
The list of affected vehicles is below, with the easy-to-steal versions mostly the entry-level trims that did not have push-button ignitions. If the software can't be installed, the owners will get up to $300 to buy their choice of anti-theft devices.Īround 9 million Kia and Hyundai vehicles were potentially affected by the Kia Challenge. As part of the settlement, anyone who owns an eligible Hyundai or Kia vehicle and agrees to the deal will get that free software upgrade automatically installed on their next service visit at a dealer. The $200 million settlement will cover costs associated with dealing with these issues for class-action participants.

In April, the automakers worked with AAA to provide insurance for owners who lost coverage from other providers once it became clear how easy it was to steal one of these vehicles.Ģ017 Kia Soul.
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In February, Kia and Hyundai said a free security software update would act like an immobilizer on vehicles without them. Hyundai and Kia have spent years providing stopgap solution after stopgap solution, including free steering wheel locks and $170 anti-theft kits. Kia and Hyundai said they expect the court to approve the settlement preliminarily in July. Before going nationwide, the trend started in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the number of stolen Hyundai and Kia models was 25 times higher in the first half of 2021, even as the overall rise in thefts was just 2.5 times higher.Īccording to Reuters, the $200 million settlement will cover approximately 9 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles, with up to $145 million set aside to cover customers' out-of-pocket losses.

In early 2021, users of the popular video-sharing site TikTok started seeing videos showing just how easy it was to steal some Hyundai and Kia vehicles built without push-button ignitions or an immobilizer, a device that prevents the car from moving if a key fob is not detected. Hyundai/Kia Theft Craze Victims Show Us Their Cars.Hyundai, Kia Make Workaround to Foil Car Theft.
