2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Visibility & Wipers Problems

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.

I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding a sudden and unexplained crack that appeared on the windshield of my vehicle, which was parked in my driveway overnight. The vehicle was stationary, had not been involved in any accidents or incidents, and was not subjected to any apparent external impact Upon discovering the damage, I conducted thorough research and found that more than one owner of the same vehicle or same type of model have experienced an identical issue — a crack that originates at the very top edge of the windshield starting from the top and travels downward through the middle of the glass. The consistency in the location and pattern of the damage strongly suggests a potential manufacturing defect or a design flaw. This issue raises serious concerns not only about product quality but also about driver safety. Windshield integrity is a crucial component of vehicle safety systems, and such defects can compromise visibility and the structural strength of the car in the event of a collision.

I have owned my vehicle since July 29th 2024 and have now replaced two windshields on my car. It has less than 6000 miles on it. I have looked online and many other people have had the same issues with Hyundai windshields. Something is not right with the glass itself, these tiny rocks should not be basically shattering my windshield while I’m driving.

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.

See attached document for complaint.