Hyundai & Kia Agree To Pay $4.5M – Here's Who's Eligible To Claim

Hyundai and Kia have agreed to pay up to $4.5 million after reaching a settlement with 35 attorney generals across the country. This massive settlement comes after various Hyundai and Kia models became the targets of semi-organized teenage theft rings over the past few years. According to the settlement, the companies failed to install proper anti-theft technology on vehicles, leaving them vulnerable to being stolen.

If your Kia or Hyundai model has been stolen and you think you could be eligible for a claim, you can check your vehicle's VIN number on the settlement website. It must be a specific model and year and have been stolen on or after April 29, 2025. A total loss is worth up to $4,500, while a partial loss can get eligible parties $2,250. 

All eligible vehicles will also get a free repair. As part of the settlement, Hyundai and Kia also agreed to meet industry security standards for future vehicles and provide free servicing of existing vehicles that aren't up to those standards. You have until March 31, 2027 to submit a claim, and the limited funds will be given out until they're gone.

Many Hyundai and Kia models are missing an important safety feature: an immobilizer. This anti-theft device won't allow vehicles to start when someone uses a foreign key. Word that these vehicles had a security vulnerability soon spread, and teenagers started posting videos of themselves stealing these models on TikTok. They'd simply break in, remove the ignition cover behind the steering wheel, and use a USB plug-in to start the car. Then, they'd film themselves having a joyride or joining a takeover and labeling it the "Kia Challenge." Soon, teenagers were calling themselves the Kia Boys. All over the United States, they'd steal Hyundai and Kia models in hopes of going viral. 

Various states began to take notice, warning that models without an immobilizer were becoming targets on TikTok. In response, Hyundai started to offer a security kit that would set off an alarm if someone attempted to steal the car. However, car owners weren't pleased with the idea of having to purchase and install the kit. Hyundai and Kia also donated steering-wheel locks to impacted areas and began to work on a software update. However, with theft rates continuing to rise, the automakers were the targets of an investigation in late 2023 that eventually led to the recent $4.5 million settlement. As reported by AP News, Hyundai stated, "We will continue to take meaningful action to support our customers and ensure peace of mind."