2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz recalls and problems

The 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz has 3 safety recalls and 5 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Hyundai dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes / fires

0 / 0

Injuries / deaths

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Recalls may cover only some 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz recalls

Recall 26V-316: Forward Collision Avoidance

Reported May 18, 2026 · 423,062 vehicles affected · Hyundai Motor America

Problem: 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.

Risk: Unexpected braking increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Recall 26V-047: Electrical System

Reported Jan 26, 2026 · 41,651 vehicles affected · Hyundai Motor America

Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."

Risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 24, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 293. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 28, 2026.

Recall 25V-809: Air Bags

Reported Nov 20, 2025 · 258 vehicles affected · Hyundai Motor America

Problem: 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.

Risk: Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Fix: 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.

2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Power Train	2
Lane Departure	2
Vehicle Speed Control	1
Visibility/Wiper	1
Steering	1

Most reported parts

Lane Departure › Assist — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 5 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Lane Departure · at 5 miles · reported Sep 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "You May Want to Consider Taking a Break" was displayed with an audible alert nine times during a thirteen-mile trip, causing a distraction. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the Lane Departure feature was built into the computer system and was unable to be disabled. The failure mileage was approximately 5.

Power Train · reported Jun 6, 2026

I was traveling southbound on XXX from [XXX] to [XXX] While traveling in this major highway, the vehicle shunted forward and it felt like something hit us from behind. In reality, a transmission issue flared up on the dashboard along with a "Check Engine" light. Vehicle was left at the dealership. Blue Link (the automatic car system) detected this issue at 12:48 P.M. I was driving on a highway with other motorists when I had this issue. Only 3k miles! Brand new 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz. Thank God the person behind me was paying attention or there would have been a crash! INFORMATION REDACTED…

Visibility/Wiper · reported May 22, 2026

The windshield washer fluid dispensing nozzles do not effectively cover the windshield. Almost all of the "spray" is in a very concentrated area of the lower windshield. The fluid squirts onto the two locations on the windshield and gets wiped away by the wipers as soon as they move. The rest of the windshield gets virtually no fluid applied. This causes a significant safety hazard under many conditions. Most notably: - During light precipitation when the windshield is mostly dry, but not wet enough to actually allow the wipers to clear road dust/dirt. - During wintertime when little of no…

Lane Departure · reported May 22, 2026

The lake keep assist safety feature works inconsistently. Many times, the system has allowed my vehicle to cross the yellow or white lines, when it shouldn't have. Even worse, during wintertime, the vehicle gets confused as to what is road and what is not, jerking the vehicle in directions that it shouldn't be going (either off the road, or into incoming traffic). This is quite a violent jerk, so, unless the steering wheel is held steady with significant force, it could cause the vehicle to depart from the intended driving lane. Moreover, when there is snow on the road, the violent jerks can…

Power Train · reported Apr 30, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and merging into highway traffic, the vehicle hesitated and surged forward after depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.

Other Hyundai Santa Cruz years

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Compare all Hyundai Santa Cruz years · All Hyundai models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz: 26V-316 (forward collision avoidance), 26V-047 (electrical system), 25V-809 (air bags). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz?

Owners report power train problems most often (2 reports), followed by lane departure (2). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 5 miles.

Are Hyundai recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Hyundai dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.