2019–2023 Hyundai Santa Fe

2019-2023 Hyundai Santa Fe — Wiper Blade Replacement

By Tom Becker ✓ Certified Mechanic · Published Sep 21, 2026 · Updated Oct 22, 2026

🔧 Easy 15–20 minutes $81 DIY

Quick answer: Wiper Blade Replacement on a 2019–2023 Hyundai Santa Fe is rated Easy and takes about 15–20 minutes. You'll need 2 tools for this job, and parts cost about $81. This guide walks you through the full job step by step, including the mistakes to avoid.

Quick Video Tutorial

Parts You Need

Total Cost

$80.97

Part Name	Part Number	Price	Buy
Driver wiper blade, 26"	Bosch 26A	$32.99	Amazon
Passenger wiper blade, 16"	Bosch 16B	$32.99	Amazon
Rear wiper blade, 12"	—	$14.99	Amazon

About prices: shown prices are typical retail averages and change frequently; cheaper alternatives may be available. Confirm the current price before buying.

💡 Pro tip: Order all parts at once to save on shipping

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps carefully

Buy the right trio: 26, 16, and measure the rear

Both front arms use the familiar J-hook. The rear liftgate wiper is where the charts argue. Most list 13 inches, a few list 12. Before you buy the rear blade, measure the rubber of the old rear blade tip to tip.

Raise the wipers into the service position

This is exactly what the service position is for. Turn the ignition ON, then OFF. Within about 20 seconds, push the wiper stalk up into the MIST position and hold it for more than two seconds. Both arms will rise and stop mid-windshield.

🔧 Mechanic's note — Ray Delgado

Leave the ignition OFF once the arms are up — if a passenger bumps the stalk while your fingers are under the blade, the wipers sweep mid-job. I've seen the bruises.

Lift the driver arm

Pull the arm gently away from the glass. A glancing scrape against the hood lip is the most common minor injury on this job.

Seat the new 26-inch blade and tug-test it

Compare the new blade to the old one side by side. 26 Inches tip to tip. The tug test is not optional here.

🔧 Mechanic's note — Tom Becker

From my bay, on this model the tug test is everything — Hyundai's own service history shows these long driver blades walking outward when they're not fully seated. Pull it hard along the arm.

Swap the short passenger blade

Lift the passenger arm and repeat the tab-press, slide-out, click-in routine with the 16-inch blade. Do not let the big size difference fool you into thinking you grabbed the wrong box — the Santa Fe genuinely runs 16 inches on this side, and installing a 26-inch blade here would slam into the cowl and the driver blade. Because this blade is short, it is easy to reverse the saddle; if the tab will not click, flip the blade end-for-end and try again rather than forcing it. Tug-test, then lay the arm gently back on the glass.

Replace the liftgate rear wiper

Open the tailgate if you need better reach, or work with it closed and the rear glass facing you. Lift the short rear arm off the glass — hold it, because it is under the same strong spring as the fronts and a snapped-back bare rear arm will crack the rear glass just as readily. The Santa Fe's rear blade uses a small push-tab clip connector rather than a J-hook: squeeze or press the tab, slide the blade out of the arm's slot, and note the length you measured earlier (13 or 12 inches). Click the new rear blade into the same slot until the tab seats, tug-test it, and ease the arm down. Because the rear glass is nearly vertical on this SUV, a seated blade should hang flush against the glass with no gap at the ends.

🔧 Mechanic's note — Ray Delgado

Here's what I know: that rear arm is short but just as strong as the fronts — hold it the whole time. A snapped-back bare rear arm cracks the rear glass exactly like the windshield.

Drop out of service mode and verify all three

Turn the ignition on and give the wipers one slow sweep — on this Hyundai they drop out of the service position and park themselves. Then run the rear wiper and a wash cycle, watching from the driver's seat. The 26-inch driver blade should clear to within a finger's width of the A-pillar without touching it; if you hear a tick at the end of the stroke, the blade was not fully seated and has walked. Check the rear wiper's full arc for the un-wiped crescent that betrayed the old blade. Wipe all three rubber edges with a damp cloth to remove factory residue, and recheck every seating tab after the first week of rain.

All Done!

Test your repair before closing everything up. If something doesn't work right, double-check your steps.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Trying to lift the arms without the service position — they park under the hood lip and will jam against it.
• Buying the rear blade without measuring — charts disagree between 12 and 13 inches.
• Installing a generic J-hook blade on the rear arm, which uses a different clip-in connector.
• Skipping the tug test on the long driver blade, which can walk outward toward the A-pillar if loose.

Tools You'll Need

26-inch and 16-inch J-hook front blades Rear blade in your measured length (13 or 12 inches) with the Santa Fe clip connector Folded towel or shop rag Clean cloth and washer fluid

⚠️ Safety First!

• Never let a bare wiper arm snap back onto the windshield — hold it the entire time or lay a folded towel under it.
• Ignition must stay OFF while your fingers are under the arms; the service position is the only exception.
• Watch your knuckles against the hood's trailing edge — the cowl area is tight on the Santa Fe.