ST. LOUIS — ºüÀêÊÓƵ-area residents can expect to receive notice by March 4 to submit their claims in a nationwide class action lawsuit against two car manufacturers blamed for an unprecedented surge of auto thefts that began last year.
Kia and Hyundai’s settlement will cost the companies more than $200 million and will compensate owners of certain 2011-2022 models whose cars were either damaged in an attempted theft or stolen.
Owners of stolen cars will be eligible for payments of up to 60% of the car’s Black Book value, a figure calculated by a company that dealerships typically use to determine the value of a car. Owners of Kias and Hyundais whose cars were damaged in attempted thefts are eligible for up to 33% of the Black Book value of the car, or $3,375 per claim, whichever is greater, to reimburse for vehicle damage and stolen property.
A judge has preliminarily approved the settlement. A final hearing is scheduled for July 15, after which payments will be issued if the court grants final approval.
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The class action suit was filed by law firm Hagens Berman, which “has worked tirelessly to … ensure that Hyundai and Kia owners get maximum compensation, gathering experts’ analysis and conducting more than 100 tests on cars that received the new software upgrade,†said Steve Berman, the firm’s managing partner.
Rates of stolen Kias and Hyundais exploded in the ºüÀêÊÓƵ region last year — a trend also seen nationally because of a viral TikTok video that shows how to break into and drive off in many 2011-21 models of the South Korean-made vehicles, using just a screwdriver and a USB charging cable.
The method works on some vehicles because manufacturers did not install engine immobilizers, an electric anti-theft security device that prevents most vehicles from being started unless a code is transmitted from the vehicle’s smart key.
The lawsuit settlement also includes reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses associated with thefts or attempted thefts, software upgrades for eligible vehicles and reimbursement for antitheft devices and steering wheel locks.
The surge in thefts last summer put a strain on local resources in ºüÀêÊÓƵ, and police tied stolen cars to violent crimes including shootings and deadly hit-and-runs. ºüÀêÊÓƵ officials in March followed other municipalities across the country and filed a federal lawsuit, separate from the class action lawsuit, against the manufacturers.
The city’s suit is still pending in federal court.
In 2022, ºüÀêÊÓƵ County police reported 1,621 Kias and Hyundais stolen, making up almost 60% of the 2,775 total cars reported stolen that year.
The number of Kias and Hyundais stolen in ºüÀêÊÓƵ in 2022 — 3,958 — nearly surpassed the total number of car thefts from one year earlier. In all, 7,397 cars were reported stolen in 2022 in the city, a 91% increase from the previous year.
And while theft rates have decreased in the city and county this year, they remain elevated from rates prior to the surge.
Through October, there have been a total of 1,036 Kias and Hyundais reported stolen to ºüÀêÊÓƵ County police this year. In 2021, that number through October was 100.
In the city this year, there have been 2,676 reposts of stolen Kias and Hyundais through October. In 2021, that number through October was 234.