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There are things that go bump in the night. And then there are things that go thump at 45 mph and refuse to stop. Vibration: the phantom menace of modern motoring. You can’t see it, can’t smell it, and good luck convincing your dealership it’s anything more than your imagination, or, in this case, “an inherent characteristic.” It’s the sort of modern-day mechanical ghost story that reminds us how far vehicles have come, and how far we still have to go.
That’s what Lee Sargent discovered when he took home a lightly used 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited with just 6,500 miles.
“Who has vibration issues?
Purchased a ”new” 2024 limited, never titled. Used as a shop truck. 6500 miles. Been back twice now for vibration that gets worse after driving for a while. Anywhere from 40 on up. Unaffected by engine speed. First time they did road force balance and found one tire off. Said alignment is good because it tracks fine. Left the dealership and has the same vibration. On the second trip back, Tech acknowledged the full vehicle vibration. Long story short, took me out in a service loaner (not limited) non-turbo, FWD. It had a worse vibration. (Probably wheel balance.)
Star lost two days of work and spent over 4 hours at the dealership doing nothing but test drives, and no food in sight, the tech diagnosed it as an inherent characteristic of the vehicle. Still has not seen an alignment machine or even been put on a lift for inspection.
Low blood sugar and severely irritated, I decided I was on for the day.
Going forward, the vibration is getting worse. My wife is commenting on it now.
My intention at this point is to reach out to corporate and send them the dealership's diagnosis and ask if they are comfortable with a dealership stating a vibration in a new vehicle is acceptable and an inherent characteristic of a new Hyundai. Hopefully, they will light a fire under the dealership.
Further options include involving the local media and possibly pursuing a lemon law complaint.
I never would have purchased a vehicle knowing I would have to live with a constant vibration.
TIA for any thoughts.”
Mechanical imperfections can creep into any vehicle, no matter the badge on the grille, but what really frustrates is when no one seems interested in chasing the root cause. One fellow owner, Bruce Lankenau, suggested removing the roof crossbars. "Sounds crazy," he admitted, “but we had tons of bulletins from GM on repairing roof vibrations for cross bars.” Strange advice? Perhaps. But in the world of NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) diagnostics, the seemingly absurd can sometimes be the answer.
2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Sales Figures
- The Santa Cruz, launched in 2021 for the 2022 model year, is Hyundai’s first four-door pickup in North America. Built on the Tucson SUV’s unibody platform, it blends SUV comfort with pickup functionality, learning its “Sport Adventure Vehicle” label
- Available in trims from the base SE to the turbocharged XRT and Limited, the 2025 update introduced refreshes like new LED lighting, a dual‑12.3″ curved display, improved controls, and an XRT off‑road package with all‑terrain tires, tow hooks, and enhanced approach angles
- The Santa Cruz offers two 2.5‑liter engines, a naturally aspirated version for everyday driving and a 281‑hp turbo in higher trims, with towing capability up to 5,000 lb on XRT. It drives more like a roomy crossover than a traditional body‑on‑frame truck
- Designed to attract SUV buyers seeking occasional utility, the Santa Cruz has met moderate success (over 36,000 U.S. sales in 2022–23). Hyundai is also pursuing a more rugged, body‑on‑frame pickup in markets like Australia, signaling broader ambitions in the truck space
More concerning was the suggestion from Lee Torriero, another Santa Cruz owner, who advised looking into the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. “They are known for going bad,” he wrote, “and could be contributing to the vibration.” The DCT in Hyundai's compact crossovers is a slick, technically impressive piece of hardware, until it isn't.
When malfunctioning, these gearboxes can amplify driveline shudder, even if the problem starts somewhere as mundane as a tire imbalance. It’s not confirmation of a fault, but it’s not something to brush off either.
This is where Lee’s case takes a turn. After two failed dealership visits, he’s still no closer to a resolution.
Dealership Vibration Diagnosis Fails: 2024 Santa Cruz Road-Force Balancing & Loaner Shake
The first visit yielded a road-force balance and a shrug. The second included a test drive in a service loaner that shook worse than his own. At no point, he claims, was his vehicle even lifted for inspection. Instead, he was handed the diagnosis that this vibration was just how the Santa Cruz drives.
Every automaker, from Stuttgart to Seoul, has off days. Every vehicle has its tolerances. But here, the issue isn’t the vibration alone. It’s the silence. The shrug. The refusal to investigate further. If the vibration is a known problem, then it deserves a known solution. If it isn’t, then the vehicle deserves a real diagnostic, not a chalkboard sketch of “character.”
2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Specs & Performance: Dimensions, Engine Options, Pricing & 0–60 mph
- The 2025 Santa Cruz measures about 196 inches long, 75 inches wide, with a 118.3-inch wheelbase, and sits roughly 67 inches tall
- Offers a 2.5 L naturally aspirated four‑cylinder producing ~187 hp, with a turbocharged alternative boosting output to 281 hp and 311 lb‑ft torque on upper trims
- Starts at about $28,750 for base SE; higher trims like XRT and Limited climb into the low‑$40 Ks (approximately $41,700–44,880)
- On turbo‑charged models, 0–60 mph takes around 6 seconds, confirming brisk and confident on‑road capability
Online communities, forums, Facebook groups, and subreddits serve as the modern coffee shop counter where owners swap tales and compare notes. On the Santa Cruz forums, one user reported their DCT failing at 5,600 miles on a flat highway stretch. Another lamented three dealership visits before 30,000 miles. A third, in a separate Facebook group for Hyundai/Kia vehicles, sought legal advice after weeks-long service delays. This isn’t mass hysteria. It’s pattern recognition.
Not every Santa Cruz has these issues. Some owners are thrilled with their purchase, reporting smooth rides and no major gremlins. A separate Facebook thread noted that rear suspension knocks on some 2024 models were resolved by replacing the rear shocks, a fix quietly acknowledged by dealers as a known issue.
What happened to Sargent’s Santa Cruz may never make headlines. But it should make us pause. This is not about blame, it’s about process. When a new vehicle shows signs of trouble, the customer expects, and deserves, a full investigation, not a theory. And while vibrations might be normal in certain performance cars or trucks with aggressive tires, they shouldn't be waved off in a showroom-fresh crossover designed for daily duty. The mystery may not yet be solved. But it shouldn’t be ignored. And it definitely shouldn't be called “normal.”
Image Sources: Hyundai Media Center
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.
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