2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The defect

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.

The risk

Unexpected braking increases the risk of a crash.

The remedy

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.

Hyundai Motor America · up to 423,062 vehicles across all model years covered

The defect

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.

The risk

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

The remedy

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.

Hyundai Motor America · up to 258 vehicles across all model years covered

The defect

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Tucson and Santa Cruz vehicles. The console extension wiring assembly may be routed improperly, allowing the transmission to be shifted out of Park without applying the brake pedal.

The risk

A transmission that can shift out of Park without applying the brake pedal can result in a vehicle roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.

The remedy

Owners are advised to use the parking brake when parking the vehicle. Dealers will reroute the console extension wiring assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 17, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 273.

Hyundai Motor America · up to 42,465 vehicles across all model years covered

crash

This is an ongoing safety issue with a 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited. The forward collision-avoidance system activates frequently and without cause during normal driving. The system will engage when another vehicle is simply turning, merging, or slowing down at a traffic light—normal, predictable situations where no emergency braking should occur. These unexpected activations create unsafe conditions, including one incident where the truck was rear-ended due to sudden, unnecessary braking. The issue has occurred more than 50 times over approximately eight months of ownership. The manufacturer has been contacted and stated that this behavior is “by design.” They advised having the vehicle …

NHTSA complaint 11698749, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Making a left turn against oncoming traffic into a convenience store parking lot. There was a car in the driveway waiting to exit the convenience store parking lot. As I crossed the oncoming traffic lane the crash avoidance light on the dash came on and the brakes locked up nearly causing me to be broadsided by the oncoming traffic. An obvious malfunction of the crash avoidance system. I contacted the dealer and reported the issue. They advised my software was up to date and it was probably a ghost reading by the camera and software. No further action taken by the dealer.

NHTSA complaint 11764533. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Loss of power while trying to accelerate. RPM's were going up, but the vehicle was very sluggish. Nearly got rear ended as I had turned right on a red from a stop to merge onto a 55mph road. I could not get up to speed and had to pull to the side of the road and engage my hazard lights. I turned the vehicle off and let it sit for a few minutes, then turned it back on and the issue went away. No lights/warnings or sounds were associated with the problem. First time driving the car today. Weather is mid 70's and overcast.

NHTSA complaint 11760583. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

200 miles

The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds at night on several occasions, the headlights were dim and created a shadow across the roadway. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on multiple occasions. The dealer was initially unable to duplicate the failure but later diagnosed that the driver-side headlight bulb needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer on several occasions. The dealer ultimately deemed the headlight performance normal. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200.

NHTSA complaint 11749015. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

While driving at night I happened to notice that the headlights failed to illuminate the road sufficiently. Specifically, the truck was going downhill. As it approached the bottom and soon to go uphill, I noticed that there was a strict delineation in what was lit up and what was not. Being on a country two lane with no ambient lights and travelling at the posted 55mph I realized that I did not have enough distance to stop safely in the event that something be on the road ahead, e.g., deer. So concentrated is the light that it does not create any vertical illumination. (Picture travelling toward the bottom of a parabola.) I visited the Hyundai dealership in my area the next day. I asked …

NHTSA complaint 11724893, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

I was driving on a highway at 55mph at night today 3/1/2026 and all of a sudden the headlights, instrumentation lights, and computer display went out, very scary, the all turned back on about 1.5 seconds later.

NHTSA complaint 11721312. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.