Hyundai Repair: wiper control handle, highway traffic safety, traffic safety administration

Question
2000 hyundai sonata
My wiper control handle melted at the base of the handle were it meets the control switch in the steering colum this is the second time in 2 years. Yet hyundai will not warrantee part. The first time was in july 2005 ok maybe the car baked in the sun. But again in march at 55 degree in
a garage?  

Answer
I suspect the reason Hyundai is not covering this failure under warranty is that the applicable warranties have expired.  If that's the case, the reason for failure is pretty much irrelevant.

Here's what seems to be the case from what you've posted:
-- The new vehicle warranty has expired since the vehicle is over 5 years old.
-- You indicate that this is the second failure in two years.  This seems to imply that it has been over a year since the original failure.  This would mean that any parts warranty on the replacement part has also expired.

I don't know that I've ever seen any of these melted.  I've seen a couple broken off.  Without seeing the damaged part, it's difficult for me to reach any conclusions about why the failure occurred.

Unfortunately, if you're unable to operate the wipers, your only choices are probably to pay for a new one and put it on, or do without the wipers.  

If you'd like to express your dissatisfaction to Hyundai, you can do so at their customer assistance number (1-800-633-5151).  It's doubtful that they'll offer you any warranty assistance, but they'll at least record your problem.  If you really want to try to stir up trouble, you can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  Since this is a safety related item, they may look into forcing a recall if there are enough similar complaints.