failed to lock while the vehicle was turned off. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased with the intention of towing the vehicle on a tow dolly as necessary, but the contact had stopped towing the vehicle to prevent an accident. The dealer contacted the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer informed the dealer that the vehicle was operating as designed and could not be towed on a tow dolly. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.
Engine/Powertrain๐ถ Medium
POWER TRAIN
Vehicle seems to not go into park at times and then coasts forward.
Engine/Powertrain๐ต Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
We purchased our 2024 Santa Cruz [XXX]. On [XXX] the Santa Cruz we purchased from Korum Hyundai Dealership died on the highway as my husband and I were heading to town through the mountains. We had to roll to the side of the road as the Santa Cruz just lost all power and would not accelerate, it just died and lost power. I thought it was a fluke. My husband was driving. I asked if he had hit a button or something, he said no. Turned the ignition to off and he restarted the Santa Cruz and it turned on. On Saturday, [XXX], driving on [XXX] , heading west from Glenoma, Washington to Morton, Washington driving approx 60 mph when the Santa Cruz lost all power again driving down the highway. It was a very dangerous situation! We have logging trucks and semi trucks up and down that highway going speeds of 60 mph and more! I lost all power and had to roll to the side of the road in the Santa Cruz. Some of that stretch of highway does not even have places to pull over and some of that highway has metal guard rails as well as drop off cliffs. EXTREMELY HAZORDOUS SITUATION to have the Santa Cruz simply lose all power going down the highway! On this date the Santa Cruz had 4522 miles on it. I looked at the dash panel to see if there were any warning lights and made a point to look at the mileage. There were no warning lights. Nor warning messages. April 3rd the 2024 Santa Cruz Night was dropped of at the Korum Hyundai Service Dept. The dealership has had the vehicle for 3 weeks and states they cannot replicate the problem. There are no warning lights. Since then I have been on Hyundai Forums and have multiple people tell me the exact same situation has happened to them. They ended up finding out it was the fuel injectors. The forums also stated that the dealership could not replicate the issue when take to service department for other owners. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine/Powertrain๐ต Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
On [XXX] my car would not run with a half a tank of gas and 776 miles ,I allied Hyundai towing and had it towed to the nearest dealer in Springfield pa and it sat down a week or more before they looked at it ,after that they finally called and stated there was sugar in my tank ,I explained that was impossible because I have a 175 foot private drive and a dog that barks at anything I explained the gehivle has a anti theft gas cap and if the vehicle is unlocked I get texted to remind me itโs unlocked ,they told me the fuel system had to be replaced from the filter to the injectors ,that vehicle has a safe guard in the fuel tank to clog up when contaminated, I had to wait six weeks for me car and had to use my auto insurance to pay for it with 450.00 coming out of my pocket ,then again after another 800 miles it started again and this time I took it to another dealer who stated there was sugar fuel pump was bad again and that it would cost me another 1500 dollars ,I fought with them and told them about my previous problems and he repair it under warranty INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Otherโ ๏ธ High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The sun roof exploded in an upward projection while traveling 65mph with driver window slightly open. Glass everywhere with tiny glass slivers inbedded in my right hand and cheeck. Heard slight popping noise just prior to glass failure. Headed to dealership on 3/3/2025. Found other reports online from 2024 Santa Cruz owners.
Other๐ต Low
EQUIPMENT
See attached document for complaint.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I know about the reliability of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz has been flagged with a recall concerning its electric power assist steering. This indicates some potential reliability concerns that prospective buyers should consider seriously. It's advisable to check for any completed recalls and stay informed on any updates regarding fixes or service advisories.
How do Technical Service Bulletins affect my ownership experience with the Santa Cruz?
Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) are essential communications from manufacturers that outline common problems encountered by vehicles under warranty. For the Santa Cruz, TSBs address noise issues from shocks and electrical condensation concerns affecting lamp assembliesโwhich can impact overall driving comfort if left unaddressed. Understanding these TSBs helps owners keep their vehicles in optimal condition.
๐Year-over-Year Context
โก๏ธStable Pattern
Compared to earlier years, the 2024 model shows stable reliability patterns. No meaningful structural change detected in recall frequency between adjacent model years.
๐งญWhat This Means for You
Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.
If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.
๐
If You Own This Vehicle
Immediate Action: If any recalls are listed as 'incomplete', contact a certified HYUNDAI service centerโrepairs are performed at no cost to you.
Unaddressed recalls pose real-world risks. Prioritize scheduling any pending repairs to maintain vehicle integrity.
Proactive tip: Enroll in HYUNDAI's owner notification program for real-time safety updates.
๐
If You're Buying Used
Request the VIN from the seller and verify the 'Clean' recall status via NHTSA.
This specific Santa Cruz year is noted for its strong reliability foundations.