295 of the 10,385 complaints filed about the Hyundai Santa FE are about the glass, mirrors and wipers — 3% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2007.
295
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield breaks with no reason. I have had 2 windshields crack with no sign of any damage. First windshield is within 3,000 miles of owning the car. Replaced one has already cracked and has less than 500 miles. This issue is affecting multiple Sante fe drivers
NHTSA complaint #11754262 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V00M000 (Visibility); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
NHTSA complaint #11751040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The windshield wipers intermittently stop working. This has been occurring for 2 years and the 5dealership cannot find an issue because they always work when the car is in for service. They also now want to charge a diagnostic fee each time it's in since the car is no longer under warranty
NHTSA complaint #11748720 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited. The panoramic sunroof glass suddenly shattered/exploded without a collision and without any known impact. Glass shattered completely and created a safety hazard to occupants and traffic. Vehicle was purchased as Hyundai Certified Pre-Owned in 2021. Hyundai corporate case has been opened and advised dealer inspection. Dealer inspection is pending. Photos are available. Request that this be logged as a potential safety issue involving panoramic sunroof glass failure.
NHTSA complaint #11744729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Driving down the road and the sunroof just exploded. No rock, no nearby cars that could have kicked something up. Just crumbled in.
NHTSA complaint #11743648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I was trying to back up a few times and not being able to see some objects behind while looking at the rear view camera on my Hyundai Santa Fe 2024.
NHTSA complaint #11738780 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The windshield spontaneously cracked while parked. There are no signs of impact to explain the crack. This can be a safety concern as it can continue cracking, impede visibility and even burst possibly sending glass towards occupants.
NHTSA complaint #11735723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving 50-55 MPH, the sunroof made an abnormal, exploding sound and shattered. The shade cover was closed during the failure. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was driven to the workplace of the contact's brother-in-law, and the sunroof was taped to prevent the shattered glass from flying off. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was inspected. The contact was informed that it was a common failure caused by the intermittent expansion of the body of the vehicle under certain temperatures. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.
NHTSA complaint #11734584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
My 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN starting with 5NM) began experiencing a significant failure of the air conditioning system during its third year of ownership. The vehicle developed a persistent refrigerant leak that now requires annual recharges to remain functional. Multiple inspections suggest the failure is due to a porous evaporator core, a component defect that is increasingly reported by owners of this model year as they reach the 3-to-5-year mark. Despite being a documented manufacturing issue, there is currently no recall or warranty extension for this expensive and vital system. The failure of the AC system in a high-humidity environment like South Florida creates a severe safety hazard: Loss of Visibility: Without a functional AC compressor to dehumidify the cabin air, the interior of the windshield fogs over rapidly and completely during rain. This occurs even when the defroster is set to maximum, as the system cannot remove moisture from the air without refrigerant. Driver Impairment: In extreme Florida heat, the cabin temperatures reach levels that cause heat-related fatigue and stress, compromising the driver’s ability to remain alert and react safely to road conditions. On several occasions during heavy Florida rainstorms, the windshield fogged so severely that I had zero visibility of the road ahead. Because the AC system had leaked its refrigerant, the defroster was unable to clear the glass. I was forced to pull off the highway in dangerous conditions because I could not see other vehicles or lane markings. This defect prevents the vehicle’s primary visibility safety equipment (the defogger) from performing its required function.
NHTSA complaint #11733955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the glass panoramic sunroof suddenly exploded, causing glass shards to fall into the cabin of the vehicle. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that there was no impact on the panoramic sunroof glass to cause the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle only operated in LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the fuel injector was inoperable and needed to be replaced. The fuel injectors were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 55,000.
NHTSA complaint #11728017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 60 MPH, the sunroof shattered outward. The contact stated that his wife was able to drive the vehicle safely back to the residence. The vehicle had not been taken to a dealer nor an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
NHTSA complaint #11725909 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I purchased my new vehicle in June or July of 2024. I had to replace my windshield on September 26, 2024, then again on December 13, 2025 due to a crack. I recently have received another chip in my windshield on or about March 18, 2026. I am unsure whether all of these were due to rocks, but it seems unbelievable that a windshield would need to be replaced so often. I have safety concerns that the windshield is easily breakable and if it were in a crash, what would happen. I also had to pay $100 each replacement and now my insurance is going up because of these claims.
NHTSA complaint #11725551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The panoramic sunroof of a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Limited spontaneously shattered while in transit on the highway. A resoundingly explosive “bang” preceded large shards of falling glass — leaving a massive hole in the sunroof’s front panel. The incident seemingly occurred without direct contact of any kind…no flying debris, no overpass roads, no inclement weather.
