This is one of a number of class actions against Hyundai Motor America and Kia America, Inc., alleging that the companies for years manufactured vehicles that did not include immobilizers, making them very easy to steal. The complaint alleges that the vehicles are not worth as much as owners paid for them and that some owners have had to pay large amounts to repair the damage done to them when they were stolen.
A class and three subclasses have been defined for this action:
- The Nationwide Purchaser Class is all individuals and entities in the US who bought a Kia or Hyundai vehicle with the defect.
- The Missouri-Only Purchaser Subclass is all individuals and entities in Missouri who bought a Kia or Hyundai vehicle with the defect.
- The Nationwide Stolen Vehicle Subclass is all individuals and entities who bought a Kia or Hyundai vehicle with the defect and the vehicle was stolen.
- The Missouri-Only Stolen Vehicle Subclass is all individuals and entities from Missouri who bought a Kia or Hyundai vehicle with the defect and the vehicle was stolen.
The vehicles at issue in this case include 2011-2022 Kia vehicles and 2015-2022 Hyundai vehicles that have traditional “insert-and-turn” steel key ignition systems.
These vehicles, the complaint alleges, were not made with immobilizers that do not allow them to be started unless an electronic code is transmitted from the vehicle’s own smart key. Instead, the complaint claims, they can be stolen “by simply opening the steering columns and using a common USB charging cord or similar metal object to start the engine.”
The process is so easy that videos have been posted on TikTok and YouTube that show how to do it, the complaint alleges, and thefts of these vehicles have skyrocketed. Videos have been posted, the complaint claims, that “show teens and young adults going for joy rides and in some cases, even abandoning or crashing the cars. The incidents have turned dangerous, with suspects and bystanders being seriously injured or killed following unsafe driving and crashes related to thefts.”
One of the three plaintiffs in this case, Courtney Fehrenbach, bought a 2013 Hyundai Sonata in 2015, the complaint alleges, which was stolen on July 31, 2022. The complaint claims, “When the Vehicle was subsequently located, its steering column was broken off, the back seats were ripped off, and damage was [done] to the body of the trunk. Additionally, extensive damage was done to the underside of the vehicle, requiring that the vehicle be towed.” It was later determined, the complaint alleged, that the vehicle’s damages added up to around $10,000, and it was declared a total loss.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Automobile
Most Recent Case Event
Kia, Hyundai Vehicles Easily Stolen, Often Damaged Complaint
October 20, 2022
This is one of a number of class actions against Hyundai Motor America and Kia America, Inc., alleging that the companies for years manufactured vehicles that did not include immobilizers, making them very easy to steal. The complaint alleges that the vehicles are not worth as much as owners paid for them and that some owners have had to pay large amounts to repair the damage done to them when they were stolen.
Kia, Hyundai Vehicles Easily Stolen, Often Damaged ComplaintCase Event History
Kia, Hyundai Vehicles Easily Stolen, Often Damaged Complaint
October 20, 2022
This is one of a number of class actions against Hyundai Motor America and Kia America, Inc., alleging that the companies for years manufactured vehicles that did not include immobilizers, making them very easy to steal. The complaint alleges that the vehicles are not worth as much as owners paid for them and that some owners have had to pay large amounts to repair the damage done to them when they were stolen.
Kia, Hyundai Vehicles Easily Stolen, Often Damaged Complaint