RoadVitals

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
20
Latest Feb 7, 2023
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 604 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Feb 7, 2023

While driving the Panoramic Glass Roof exploded on its own.

NHTSA ID
11506093
Incident
Dec 28, 2021
EnginePowertrain (other)Visibility
Filed Oct 4, 2020

AIR AND DEFROSTERS QUIT TURN ENGINE OFF RESTART AND IT WORKED.5 TIMES .THE ENGINE IS A 2013 2.0 TURBO SANTA FE USING OIL 2 QUARTS A WEEK, ENGINE IS MAKING A NOISE. ALSO, DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL IT GETS BAD? YOU MUST CHECK THE OIL ALL THE TIME..

NHTSA ID
11362634
Incident
Mar 1, 2020
Mileage
62,000 mi
Driver assistanceSteeringVisibility
Filed Sep 21, 2020

1. SPEED SENSOR- REPLACED BY RECALL AND CONTINUE TO FAIL. 2. REAR GLASS IN HATCHBACK, JUST BROKE ORIGINATION FROM WIPER HOLE IN GLASS WHILE THE CAR WAS OCCUPIED SITTING NOT MOVING A A PARKING LOT. 3. STEERING RATTLES BECAUSE A SHOCK DAMPER WEARS OUT PREMATURELY. 4. SEATS- ELECTRIC CONTROL BUTTON CONTACTS TARNISH WITH USE AND QUIT WORKING.

NHTSA ID
11360143
Incident
Apr 1, 2020
Mileage
85,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 30, 2016

I HAVE A 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LIMITED. WE WERE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 85 IN NORTH DAKOTA WHEN THE FORWARD SECTION OF THE PANORAMA ROOF SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING EXPLODED AND SHATTERED INTO THOUSANDS OF FRAGMENTS. IT SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN BLAST INSIDE THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, THE SUNSHADE WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME SO MOST OF THE GLASS FRAGMENTS WERE CONTAINED. WHEN WE STOPPED AND EXAMINED THE ROOF, WE SAW A HOLE ABOUT 15-18 INCHES IN DIAMETER. WE WERE TRAVELING AT 65MPH AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 65-70 DEGREES F. THE CAR HAD 61,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE HYUNDAI DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE SERVICE REP LEFT ME WITH LITTLE CONFIDENCE THAT HYUNDAI WOULD COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR.

NHTSA ID
10899570
Incident
Aug 24, 2016
Mileage
61,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 29, 2016

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 70MPH ON WEDNESDAY 2/24/16 IN CHARLOTTE, NC WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE SUNROOF EXPLODED WITH OUR 3 YEAR OLD AND 2 MONTH OLD IN THE BACK SEAT. THE SHADE WAS BACK AND GLASS DROPPED DOWN ON ALL OF THEM. MY 3 YEAR OLD HAD SOME VERY SMALL CUTS ON HER FACE. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES OR BRIDGES NEAR THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ADVISED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO PUT IT IN AS A WARRANTY CLAIM WITH HYUNDAI BECAUSE THEY HAD ANOTHER ONE, SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL, COME IN THE WEEK BEFORE WITH THE SAME THING. AFTER GOOGLING IT, I HAVE READ SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE THIS HAS TAKEN PLACE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL ON THIS DUE TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT IT POSES. SHE COULD HAVE BEEN STARTLED AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN SEE THAT THE GLASS GOES UP OUT OF THE VEHICLE, NOT DOWN. I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE GOING DOWN HAD SOMETHING HIT IT.

NHTSA ID
10838973
Incident
Feb 24, 2016
Mileage
52,500 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 25, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, A LOUD ABNORMAL SOUND EMITTED BEFORE THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,590.

NHTSA ID
10730464
Incident
Jun 25, 2015
Mileage
83,590 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 8, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE SUN ROOF SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500.

