Relief on the way for Minnesotans with stolen Kia, Hyundais: Here's who is eligible to get money back
MINNEAPOLIS -- Soon, Minnesotans with a stolen Kia or Hyundai will be able to apply for money from a $200 million settlement.
The automakers agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit after the companies sold car models from 2011 to 2022 that did not include immobilizers - a standard feature that prevents the engine from starting unless the key is present.
Drivers who have gone through the agony of having a Kia or Hyundai stolen are finally getting some relief.
Hayden Griswold was one of them; he and his partner have a Kia and a Hyundai. The Kia has been stolen twice. Griswold estimates they've paid for 10 smashed windows, which have cost him $6,000 in less than a year.
"It might as well be Christmas for me today," Griswold said. "I could almost cry thinking about it, honest to goodness."
People who bought or leased a 2011 to 2022 Kia or Hyundai in the U.S. that was made without an engine immobilizer are eligible for financial relief.
WCCO learned that $145 million of the $200 million settlement will go directly to drivers, mostly to people who had their cars stolen. It will also cover software upgrades to make those vehicles more difficult to steal.
Out-of-pocket costs related to damages, personal property, towing, and alternate transportation are also eligible costs.
Griswold says after months of barely scraping by, having hope certainly helps.
WCCO has been told that the settlement websites will be live soon.