Kia and Hyundai drivers reach $200 million class action settlement over vehicle thefts and damage
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Some good news for thousands of Kia and Hyundai drivers: on Thursday, May 18, a Milwaukee law firm announced a multi-million-dollar settlement with the automakers to pay back drivers impacted by auto theft and damage.
More than $200 million will be available for the cost of repairs, loaner vehicles and more.
One Kia owner we spoke to has racked up thousands of dollars in bills because his car has been broken into several times. But relief will come soon: the automakers will likely pay for those costs, thanks to a new settlement.
The first time Tyler Skanda's Kia was stolen was at 19th and Clybourn.
He was with his heart doctor the second time it was broken into at St. Luke's hospital.
The third time? "Right here," he said. It was in his driveway, just feet from his home. He said, "They busted out the passenger window."
We asked Tyler, "How much do you think this has cost you?" He said, "At least $15,000."
The money is not just for repairs, it's for insurance deductibles, Uber fees, rental cars and missed work.
But now there's finally something to celebrate: a $200 million settlement.
Milwaukee law firm Barton Cerjak filed the suit on behalf of people in Wisconsin and four other states.
Co-Founder James Barton said, "If you make cars more difficult to steal, you're curbing behaviors that would otherwise pose a risk to the community."
The 168-page filing catalogs dozens of thefts and blames Kia and Hyundai for intentionally not arming their vehicles with anti-theft measures used by most other car makers.
Barton said, "There's a reason that the Kia Boys are not the Jaguar Boys or the Toyota Boys or the Honda Boys. They're the Kia Boys because they made the cars so easy to steal."
The settlement only applies to consumers; it does not affect ongoing lawsuits filed by cities or insurance companies.
And it does not affect personal injury claims. Barton explained, anyone who "Was actually physically injured in the context of having their car stolen or was driving down the street and was hit by a stolen car. Those claims are also unaffected."
Additionally, software upgrades will be installed to make the vehicles harder to steal; some of those upgrades have already begun.
Kia and Hyundai will contact drivers about how to apply for the money. And it can't come soon enough for drivers like Tyler, who said, "I've been on the phone -- over the last two days -- for over 20 hours with Kia customer service. I've gotten nowhere."
The City of Milwaukee has its own lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai, claiming the easier-to-steal cars make the city less safe.
Milwaukee City Attorney Tearman Spencer would not comment over the phone about the city's pending litigation, but he did say it was good to see the auto makers taking responsibility.
He said the city is looking forward to continuing its case.