NHTSA ID
10724088
Incident
Jun 6, 2015
Mileage
4,500 mi
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Apr 13, 2015
1 injury reported

WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH A LOUD EXPLOSION WAS HEARD AND THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF EXPLODED COVERING ME AND MY PASSENGER IN SHATTERED GLASS CAUSING MINOR CUTS TO ONE OF US. NO OBJECT APPEARED TO HIT THE CAR. GLASS COVERED THE OCCUPANTS AS WELL AS ANY FOLLOWING VEHICLES POTENTIALLY CAUSING DAMAGE. NO OBJECT WAS FOUND TO INDICATE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK. THE GLASS WAS PUSHED OUTWARDS AS THOUGH IT WAS PUSHED FROM INSIDE THE CABIN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10705488
Incident
Apr 12, 2015
Mileage
25,000 mi
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Mar 27, 2015

THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF ON MY 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE EXPLODED, SENDING GLASS SHARDS EVERYWHERE. IT SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN WENT OFF INSIDE THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, THE INSIDE ROOF COVER WAS CLOSED, SO MOST OF THE SHATTERED GLASS WAS SENT ONTO THE ROADWAY, INSTEAD OF INSIDE THE VEHICLE. INTERNET INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. EXPLODING SUNROOFS ON HYUNDAI VEHICLES, INCLUDING THE SANTA FE AND VELOSTER, HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST. TO ME, THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. NOT ONLY BECAUSE GLASS COULD BE BLOWN WITH SIGNIFICANT FORCE THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE, BUT BECAUSE IF IT HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IT MIGHT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE DUE TO SHOCK OF THE EXPLOSION AND GLASS BEING SHOT EVERYWHERE. SINCE THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH HYUNDAI, THERE NEEDS TO BE A PERMANENT FIX APPLIED TO ANY VEHICLE THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THIS SUNROOF PROBLEM WHEN IT IS REPAIRED. TO SIMPLY REPLACE THE BROKEN SUNROOF WITH AN IDENTICALLY FLAWED SUNROOF DOES NOTHING TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE DURING SUBSEQUENT ROAD DRIVING. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE WITHOUT THIS PERMANENT FIX. *TR

NHTSA ID
10702163
Incident
Mar 25, 2015
Mileage
23,467 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 13, 2014

I HAVE CONTACTED HYUNDAI AND HAVE BEEN GETTING THE RUN AROUND ABOUT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE WIPER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOES NOT CLEAN THE WINDOW PROPERLY - THERE IS A PIE SHAPED AREA ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WIPER, ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ONLY, THAT DOES NOT HIT THE WINDOW. AFTER MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH HYUNDAI AND GOING TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALS, THEY HAVE SAID THAT IT IS A DEFECT AND THAT ALL OR MOST HYUNDAI'S HAVE THIS DEFECT. I FEEL THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE WHEN IT IS RAINING HARD, THE WIPER SPLASHES BACK ONTO THE WINDOW DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WIPER IS NOT HITTING THE ENTIRE WINDOW PROPERLY. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SINCE MOST OF THE HYUNDAI'S HAVE THIS PROBLEM, IT IS A DEFECT THAT THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS ABOUT, BUT DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE CARE OF. *TR

NHTSA ID
10664044
Incident
Nov 15, 2013
Mileage
1,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 30, 2014

WHILE DRIVING OVER A BRIDGE - THE SUNROOF PART OF MY MOON ROOF EXPLODED. THE WEATHER WASN'T EVEN HOT / HUMID - ABOUT 85 DEGREES OUTSIDE AT THE TIME. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED - MY SUNROOF WAS COMPLETED SHATTERED WITH THE EDGES STILL ATTACHED - BUT A HOLE OVER 12-INCHES IN DIAMETER WAS BLOWN OUT AND GLASS PARTIALS WERE DROPPED INTO THE SHADE COVER THAT COVERS THE MOON ROOF AS MY CEILING. THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP HAS ONLY CONCLUDED THAT THEY WILL REPLACE THE GLASS WITH THE SAME PART AND WAS NOT ABLE TO SAY IF THIS ISSUE WOULD / COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10651332
Incident
Oct 27, 2014
Mileage
34,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 3, 2014

I WAS DRIVING ON I-95 IN RICHMOND VIRGINIA AND MY SUNROOF SHATTERED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10630383
Incident
Aug 22, 2014
Mileage
15,727 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 11, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE GLASS FROM THE PANORAMIC SUN ROOF SHATTERED. THE CONTACT NOTICED A CIRCULAR HOLE NEAR THE FRONT CENTER SECTION OF THE SUN ROOF. THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE GLASS CREATED A SPIDER WEB IMPRESSION. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH A CASE NUMBER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,740.

