Attorney General Raoul wants stronger settlement from Kia, Hyundai over thefts
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul wants a stronger class-action settlement with Hyundai and Kia – asking the companies to recall or buy back "theft-prone" vehicles and equip them with engine-immobilizer technology.
In a letter to Santa Ana, California U.S. District James V. Selna, Raoul and seven other state attorneys general argued that the current proposed class-action settlement requirements are not sufficient, and will not resolve the Hyundai and Kia theft crisis that jeopardizes public safety everywhere.
Illinois is not actually part of the settlement in question, but Raoul signed onto the letter because there were over 7,000 Kia and Hyundai thefts in Chicago just last year – accounting for 10 percent of all the city's registered Kias and 7 percent of all the registered Hyundais.
The current settlement requires Hyundais and Kias to require a key to be in the ignition to start the vehicles, and provide a software upgrade to extend the vehicles' alarm from 30 seconds to 60, Raoul's office noted. For vehicles incompatible with the upgrade, Kia and Hyundai are to reimburse consumers $300 for a wheel lock or anti-theft system.
Raoul said the upgrade is not feasible for 2.3 million vehicles, the settlement places the burden on the consumers to seek out the upgrade, and all phases of the upgrade will take months. Meanwhile, the attorneys general noted that Hyundais and Kias are still being stolen even after being upgraded.
"I am urging the court to strengthen its current settlement with Hyundai and Kia to ensure consumers' vehicles are recalled or properly equipped to protect against theft," Raoul said in a news release. "I remain committed to protecting consumers and our communities, and both car companies need to do their part by taking robust action to prevent these thefts."
The attorneys general of the District of Columbia, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington State also signed onto the letter.
Kia and Hyundai owners in Chicago can get an anti-theft steering wheel lock from their local Chicago Police CAPS office.