05/05/23 | Settlement Valued at More Than $300M Receives Final Approval
On May 5, 2023, U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld, Jr. granted final approval of a settlement offering a variety of relief to Hyundai and Kia vehicle owners valued at more than $300 million and certified two settlement classes of owners and lessees of approximately three million Hyundai and Kia vehicles nationwide.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Hyundai and Kia will provide class members with repairs to remedy defective antilock braking system (ABS) modules, extended warranties covering all future costs class members incur arising from the defective ABS modules, reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses arising from a defective ABS module, and maximum Black Book value and goodwill payments to owners and lessees whose vehicles are deemed a total loss due to a fire arising from the defect.
Settlement benefits also include one free inspection of a previously repaired or replaced ABS module when a class vehicle is brought to an authorized dealership for an unrelated service, and repairs for affected vehicles that experienced a partial loss because of a fire resulting from a defective ABS module. Conservatively, plaintiffs’ expert values the settlement in the range of $326 million to $652 million, depending on relief claimed by affected owners and lessors.
There are no caps on the amount Hyundai and Kia will pay for expenses that qualify under the extended warranties, goodwill payments, and reimbursements for past repairs and repair-related expenses.
Class members will be notified via mail and email, and can file a claim on the Hyundai settlement site or the Kia settlement site.
AFFECTED VEHICLES
Approximately three million Hyundai and Kia vehicles nationwide are affected by this defect. To find out whether your vehicle is affected, visit the Kia settlement website or the Hyundai settlement website. The deadline to submit most claims is July 7, 2023.
ABOUT THE LAWSUIT AGAINST HYUNDAI AND KIA
Hyundai and Kia owners nationwide, represented by Hagens Berman attorneys, filed a class-action lawsuit in February 2022, alleging that Hyundai and Kia sold vehicles they knew contained defective hydraulic and electronic control units (HECU), also known as anti-lock brake (ABS) modules. These units were prone to electrical short-circuits and posed an unreasonable risk of non-collision engine fires. The lawsuit accused Hyundai and Kia of violating California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act, Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law.
In May 2023, Hagens Berman reached a settlement with Hyundai and Kia which provided class members with various categories of relief valued conservatively at $326 million.
CASE TIMELINE