NHTSA complaint #11723993 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I was sent a letter in the mail asking to bring in my vehicle for a safety recall involving the rearview camera. I scheduled an appointment with Key Hyundai of Milford, CT. After waiting for an hour, I was told that the dealership did not have the part needed to perform the repair and that they would call me when the part came in. It has been three weeks and I have not received a call or been contacted in any way. I got the sense that because this was not a paid service it was a very low priority for the service department. Because of that, I feel reluctant to trust the dealership with the repair.
NHTSA complaint #11721831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The front piece of the panoramic sunroof spontaneously shattered while sitting in my parked vehicle. I heard a loud pop and saw that the entire piece of glass was totally shattered. I took it to the dealership and they told me it is a known problem with this type of sunroof on their vehicles, they said it is not covered by warranty. The estimated repair cost was over $800. Had I been driving down the road with the sunroof open, it could have presented serious safety risks.
NHTSA complaint #11720545 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Side view camera that displays blind spot area in dash screen cluster, screen intermittently shows just a green screen and not the blind spot.
NHTSA complaint #11718964 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
In this car when you are driving and it is raining hard and you are on a big highway at night with cars coming towards you, the windshield does not clear and it streaks really bad so you cannot see. I have sent pictures to the dealership as well as Hyundai of what it looks like just when you clean off the windshield of snow that it streaks really bad then too and the streaks stay on there, so if you clean your window the day before and get up the next day the halo streaks are still on there. I can somewhat handle that part but when you are driving in rain and you cannot see it is very dangerous . This is a brand new car and this is the 4th time I have had it in the shop for this and they keep saying they cannot duplicate it, but they have not had it when it is raining at night. I do not even want to drive this car at night if I think it may rain because it is so bad. The manufacturer has not inspected it, only the dealership. I am driving a 2026 loaner right now because it is still in the shop but they want me to come pick it up this week saying they cannot duplicate it. If you look the 2026 has had a new windshield design and I know that it is probably because they know the 2025 design is dangerous. I cannot upload on here . Is there anyway I can get an email address to send the documents too? I can scan the receipts from the times it has been there but the conversations are all via email that I have. If I Could get an email I could send them over.
NHTSA complaint #11716935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
My name is [XXX] I live at [XXX] my phone number is [XXX] my social security is [XXX] . I own a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe that is subject to Safety Recall 25V-808 involving the rearview camera system. On [XXX] at 12:30pm while operating my vehicle, the rearview camera malfunctioned (the image was [blank / inoperative]). Due to the loss of rear visibility, I was involved in a minor accident while backing up. At the time of the incident, I had not yet received the recall repair. The malfunction experienced is consistent with the defect described in the recall notice regarding the rearview camera harness. This incident caused [minor vehicle damage / property damage. I am reporting this to document a safety-related incident connected to an acknowledged manufacturing defect.I am requesting that this incident be reviewed as a recall-related accident and that Hyundai advise on reimbursement or compensation options. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11715725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
My Windshield is the problem. My granddaughter drives with me often and afraid the glass will shatter. Yes, the corporate office for Hyundai. No, this was done while driving, all occasions.
NHTSA complaint #11715317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I have had the driver’s side wiper blade stop working properly twice since purchase. The first instance involved ice within the vicinity of the wiper arm mount on the driver’s side. There was compacted snow and ice next to the arm motor mount location. When the wiper was activated, the wiper could not extend fully vertical due to the snow and ice in the corner and this caused the wiper arm to become loose. The driver’s wiper arm then failed to properly operate and frequently overlapped the passenger wiper arm/blade which still functioned. The arm was replaced under warranty at a dealership. The second time this happened, I was driving during a snowstorm and the wiper was turned on with minimal snow and ice accumulation from roughly one hour of driving and occasional wiper use. The snow buildup between the driver’s wiper blade and the A pillar prevented the blade from completing a full sweep of the windshield and the driver’s side wiper came loose and failed to function properly. It frequently became entangled with the passenger wiper blade, causing visibility issues while driving. I have an appointment for this. The wiper arm itself has splines that match up with the wiper motors located between the hood and windshield. If an obstruction of snow or ice either holds the wiper blade down or prevents a full range of motion, the wiper motor easily strips these splines from the wiper arm, resulting in wiper arm failure, damage/bending of the arm(s) and cosmetic damage to the plastic A pillar trim (from wiper over extending past A pillar. The design of the vehicle wiper recess location prevents lifting the wiper arms if there is any snow or ice accumulation on the vehicle and the wipers are in the normal down position. Combine this with the lack of any melting capability from the windshield defroster or a dedicated wiper defroster, there is no way to ensure the wipers will function properly when needed during a snow or rain storm and freezing conditions.
NHTSA complaint #11714843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.