If you drive one of those easy-to-steal Kias or Hyundais, you may be able to get thousands of dollars from the manufacturers.
KPRC 2 News reporter Amy Davis explains who is eligible and how you can get the money.
You’ve heard about these thefts for years, and social media videos show thieves using nothing but a U-S-B cable to steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
If you own one as old as a 2011, you can get money back for what you paid to repair your vehicle.
Kia and Hyundai thefts
For years, thieves have been stealing Kia and Hyundai vehicles using just a USB cable, as seen in viral social media videos. Owners who have had to pay for repairs after theft attempts can now get reimbursed.
Madison Edwards knows this all too well.
Thieves broke the back window of her 2014 Kia Soul parked in her Sunnyside driveway and ripped out the steering column to start the car with a simple USB device. They took it for a joyride and abandoned it nearby.
“It was literally less than half a mile from here,” Edwards said.
This was the second time her car was targeted. Each repair costs her thousands of dollars.
In response to a nationwide surge in thefts in 2023, Kia and Hyundai began offering a free software upgrade and a metal sleeve to secure the steering column. Houston police report that thefts decreased after hundreds of drivers took advantage of the fix.
If you had the repair done but thieves still tried or succeeded in stealing your vehicle afterward, you may be eligible to receive up to $4,500 from the manufacturer. This is part of a multistate settlement related to immobilizer defects.
More than 9 million Kia and Hyundai vehicles made between 2011 and 2022 were affected by this defect.
The settlement requires all future vehicles to be equipped with engine immobilizers to prevent theft. The companies will pay a total of $4.5 million to owners whose vehicles were stolen or damaged by theft attempts.
“If they had just done it right the first time, we wouldn’t be in this situation,” a settlement representative said.
- The settlement fund is limited and will not be replenished once the $4.5 million is paid out.
- Eligible owners are encouraged to file claims as soon as possible.
To check your eligibility and submit a claim, visit the official settlement website.