This Notice is intended to alert you to a proposed resolution of the class action lawsuit known as Regarding the Hyundai and Kia Engine Litigation, No.
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In response to auto thefts, Cincinnati plaintiffs launch a class action lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai.
After a spate of automobile thefts, Cincinnati attorneys filed a class action lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai. It asserts that the businesses intentionally make their cars simple to steal.
One of many victims of a nationwide crime wave affecting Kia and Hyundai vehicles is Davis.
Hyundai vehicles from 2015 to 2022 and Kia models from 2011 to 2022 are currently under scrutiny.
Certain models are weak, according to a class action complaint filed by five people, including two in Cincinnati.
According to the lawsuit, “unlike conventional cars, the Class Vehicles do not include a “immobilizer” that prevents them from being started unless a code is transmitted from the Vehicle’s particular smart key.”
Customers report that by starting the engine with devices like USB cables, thieves are able to steal these vehicles.
Police allegedly discovered a Cincinnati victim’s 2019 Kia Forte with broken windows and a damaged steering column.
The narrative is consistent across the nation. Attorney Ken McClain brought a comparable lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai in Missouri and Kansas.
We were shocked that a contemporary manufacturer, especially one that sells so many automobiles, would completely neglect to incorporate the standard safety features that are present on other models in the industry.
Hyundai has been collaborating with regional police agencies to provide steering wheel locks for owners of previous model year Hyundai vehicles without an immobilizer, and will keep doing so. Hyundai has also discovered a Firstech / Compustar security package that specifically targets the way that thieves enter these vehicles.
This security package will be offered for purchase and installation at Hyundai dealerships and accredited Compustar installations across the nation starting on October 1, 2022.
Customers with queries can always call the Hyundai Consumer Assistance Center at 800-633-5151 until Hyundai releases more information.”
While it is impossible to make a car theft-proof, thieves specifically target cars with steel keys and “turn-to-start” ignition systems. The majority of Kia cars sold in the US come with a key fob and “push-button-start” technology, which makes them more difficult to steal. An immobilizer is installed on all 2022 Kia models and trims either at the start of the model year or as a running update.
To prevent theft and vandalism, Kia America has given steering wheel lock devices free of charge to local police in the impacted locations. The distribution of that information to concerned owners of Kia vehicles without an immobilizer will continue in close conjunction with regional police agencies.
Customers of Kia should call the Consumer Assistance department directly at 1-800-333-4542(4Kia) if they have any issues about their particular vehicle.”
Kia and Hyundai are the targets of a class action lawsuit over viral thefts.
According to police, one in five car thefts this year have involved a Kia or Hyundai. Officials think this is partly because key-started Kias and Hyundais produced between 2011 and 2021 lack a “immobilizer,” an anti-theft feature.
The autos can be taken without the immobilizer using simply a USB cable and a screwdriver.
Attorney Jonathan Michaels of Orange County filed a class-action lawsuit against Kia America and Hyundai Motor America on Wednesday. Although the two businesses are autonomous, Kia is owned by Hyundai.
According to the lawsuit, both businesses’ choice to rely on antiquated technology increased thefts, which resulted in a decline in value on the secondary market.
“It’s a genuine key, just like one of those vintage keys from the 1960s. They are the only automaker that we are aware of who produces a vehicle without an engine immobilizer “explained Michaels.
According to Michaels, there are 10 million automobiles without an immobilizer, and it would cost $500 to fix each one.
Despite saying they are collaborating with police on the matter, Kia and Hyundai declined to comment on any litigation that is now active.
Alissa Smart of Indiana told Nexstar’s WXIN earlier this year that she thinks the TikTok challenge is to blame for an attempt to steal her Kia.
According to WAVY, police in Norfolk, Virginia, have seen a 35% rise in Kia and Hyundai thefts in just the first half of July. Additionally, Beloit, Wisconsin, and Kentwood, Michigan, police are advising Kia and Hyundai owners to take additional safety measures.
Sgt. Eric Brunner of the Kent County Sheriff’s Department in Michigan told Nexstar’s WOOD that thieves have been taking advantage of the immobilizer issue, and some of them have even started publishing their illicit exploits online. The steering columns of at least 30 Kia and Hyundai vehicles were damaged during one week in June, according to Rick Ricart of Ricart Automotive in Ohio, who spoke to WCMH.
Smart, the Indiana break-in victim, also expressed to WXIN her opinion that TikTok shouldn’t permit the kind of content that would lead to other break-ins.
She declared, “I am so horrified by this tendency.” “I honestly don’t understand why individuals believe it’s acceptable to publish criminal activity, much less engage in it after viewing it online,”
Plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit filed against Hyundai and Kia claim that the ease of theft “affects millions of individuals.”
