My Hyundai Santa Cruz hesitates or won't shift. What are owners finding?

Short answer: If your Santa Cruz hesitates from a stop, stutters on shifts or gets stuck in first, take it to a Hyundai dealer under warranty and ask about transmission software updates. Some owners have had transmissions or clutch packs replaced. Check your VIN: a 2022 recall covers a transmission oil pump problem that can cause loss of drive power.

Symptom: It hesitates when you pull away, stutters between gears, or the transmission won't upshift.

What to check first

1. Run your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls.
2. Ask the dealer for any transmission software updates for your VIN.
3. Have codes read and printed even if no light is on.
4. Write down when it happens, and take a video if you can do so safely.
5. If a transmission is denied, ask in writing what test it failed or passed.

Likely causes

1. Dual-clutch transmission software. Turbo models use a dual-clutch transmission (DCT), an automated manual with two clutches. Hyundai has issued software updates for its behavior.
2. Clutch pack or internal transmission failure. Some owners got a new transmission or clutch pack.
3. Transmission oil pump (2022 recall). A 2022 recall covers an oil pump problem that can stop the transmission's fail-safe mode from working.

What it usually costs

Owners in these threads were working through warranty and didn't post prices.

Is it safe to keep driving?

Hesitation pulling into traffic is a real crash risk. Stuck in first or loss of drive power means stop driving it and get it checked.

DIY or shop?

No. This is warranty work. A scanner just helps you document codes.

Recalls, bulletins and complaints in plain words

• Recall: 22V746000 (2022): a transmission oil pump problem can keep the fail-safe mode from working, which can cause a loss of drive power. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If your car is part of a recall, the dealer fixes it for free.
• Plain words: The complaint count below shows how often owners reported problems that mention these words to NHTSA. A count is not proof of a defect.
• NHTSA complaints: 110 keyword-matched complaints for Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022–2024 (of 299 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-10-30; keywords: transmission, shift, hesitat, loss of power). This counts complaints that mention these words. It is not a defect finding.

What owners report

• In Well, took my Santa Cruz SE FWD in for a hesitation, and guess what on Santa Cruz Forums, owners of non-turbo trucks compared notes on hesitation when pulling away and what their dealers did about it.
• In Studder shift or hesitation (non-turbo motor) on Santa Cruz Forums, an owner described a stutter or hesitation on the shift, and said the engine computer had stored a code.
• In 2024 transmission problems on Santa Cruz Forums, a 2024 owner's truck wouldn't shift out of first, and Hyundai wouldn't approve a new transmission at first. Another owner said their '22 got a new transmission, and another had a clutch pack replaced.

Quick tip

Keep every repair order. If it's the third visit for the same problem, your state's lemon law may come into play.

Vehicle focus: Hyundai Santa Cruz, 2022-2024, 2.5 and 2.5 turbo.

Safety / mechanic note

Hesitation and loss of drive power are safety items. Verify with a mechanic.