There are 3 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
A. WIPER HEATERS, AS LISTED ON THE WINDOW INVOICE ARE NON-EXISTANT. I HAD SEVERAL FREEZE-UPS LAST WINTER CAUSING ME TO STOP THE CAR AND CLEAR THE BLADES MANUALLY, EVEN THOUGH THE FRONT DEFROST BUTTON WAS DEPRESSED. DEALER SAID IT WAS OPERATING AS IT SHOULD. (?? - I DISAGREE) B. DURING THE SUMMER I WAS GETTING MOISTURE ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND FRONT SIDE WINDOWS. I DISCOVERED A SOPPING WET FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR WHICH THE DEALER ATTRIBUTED TO SPIDERWEBS IN THE A/C CONDENSER DISCHARGE TUBE WHICH THEY "CLEANED" FOR NON WARRANTY $69 PRICE-POINT . WATER APPEARED ON CABIN FIREWALL / CONSOLE YESTERDAY, AS 'DEFROST /BLADE DEICER' ACTIVATES A/C; AND A CIRCLE OF EVENTS BEGINS AGAIN. THE PROBLEM REQUIRES DEFROST TO FUNCTION WHICH CAUSES MORE MOISTURE AND THE WIPERS STILL DO NOT HEAT UP (THE WINDSHIELD UNDER THE BLADES SEEMS TO GET WARM BUT NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP SNOW/ICE FROM THE EXCESSIVE BUILD-UP AND IT'S RESTRICTING AIR INTAKE AT THE PORTS UNDER THE REAR EDGE OF THE HOOD). VISIBILITY IS PROBLEM-MATIC IN THIS CAR'S MALFUNCTION AND DESIGN. THIS 2016 SANTAFE SPORT IS ONE YEAR OLD LAST WEEK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH IN THE SNOW, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS. SNOW BEGAN TO ACCUMULATE AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WHICH PREVENTED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FROM GOING DOWN. AS A RESULT, THE WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED. THE CONTACT HAD TWO MINORS SEATED IN THE REAR AND GLASS PARTICLES FELL ON THEM; HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026