NHTSA ID
10621336
Incident
Aug 10, 2014
Mileage
17,740 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 9, 2014

JUST HAD MY WINDSHIELD REPLACED 2 WEEKS AGO BECAUSE OF A CRACK ON THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I REMOTE STARTED MY CAR WHEN I WAS LEAVING WORK ON A SNOWY NIGHT AND WHEN I GOT TO THE CAR AND WIPED THE SNOW OF THE WINDSHIELD I NOTICED A CRACK COMING FROM THE BASE OF IT! NO IMPACT MARKS AT ALL. SO THE NEXT MORNING I MADE AN INSURANCE CLAIM AND HAD IT REPLACED BY SAFELITE. NOW THIS PAST WEEK WE HAD SNOW AGAIN IN NYC AND I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE FOR WORK AND REMOTE STARTED THE CAR.... GUESS WHAT I SAW WHEN I GOT TO THE CAR! A CRACK FROM THE BASE! SO I STARTED RESEARCHING IT AND THE TURBO MODELS HAVE A HEATING ELEMENT ON THE BOTTOM PART OF THE WINDSHIELD FOR THE WIPERS TO DEFROST THEM. NOW IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA BUT NOT IF THERE'S SNOW ON THE WINDSHIELD WHICH IS COLD AND FROM THE OTHER SIDE YOUR HEATING IT UP INCONSISTENTLY ONLY AT THE BOTTOM. YOUR JUST ASKING FOR A CRACK. SO THIS TIME THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED THE TECHNICIAN SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE HEAT AS WELL AND LEFT THE ELEMENT UNPLUGGED. HYUNDAI HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR FRAGILE GLASS....WHAT IS GOING ON NHTSA! *TR

NHTSA ID
10563542
Incident
Feb 4, 2014
Mileage
8,700 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 4, 2014

WAS DRIVING 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH WHEN SUDDENLY I HEARD A LOUD NOISE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER I COULD HEAR THE BROKEN GLASS FROM MY SUNROOF ON TOP OF THE CLOTH COVER. VEHICLE WAS NOT STRUCK BY AN EXTERNAL OBJECT, BUT RATHER THE SUNROOF SEEMED TO EXPLODE SPONTANEOUSLY. WHEN I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO EXAMINE THE DAMAGE, ALMOST THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE SUNROOF HAD BROKEN IN MILLIONS OF PIECES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10562966
Incident
Feb 4, 2014
Mileage
27,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 22, 2013
1 injury reported

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 75MPH THERE WAS A LOUD BANG (LIKE AN M80 EXPLODING). I WAS VERY DAZED AND WAS UNSURE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE SUNSCREEN WAS CLOSED AND SEEMED TO BE FLAPPING AS IF WIND WAS BLOWING ON IT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE I FOUND THAT THE SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED AND THAT THE EDGES OF THE ROOF WERE POINTING STRAIGHT UP. THE SUNROOF WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 70 DEGREES. THERE WERE RAIN CLOUDS MOVING IN AND I DO NOT HAVE A GARAGE, SO I WENT RIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I REMEMBER ONE OF THE TECHNICIANS SAYING "WOW, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE". THE DEALERSHIP INSTALLED PLASTIC CARPET FILM OVER THE HOLE AS THEY DIDN'T HAVE A REPLACEMENT SUNROOF. THE ROOF WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY A FEW DAYS LATER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10549017
Incident
Aug 13, 2013
Mileage
4,500 mi
Interior & seatsExterior lightingVisibility
Filed Jul 12, 2013

