This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2025 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system as described in this TSB.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz electrical problems
moderate 14 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
A software update is available for multiple vehicles equipped with either Display Audio 2.0V or the AVN 5th Gen Wide system.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Certain 2022-2023MY Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may exhibit a warning lamp illumination for a diagnostic trouble code P218100 that is related to the Integrated Thermal Management Module (ITM). Follow the service procedure outlined in this bulletin to replace the ITM with a revised part and update the Engine/Electronic Control Unit (ECU).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2024 2nd Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system. Refer to the 2024 2nd Navigation Map and Software Update Improvements section in this TSB for a list of specific changes. The software can be downloaded via Navigation Updater (NAU) and updated by USB. The NAU website is https://update.hyundai.com/US/EN/navigationUpdate. For certain models equipped with a relevant Bluelink package, the software may be downloaded and applied via OTA update.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service functions. This may be due to an irregular disconnection on Verizon’s communication network. Follow the procedure in this TSB to reestablish the connection via the AVN pinhole reset method.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe a cluster of electrical and control-system issues across 2022 Santa Cruz models. High-idle stalling is the most recurrent complaint: the engine gets stuck at 1200 RPM (or occasionally 5000 RPM) during normal driving, persisting across park, neutral, and drive regardless of A/C status, without triggering check-engine lights. Dealers cannot reproduce it or resolve it with resets. One owner reports the engine shut down while braking to a stop.
Loss of acceleration at highway speeds appears in multiple reports—sudden loss of power, inability to accelerate, sometimes requiring engine shutdown and restart. No warning lights precede the event. One owner reports acceleration failure during traffic merge; another experienced rough idle and stalling after the event.
Electrical system warnings include all dashboard warning lights illuminating simultaneously (oil, ABS, tire pressure, check engine) with no clear root cause. One owner received a "battery discharging due to electrical" warning message before the vehicle powered down.
Moisture intrusion affects DRL lens assemblies and rear taillights—water and soap collect inside sealed components shortly after purchase, dealers claim it's normal, and owners worry about winter road salt exposure causing failure.
A critical wiring concern: one owner reports undersized fuses protecting relay circuits (40-amp and 50-amp fuses on 35-amp relays), low-current coil protection mismatches, and wire gauge inadequate for fault current, citing the trailer-harness recall as evidence of similar issues.
Additional failures include backup-camera intermittency (black screen, no error codes), unexpected road-hazard alerts that cannot be silenced (triggering after software update), and stalling events with electrical warning cascades.
Same Hyundai Santa Cruz electrical reports on nearby years: 2023
Failure modes owners describe
High-idle stall condition
Engine idle gets stuck at 1200 RPM (or 5000 RPM in other reports) during normal driving, persists across all transmission positions and A/C states, no check-engine light, requires engine shutdown/restart to clear. Occurs at operating temperature. Creates difficult braking and poor fuel economy. One instance of engine stalling while braking to a stop.
When: Within first 9 months of ownership; recurring across multiple service attempts
Symptoms owners cite: Stuck idle at 1200 RPM (or 5000 RPM); No check-engine light illumination; Engine feels like accelerator is slightly pressed when foot is off pedal on highway; Occurs in park, neutral, drive, reverse regardless of A/C; Difficult braking, poor fuel economy; One report of engine stalling while braking at traffic light
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer performed engine and transmission valve reset without resolving issue. Dealer unable to reproduce problem despite customer driving vehicle while malfunctioning.
Loss of acceleration at highway speed
Sudden, unwarned loss of engine power and acceleration response at highway speeds (55 mph noted) without illumination of warning lights. RPMs rise but vehicle does not accelerate. Engine runs rough after event, feels like it will stall. Requires engine shutdown and restart; one instance reports rough start behavior afterward.
When: Occurring within months of purchase; random/intermittent
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of power and acceleration response at highway speed; RPMs increase but no forward power; No warning lights illuminate before event; Rough idle/rough start after event; Feels like engine will stall; Loss of acceleration during traffic merge (safety hazard)
Codes mentioned: P019185 (main fuel rail pressure regulator sensor)
Repairs/costs cited: Event does not trigger codes; vehicle must be shut down and restarted to resolve. Dealer diagnosis pending for one case.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner received BlueLink alert of 'possible condition with engine control system'; manufacturer opened case but no repair communicated.
Instrument panel and dashboard warning lights malfunction
All dashboard warning lights (oil, ABS, tire pressure, check engine) illuminate simultaneously while driving with no clear cause. One instance of 'battery discharging due to electrical' message before vehicle powered down. Dim instrument panel background lighting reported.
When: Occurring within months of purchase
Symptoms owners cite: All dash warning lights on simultaneously (oil, ABS, tire pressure, check engine); Dim instrument panel background lighting; Battery discharging warning message; No clear diagnostic pattern
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer advised by corporate to replace ABS system component (expected mid-February in one case). No resolution reported at time of complaint.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Corporate advised ABS system component replacement.
