YearToAvoid

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 25 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz, 32% of all complaints filed for the year, with a median failure mileage of 4,000 miles. No related recall is listed for this issue.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
25
32% of 79
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
4,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden loss of power and inability to accelerate while driving, sometimes with the vehicle shuddering.
  • Several describe the dual-clutch transmission shifting roughly or 'juddering,' with the clutch slipping between 1st and 2nd gear.
  • Multiple owners report the transmission failing to upshift, keeping RPMs high (some near 7,000 RPM) while the vehicle coasts or decelerates unexpectedly.
  • Some describe the vehicle stalling mid-drive with an error message directing them to shift to neutral and restart.
  • One owner reported a dealer transmission software update made the power loss worse, later requiring a transmission replacement.
  • A few complaints note the issue occurring at low mileage, with one vehicle affected at under 3,000 miles and another around 1,360 miles.

When 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 8, 2022, latest Oct 6, 2025.

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month4Nov 2022Apr 2023Jul 2023Oct 2023Jun 2024Aug 2024Dec 2024Sep 2025
25 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2022 to Oct 2025; peak Jun 2023 (4).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Santa Cruz model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 202290 (49%)
  2. 202325 (32%)
  3. 202411 (31%)
  4. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz have?
NHTSA lists 25 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2023 Santa Cruz, which is 32% of the 79 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this transmission & powertrain issue on the 2023 Santa Cruz.
At what mileage do 2023 Santa Cruz transmission problems occur?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this issue is 4,000 miles.
What transmission symptoms do 2023 Santa Cruz owners report?
Owners describe sudden power loss, rough or juddering shifts, high RPM while coasting, and in some cases the vehicle stalling and requiring a restart while driving.
Did the 2023 Santa Cruz have more transmission complaints than other years?
The 2022 model year had more, with 90 complaints and a 49% share, compared to 25 complaints and a 32% share for 2023.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.