HAVE BEEN NOTICING OCCASIONALLY THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT RETURN TO THEIR "PARKED" POSITION. THEY WILL OCCASIONALLY STAY TOO FAR UP BY 2 TO 3 INCHES. WHEN PARKED, THEY SHOULD BE BELOW THE HOOD LINE TUCKED NICELY TO THE WIPER COWL. I HAVE FOUND ON ABOUT 5 OCCASIONS SINCE OWNING THIS CAR THAT THE WIPERS ARE UP AS OPPOSED TO PARKED DOWN CORRECTLY. THE DRIVER SEAT ALSO ROCKED QUITE A BIT WHEN FIRST PURCHASED. TWO OF US DRIVE THE VEHICLE, NEITHER OF US ARE OVERWEIGHT AT ALL. WE GOT THE SEAT TRACK ASSEMBLY UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT REPLACED. THIS HELPED THE PROBLEM ALOT, BUT THE SEAT STILL WOBBLES ENOUGH TO BE ANNOYING. HAVE ALSO NOTICED ON OTHER SANTA FE'S THAT THE FOG LAMP BULB SHIELD (INSIDE THE LENS ASSEMBLY) APPEARS MELTED, AS IT DANGLES DOWN FAR TOO LOW AND CAUSES THE FOG LIGHT OUTPUT TO BE INCORRECTLY AIMED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10524589
Incident
Jul 6, 2013
Mileage
8,000 mi
Visibility
Filed May 5, 2013

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY, AT ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN I HEAR A LOUD EXPLOSION NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND THEN I COULD HEAR THE SOUND OF WIND COMING FROM THE SUNROOF. LUCKILY, THE FABRIC PART THAT SLIDES BACK AND FORTH WAS CLOSED SO NONE OF THE GLASS CAME IN. I EXITED THE FREEWAY AND PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. ALMOST ALL OF THE GLASS ON THE FRONT HALF OF THE SUNROOF HAD COMPLETELY EXPLODED OUT AND LEFT A GAPING HOLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10510702
Incident
May 5, 2013
Mileage
2,202 mi
Visibility
Filed Apr 27, 2013

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, 65MPH I HEARD A LOUD BANG AS IF SOMETHING HIT THE CAR. HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. I LOOK UP THAT BACK FIXED PANEL TO THE PANORAMIC MOONROOF, THE BACK PAIN OF GLASS HAD CRACKED INTO A "MILLION LITTLE PIECES" BUT STILL REMAINED INTACT. THE BACK SEAT WAS NOTED TO HAVE NUMEROUS GLASS SHAVINGS ALL OVER. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION WHEN I PULLED OVER, THERE WAS A HOLE NO BIGGER THAN A DIME SHAPE. THIS HOLE, ASSUMING WAS THE POINT OF IMPACT, WAS LOCATED ON THE BACK OF THE SECOND PANEL, NEAR WHERE THE GLASS MEETS THE SHEET METAL. ASSUMING THAT A PIECE OF DEBRIS HIT IT, I HAD IT FIXED AS A GLASS CLAIM THROUGH MY INSURANCE. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, IT SEEMS THAT THIS WILL BE THE SECOND COMPLAINT FOR THIS MODEL YEAR, WITH ANOTHER HYUNDAI MODEL WITH AN ACTIVE RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10509806
Incident
Apr 18, 2013
Mileage
4,500 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 26, 2012

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM VACATION, 600 MILES INTO THE DRIVE AND 200 MILES FROM HOME, I HEAR A LOUD BANG. I LOOK UP TO FIND THAT THE SUNROOF OF MY CAR HAS EXPLODED. NOTHING HIT THE CAR AND NO DEBRIS AT THE INSTANT OF THE EXPLOSION FELL INTO THE CAR. IT SEEMED TO HAVE EXPLODED OUTWARD BUT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF WHAT CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. SMALL SHARDS OF GLASS FROM AROUND THE EDGE OF THE GAPING HOLE BEGAN TO FALL INTO THE CAR, THOUGH THE MAJORITY OF THE GLASS HAD FLOWN OUT BECAUSE I WAS GOING 65MPH. I PULLED OVER, PATCHED THE SUNROOF WITH DUCT TAPE AND TRASH BAGS AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME. I WILL TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TOMORROW TO GET IT FIXED. AFTER A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH, I TURNED UP THAT HYUNDAI IS RECALLING OTHER CARS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS A PANORAMIC SUNROOF, JUST LIKE THE VELOSTERS. NHTSA, PLEASE BROADEN YOUR INVESTIGATION OF HYUNDAIS' SUNROOFS TO INCLUDE SANTA FE SPORTS TOO!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10490154
Incident
Dec 26, 2012
Mileage
5,600 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .