In a highly unexpected turn of events, many owners of Kia and Hyundai vehicles, the two Korean automakers, have reached a settlement agreement. Class Action Settlement of $145 million to compensate those who have had to deal with a major safety flaw in their cars. The reason? Certain older Kia and Hyundai models (pre-2021) did not have working anti-theft systems, leaving millions of owners vulnerable to theft.
The good news is that they could now receive up to $3,375 to fix that failure. What happened to the safety of these cars? It turned out that it was very easy to steal certain types of Kia and Hyundai cars, and when the thieves realized this, this situation got out of control and went viral. Older vehicles of this brand were not equipped with an electronic immobilizer (basically a system that prevents the vehicle from starting without the correct key). While other manufacturers already provided this protection to their vehicles, Kia and Hyundai became the “favorite targets” of these thieves (called “The KIA Boys”), especially after social networks showed tutorials on how to easily which was to force the ignition.
Who were the KIA Boys?
“Kia Boys” is what many thieves began to be called in the United States who found a simple way to steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles without keys. This situation went viral, especially on the social network, TikTok, where users shared tutorials teaching how to start these cars using simple tools, such as a USB cable. In response to this whole situation: as compensation for having “truncated” the reliability of their customers, Kia and Hyundai decided to act quickly and reached an agreement to pay $145 million in the Class Action Settlement, as compensation to the owners who were affected by this error.
The objective of this Class Action Settlement It is more than clear: compensate for losses, regain consumer trust and demonstrate a commitment to safety. For those who qualify, this payment could be up to $3,375, depending on the extent of the damage or costs caused by the thefts. It’s a unique opportunity to get some money back!
How to know if you are eligible for the Class Action Settlement and if you can claim payment
The deadline to make your claim is approaching, January 11, 2025, you will no longer be able to request this compensation. Kia and Hyundai have created a website where drivers can validate whether their vehicles are eligible to receive the payment. If you have a Kia or Hyundai model younger than 2021, this could be your opportunity to receive compensation from this Class Action Settlement.
The two brands ensure that the process is easy. On the web, owners can validate the models and send their documents. Kia and Hyundai have wanted to make it clear that they want vehicle owners to feel that, even if they have had a not-so-pleasant moment, they are committed to solving the error.
What Impact caused by this Class Action Settlement and what improvements did it lead to these companies?
The two companies, They have made every effort to ensure that these problems do not occur again. In recent years, they have worked on improving the anti-theft systems of their latest models, adding electronic immobilizers and other protection systems to all their new vehicles.
Hyundai, in particular, commented that its new models meet international security standards, (even with additional measures to make any theft attempts more difficult). This investment in safety is a response to owners looking for peace of mind when purchasing a new model.