Hyundai Santa FE Visibility Problems
Owners have filed 152 complaints with NHTSA about visibility problems on the Hyundai Santa FE across 23 model years. The 2007 model year has the most (44). The words owners use most often: “sun visor” (21% of reports).
- 152visibility complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 73%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Sun visor: mentioned in 32 of 152 complaints (21%)
- Sunroof exploded: mentioned in 13 of 152 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do visibility problems happen?
Based on 109 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 152 complaints, 1 a fire, 6 an injury.
Hyundai Santa FE visibility complaints by model year
| Model year | Visibility complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Santa FE | 1 | 3% | 12,000 |
| 2025 Santa FE | 1 | 1% | 700 |
| 2024 Santa FE | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2023 Santa FE | 3 | 1% | 9,100 |
| 2022 Santa FE | 5 | 2% | 30,240 |
| 2021 Santa FE | 7 | 4% | 22,500 |
| 2020 Santa FE | 14 | 6% | 29,000 |
| 2019 Santa FE | 4 | 2% | — |
| 2017 Santa FE | 4 | 0% | 59,636 |
| 2016 Santa FE | 1 | 0% | 4,500 |
| 2015 Santa FE | 2 | 1% | 71,500 |
| 2014 Santa FE | 9 | 2% | 11,920 |
| 2013 Santa FE | 11 | 2% | 10,664 |
| 2011 Santa FE | 4 | 2% | 15,850 |
| 2010 Santa FE | 8 | 3% | 23,000 |
| 2009 Santa FE | 2 | 1% | 45,049 |
| 2008 Santa FE | 2 | 0% | 28,790 |
| 2007 Santa FE | 44 | 6% | 60,560 |
| 2006 Santa FE | 2 | 2% | 28,770 |
| 2004 Santa FE | 6 | 2% | 83,000 |
| 2003 Santa FE | 17 | 6% | 58,888 |
| 2002 Santa FE | 2 | 1% | 97,508 |
| 2001 Santa FE | 2 | 1% | 72,162 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Electrical system:wiring:switches/knobs/buttons; visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
Model years: 2024
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The overhead console rear sunshade switch knob may not be fully recessed, which can result in unintentional closing of the sunshade. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition and Roof Panel Systems."
Risk: A sunshade that closes unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the switch knobs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 2, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 270.
Visibility:windshield
Model years: 2020, 2021
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Risk: A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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 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…
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…
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…
The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while attempting to clean the front windshield, the contact noticed that the windshield washer fluid only sprayed approximately 2-3 inches from the lower section of the front windshield, which prevented the contact from cleaning the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Hyundai Santa FEs have visibility problems?
No. NHTSA has 152 owner complaints about visibility for the Hyundai Santa FE. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Hyundai Santa FE visibility?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list visibility. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about visibility problems on the Hyundai Santa FE?
The most frequent phrase is “sun visor”, in 32 of 152 complaints, followed by “sunroof exploded” (13).
Other Hyundai Santa FE problems
- Engine problems (2,428)
- Power Train problems (933)
- Electrical System problems (851)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (756)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (588)
- Air Bags problems (506)
- Service Brakes problems (439)
- Suspension problems (436)
See all Hyundai Santa FE problems.