A new class action lawsuit in Illinois filed against Kia and Hyundai makes this assertion.
Yvette Davis was proud of herself when she was finally able to purchase and claim ownership of this 2011 Hyundai Sonata after years of financial hardship.
On August 28, Davis’ pride was dashed when she went outside and saw that her automobile had been taken from in front of her house.
Davis started his investigation after filing a police report. She discovered that numerous class action lawsuits have been brought against Hyundai and Kia around the nation, arguing that the lack of an immobilizer is the reason the vehicles are so simple to steal.
Then CBS 2 discovered that one had recently been filed in federal court in Chicago for Illinois as well.
The lead attorney for the Illinois complaint and a dozen others, Ken McClain, alleges that Hyundai and Kia did not install the immobilizers to keep the cost of the vehicles low.
Kia and Hyundai have been aware for some time that not installing an immobilizer disadvantages their vehicles, according to McClain.
She is, nevertheless, among the fortunate. She recently received a letter informing her that her Sonata was being held in a city impound lot. Driveable despite damage.
But she doesn’t have any money to fix it because her sole insurance is liability. She was placed in touch with the class action lawsuit’s attorneys by CBS 2.
People who have had their Kias or Hyundais stolen are included in the lawsuits, according to McClain.
“We will be looking to have them reimbursed,” McClain said. “We will have different kinds of people with damages, including those who have had their cars taken.”
There are 13 claims against Kia and Hyundai, with McClain serving as the lead counsel in at least three of them. Both Hyundai and Kia were contacted by CBS 2 and asked for an interview or a response. Both stated that they do not speak on ongoing legal disputes.
For Kia and Hyundai vehicles, a California lawsuit is seeking damages and repairs.
The claim in the lawsuit is that the plaintiffs overpaid for these cars because they didn’t know they were missing engine immobilizers, which made them easier targets for thieves, and that they should be compensated financially for their mistake.
The complaint also demands that the automakers accept liability and install the necessary equipment to make the vehicles less prone to theft.
The complaint claims that all Hyundai cars from 2015 to 2021 and all Kia models from 2011 to 2021 are affected.
Individuals can still join the class action case, according to the firm. Participants can be any owner of a Kia or Hyundai whose vehicle is vulnerable to the type of theft depicted in the viral films, not only those whose cars have been taken. In recent weeks, a number of cases have been submitted, notably in Ohio federal courts.
Kia America expressed its alarm about the rise in auto thefts of a certain subset of Kia automobiles in a statement to The Enquirer.
“It is regrettable that thieves are utilizing social media in a coordinated attempt to target cars without engine immobilizers. Every one of our cars complies with or surpasses the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. While it is impossible to make a car theft-proof, thieves specifically target cars with steel keys and “turn-to-start” ignition systems. The majority of Kia automobiles sold in the US come with a key fob and “push-button-start” technology, making them harder to steal “The business stated.
The carmaker said that an immobilizer has been added to all 2022 Kia models and grades, either at the start of the model year or as a running update.
Is the Hyundai Sonata the subject of a class action lawsuit?
According to the federal class action lawsuit, Hyundai offered Sonata automobiles with Theta II 2.4 L engines that had rotating assembly that were faulty, leading to unexpected and catastrophic engine failure. The lawsuit claims that when the rotating assembly fails, it does so suddenly and results in the engine abruptly seizing. The lawsuit also claimed:
Hyundai has chosen to hide the issue from customers and has made it a point to refuse warranty coverage for faulty engines rather than addressing this safety issue by alerting drivers and recalling its risky automobiles. Despite knowing that Sonata engines fail despite owner maintenance and that the faulty rotating component is to blame, Hyundai instructs Sonata owners that they must submit a thorough record of the vehicle’s maintenance history before making a warranty claim. Hyundai’s standard procedure is to reject warranty claims based on insufficient maintenance records or faulty maintenance. Hyundai disputes the idea that Sonata engines frequently fail, blaming the issue on its consumers and demanding up to $10,000 for an engine replacement.
Does Hyundai have a settlement?
Last week, the CFPB revealed that it had reached an agreement with Hyundai Capital America (Hyundai) to resolve claims that it had violated Regulation V and the Fair Credit Reporting Act when it provided information to consumer reporting agencies about retail installment contracts and leases for cars.
Is Kia the subject of a lawsuit for theft?
A man named Paul filed a federal class action lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai Motors over an exploit that makes their vehicles more prone to theft after his Kia was stolen in August. LaShaun Johnson filed the complaint on Friday after his car was taken in August.