AG announces $9M settlement with Hyundai, Kia
Hyundai and Kia will pay $9 million to states and consumers due to a surge in vehicle thefts linked to a lack of anti-theft technology.Summary
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, along with 35 other attorneys general, has reached a $9 million settlement with Hyundai and Kia regarding vehicles sold without standard anti-theft technology. Between 2020 and 2023, car thefts involving these vehicles increased tenfold because Hyundai and Kia chose not to include engine immobilizers – a standard feature in most other manufacturers’ cars – in millions of vehicles sold in the United States. The settlement requires Hyundai and Kia to equip future vehicles with engine immobilizers and offer free zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protectors to owners of eligible vehicles. Additionally, up to $4.5 million will be paid in restitution to consumers whose cars were stolen or damaged after April 29, 2025, and $4.5 million will cover investigation costs for the states involved. While the companies previously offered a software update, it proved easily bypassable by thieves, prompting the need for the more robust physical protection offered in the settlement. Owners can find more information and file claims at HKMultistateimmobilizersettlement.com (Hyundai) and customercare.kiausa.com/SWLD or by calling (800) 333-4Kia(4542) (Kia).
(Source：Yahoo! News)