Moisture intrusion in DRL and taillights
Water and soap bubbles collect inside DRL lens covers and rear taillights within one month of purchase. Lens covers are not sealed. Owners report inability to clean interior; concern about winter road salt and ice damage. Dealer confirmed normal condition.
When: Within 1 month of purchase and persisting
Symptoms owners cite: Water and soap bubbles visible inside DRL lens covers; Water collecting near electrical components; Condensation in rear taillights (both sides); No ability to access interior for cleaning
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer will not repair; stated it is normal and not sealed by design.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Field service engineer deemed condition normal; grill and lens are not sealed per Hyundai design.
Wiring and fuse circuit protection mismatch
Owner alleges undersized and mismatched fuses protecting relay circuits: blower relay rated 35 amps protected by 40-amp fuse (low-current coil also on 40-amp fuse instead of separate 10-amp); E-CVVT relay rated 35 amps protected by 50-amp fuse. Wire gauge reportedly inadequate to handle fault current. Owner cites trailer-harness recall (15-amp fuse replacement) as evidence of similar wire-gauge/fuse mismatches. Concerns circuit does not meet National Electric Code or industry standard.
When: Present at manufacture; potential fire risk
Symptoms owners cite: Undersized fuses on relay protection; Mismatched low-current coil protection; Wire gauge inadequate for fault current; Fire risk potential if motor seizes and draws excessive current
Repairs/costs cited: No repair documented. Owner states wiring should not melt or catch fire with proper fuse protection.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Trailer wire harness recall included 15-amp fuse replacement, indicating manufacturer awareness of similar wire-gauge and fuse-rating issues.
Backup camera intermittency
Backup camera display fails or malfunctions 50% of the time when in reverse (black screen), or stays on after vehicle is put into drive. No error codes generated. Occurs over 20+ times. Dealer cannot diagnose without error code.
When: Recurring throughout ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Black screen in reverse (no video feed); Camera stays on after shifting to drive; No error codes present; Occurs frequently (over 20 instances)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer states no repair possible without error code.
Infotainment software glitch—unsilenceable road-hazard alerts
After navigation software update, vehicle generates constant audible and visual alerts of random road hazards (slippery road, rough road) every five seconds. No way to disable audible sound or prevent alert recurrence; dismissing alert only prompts immediate return. Only workaround is pulling climate/infotainment fuse. Hyundai pulled down software update access. Factory reset does not resolve. Owner suspects hack but Hyundai not admitting it.
When: Starting ~May 4th after Nav software update
Symptoms owners cite: Audible and visual road-hazard alerts every 5 seconds (randomized messages); No option to silence audible alert; Alert dismissal triggers immediate recurrence; Distracting and unsafe while driving
Repairs/costs cited: Only workaround: pull climate/infotainment fuse to disable system. Factory reset does not work.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Hyundai pulled down software update access; no fix communicated. Other owners report dealerships have no fix.
Trailer wiring harness fire hazard (outstanding recall)
Recall issued for faulty OEM trailer/hitch wiring harnesses due to fire risk. Hyundai recommendation: park vehicle outside and away from buildings. No repair fix made available to owners as of complaint date. Vehicle continues to be marketed despite unresolved safety issue.
When: Recall issued; no repair timeline provided
Symptoms owners cite: Fire hazard from faulty trailer wiring harness; Vehicle must be parked outside per manufacturer recommendation
Repairs/costs cited: No repair available. Manufacturer recommendation: keep parked outside.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall issued but no fix provided. Manufacturer recommends parking outside and away from buildings.
Engine stall with electrical warning cascade
Vehicle stalled at traffic light with less than 2000 miles. Would not restart; shuddered and died on each restart attempt. All electrical warning lights flared. Vehicle towed to dealership and remained undiagnosed for one month at time of complaint.
When: Less than 2000 miles; traffic light condition
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden stall at traffic light; Will not restart; shudders and dies on restart attempts; All electrical warning lights flare; Safety hazard (stalled on busy street)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership unable to diagnose after one month.
Possible odometer/mileage discrepancy
Owner reports mileage increasing significantly beyond actual use: vehicle purchased with 764 miles, now showing 2,353 miles consumed over 3.5 months of minimal driving (22 miles daily to/from two jobs, no highway use). Owner suspects dealer tampering. (Note: complaint narrative is in all-caps and may reflect owner frustration; details provided are unverified.)
When: From November 25, 2022 to time of complaint; 3.5 months elapsed
Symptoms owners cite: Mileage increases faster than actual driving distance; Gas consumption increases correspondingly; Owner drives only ~22 miles daily in local area
Repairs/costs cited: None documented.
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Backup camera doesn't work 50% of the time (black screen) when in reverse OR when it works stays on after being put into drive. Has happened numerous times (over 20). Took to dealer, they said if there's no error code, they can't do anything. (Of course it worked fine the 15min I was at the dealer).
Had electrical trouble with your 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 14 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 14 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 37,000 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2022/Hyundai/Santa Cruz.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.