NEW YORK - New York City has filed a lawsuit against Hyundai Motor Co and Kia Corp, alleging negligence and the creation of a public nuisance. The lawsuit claims that the South Korean automakers have been selling vehicles that are susceptible to theft, without proper anti-theft measures.
New York City joins several other major cities, including Baltimore, Cleveland, Milwaukee, San Diego, and Seattle, in taking legal action against Hyundai and Kia for similar reasons. The complaint filed in federal court highlights the automakers' failure to install immobilizers, an anti-theft device, on most of their cars from 2011 to 2022, setting them apart from other automobile manufacturers.
New York City has filed a lawsuit against Hyundai Motor Co and Kia Corp, alleging negligence and the creation of a public nuisance. The lawsuit claims that the South Korean automakers have been selling vehicles that are susceptible to theft, without proper anti-theft measures.
New York City joins several other major cities, including Baltimore, Cleveland, Milwaukee, San Diego, and Seattle, in taking legal action against Hyundai and Kia for similar reasons. The complaint filed in federal court highlights the automakers' failure to install immobilizers, an anti-theft device, on most of their cars from 2011 to 2022, setting them apart from other automobile manufacturers.
In February, Hyundai and Kia announced plans to provide software upgrades for approximately 8.3 million vehicles in the United States that do not have immobilizers, aiming to enhance security against theft.
Recently, the automakers reached a $200 million settlement in a consumer class action lawsuit related to the thefts. The lawsuit encompassed approximately 9 million vehicle owners in the U.S. and included a portion of up to $145 million allocated to compensate for losses resulting from stolen vehicles, as stated by the owners' lawyers.
The ongoing case is titled City of New York v Hyundai Motor America et al and is being heard in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, under the docket number 23-04772.