Kia and Hyundai Vehicle Theft Litigation – Court Grants Preliminary Approval to Class Action Settlement

Judge Selna in the Federal Central District of California granted preliminary approval to a class action settlement offering up to $145 million in cash benefits to class members on October 30, 2023. For historical context, on August 19, 2022, Goldenberg Schneider, LPA, along with co-counsel, filed a class action lawsuit against Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai Motor America, KIA Corporation, and KIA America, Inc. (“the Defendants”.) Plaintiffs alleged the Defendants failed to include anti-theft immobilizer technology in several million vehicles manufactured and sold by Defendants. The absence of an immobilizer in these vehicles caused a huge surge in stolen Kia and Hyundai vehicles. In December 2022, all of the cases filed nationwide were transferred by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to the Federal District Court in the Central District of California. On July 5, 2023, Judge Selna appointed Jeffrey Goldenberg to the leadership team for this litigation. The settlement benefits available to class members include: (i) up to $145 million for out-of-pocket losses, which would be subject to individual claim caps; (ii) a no cost software upgrade for certain class vehicles that addresses the cars’ lack of an immobilizer (the “software upgrade”); and (iii) up to $300 payments to class members whose class vehicles are not eligible for the software upgrade. Notice of the settlement is expected to be issued to the class around February 27, 2024.