Hyundai Palisade Class Action Claims Windshield Crack Defect

A recent class action lawsuit claims vehicle owners may experience a Hyundai Palisade windshield crack defect, which was hidden by the auto company.

The Hyundai Palisade is reportedly marketed as the auto company’s “flagship premium” SUV, providing customers with “exceptional comfort, technology, and safety” and “new levels of all-road, all-weather capability, technology, [and] safety” – all backed by the “Hyundai Assurance—our promise to deliver peace of mind to our customers.”

Unfortunately, according to a recent Hyundai class action lawsuit, these representations fail to account for a serious problem plaguing the SUVs: unexpected cracks in windshields.

Windshield cracks can quickly become a serious issue. Even a small chip in the windshield glass can eventually expand into a larger crack or even a “spiderweb” of cracks spreading across the entire windshield.

Cracks in the windshield can impair a driver’s ability to see the road, placing them and other motorists at risk of collisions and injuries.

Plaintiffs Lorenzo Ford and Tina Forehand claim that they experienced a 2020 Hyundai Palisade windshield crack in their vehicles shortly after purchase. Allegedly, 2020 Hyundai Palisade vehicles are prone to windshield cracks within the early days of use.

“Owners and lessees often experienced the Defect shortly after purchase—even on the first drive home from the dealership,” the Hyundai Palisade windshield crack class action lawsuit notes.

Numerous owners and lessees of 2020 Hyundai Palisade vehicles have allegedly voiced concerns over the issue online and filed official complaints with the National Highway Transportation Safety Authority (NHTSA).

“Within two weeks of purchasing the vehicle, a crack developed in the middle of the windshield, just below the rear-view mirror mount,” one NHTSA complaint states.

“Per the dealership recommendation we went to Safelite for an opinion about the cause, since we had no memory of anything hitting the windshield, and the Safelite manager provided a written opinion (via email) that there was no evidence of impact, and it was his opinion that there was a defect in the glass.

Unfortunately for this driver, “Hyundai corporate stated that since we could not prove a defect existed, it would not be covered by warranty.”

According to the Hyundai Palisade windshield crack class action lawsuit, the dealership routinely denies that there is a defect associated with their vehicles and refuses to provide Hyundai windshield warranty coverage.

Instead, the company allegedly blames the issue on consumers and forces them to pay for repairs out-of-pocket.

Adding insult to injury, the issue may continue despite replacing the windshield. A replaced windshield reportedly suffers from the same defect as the original Palisade windshield, meaning that consumers may have to replace the windshield multiple times.

The expenses of these replacements can reportedly add up quickly. Each time a windshield needs to be replaced, consumers are allegedly forced to pay up to $1,600 in repairs. Additionally, other expenses may accompany the costs of replacement, including the recalibration and realignment of various components, such as rear view cameras and display technologies.

The plaintiffs argue that Hyundai is unlawfully taking advantage of consumers by selling defective vehicles, denying Hyundai windshield warranty coverage, and forcing repair costs on to owners and lessees.

“Selling vehicles with dangerously defective windshields and refusing to take responsibility for the defects is a fraud on consumers,” the Hyundai Palisade windshield crack class action lawsuit argues.

“Hyundai refuses to honor its commitment to its loyal customers, is jeopardizing the safety of the public, and is forcing its customers to bear the expense of its mistakes and malfeasance.”

The plaintiffs seek to represent a Class of current or former owners and lessees of 2020 Hyundai Palisade vehicles. They also seek to represent two subclasses of the same Class Members from Illinois or Washington, respectively.

On behalf of themselves and the proposed Class Members, the plaintiffs seek actual damages, statutory damages, punitive damages, other damages, interest, injunctive relief, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

Have you experienced a Hyundai Palisade windshield crack? Were your denied coverage for repairs under your Hyundai windshield warranty? Share your story in the comments section below.

The plaintiffs and proposed Class are represented by Nicholas A. Migliaccio and Jason S. Rathod of Migliaccio & Rathod LLP; Daniel C. Levin, Charles E. Schaffer, and Nicholas J. Elia of Levin Sedran & Berman; and William A. Baird of Baird Law Firm.

The Hyundai Palisade Windshield Crack Class Action Lawsuit is Ford, et al. v. Hyundai Motor America, et al., Case No. 8:20-cv-00890, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

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