Selling a broken or wrecked Hyundai Santa Cruz

If your truck has a transmission that quit, a turbo engine that's done or crash damage it won't come back from, you can sell it whole. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, small pickups included, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

Every count here comes from owners writing to NHTSA, tallied on Oct. 10, 2026. Each complaint is a single owner's account, which is not the same as a reliability rating. A 2025 truck has also had far fewer months on the road to draw complaints than a 2022.

One generation so far

Hyundai has built the Santa Cruz since June 2021 in Montgomery, Alabama, on the same N3 platform as the Tucson, according to Wikipedia. It comes with a 2.5-liter four or a 2.5-liter turbo four, both tied to an 8-speed automatic, with front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Wikipedia also says Hyundai will reportedly discontinue production of the Santa Cruz in 2026.

Since every Santa Cruz is the same generation, the problems below are grouped by model year.

2022: the launch year

The 2022 holds more than half of all complaints. Power train leads with 64, then engine with 33. Four recall campaigns list this year.

• Transmission (22V746). The fail-safe limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired. The remedy: a dealer checks the transmission, swaps it if needed and reflashes the transmission control unit. The campaign counts 56,148 vehicles, but it also covered the Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, Elantra N and Kona N, so that number is not Santa Cruz trucks alone.
• Turbo oil pipe (22V197). The oil supply pipe to the turbocharger may crack and leak oil into the engine compartment. Dealers replace the pipe. Only 16 vehicles are in that campaign, split between the Santa Fe and the Santa Cruz.
• Roof moldings (23V038). They may detach on 2022-2023 trucks. That campaign of 16,104 also included the 2022 Tucson.
• Tow hitch harness (23V181). Trucks that may have a factory-installed tow hitch harness carry a park-outside warning: keep the truck parked outdoors, clear of any structure, until a dealer adds a new fuse and wire. The 584,784 count covers several Santa Fe models too.

2023 and 2024

Complaints fall to 79 on the 2023 and 35 on the 2024. The 2023 still leads with power train (23) and engine (13), with electrical system close behind at 12. Three of the 2023 complaints report a fire, the most of any year.

The 2024 has one recall, 24V412. A circuit board in the power steering assembly may short, and the driver loses power steering assist. Dealers replace the power pack. That campaign counts 795 vehicles and includes the 2024 Tucson.

2025 and 2026: software and wiring

On the 2025, the top complaint is forward collision avoidance, at 9 of 19. Recall 26V316 covers 2025-2026 trucks: software in the front cameras may cause trouble with the forward collision avoidance system, and dealers update it. That campaign counts 423,062 vehicles, and it also covers the 2025-2026 Tucson, Tucson Hybrid and Tucson Plug-in Hybrid.

Recall 24V877 on the 2025 says the console wiring may be routed wrong, which can let the transmission shift out of Park when it shouldn't. Until the wiring is rerouted, Hyundai tells owners to use the parking brake. Two more campaigns cover the newest trucks: side curtain air bags that may not be installed properly (25V809) and an instrument panel software update (26V047).

Complaints and recalls by model year

Complaint figures: NHTSA's owner file, read on Oct. 10, 2026. Campaigns that span two or three model years are counted once for every year they cover, which is why the right-hand column totals 13 rather than 9.

No deaths are reported in any of the 323 complaints. Owners say the truck had to be towed in 17 of them.

Fix the truck or let it go?

A Santa Cruz is a young truck, so a big failure feels like it should be fixed. Start with what Hyundai may already owe you.

1. Run the VIN. Use NHTSA's recall lookup. On a 2022 with a transmission problem, ask a dealer whether recall 22V746 applies before you pay for anything.
2. Turbo engine failed? Our failed turbo guide explains how to weigh it.
3. Transmission slipping or stuck? See bad transmission for the signs and the fix-or-sell math.
4. Wrecked? If the insurer totaled it, read insurer totaled it. If you still owe money on it, see still owe on the loan.

Put the written quote next to what the same truck brings when it runs. If the gap between them is small, the repair rarely pays you back.

Selling the whole truck

1. Gather the basics: VIN, mileage, what's wrong, and whether it rolls and steers.
2. Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Say where it's parked. Curbside, in a carport, behind a body shop or nose-in to a garage wall is fine. Tell us if it can roll; a truck that won't roll gets winched on. If it's a 2022 or 2023 that may have the factory tow hitch harness and the 23V181 fix was never done, keep it parked outside until it's picked up.
4. Leave it whole. Keep the bed cover, wheels and battery on. Tell us about anything already removed.
5. When the tow truck arrives, the driver needs the signed title, the keys and a look at your ID. Plate rules differ from state to state; after you sell lists them.

Lost the title? Start with selling with no title. Looking at a different Hyundai? See the Tucson, Santa Fe and Palisade, or every Hyundai we cover.