Hyundai And Kia Agree To Fix 7 Million Cars That Are Too Simple To Steal

The two brands are planning a large-scale recall, with approximately 4 million vehicles affected at Hyundai and around 3.1 million at Kia. All were produced over a long period between 2011 and 2022. In both cases, the goal will be to install, free of charge, new, reinforced zinc-plated protection for the ignition key cylinders. This will complement software updates that may have already been released in the past to try to make things more difficult for criminals, whether amateur or professional. This recall campaign is expected to last until March 2027 and could cost the two manufacturers more than $500 million. The two companies will also have to set aside €9 million to compensate some owners who were victims of theft or attempted theft, as well as to reimburse states for the costs of the investigation.

The budgetary impact is therefore significant. But we’re talking about one of the world’s largest automotive groups, which has considerable financial resources. Especially since Kia and Hyundai are among the brands completely unaffected by the Takata airbag scandal: they therefore don’t have to deal with the recalls that have multiplied in recent months, particularly in France, in an attempt to put an end to this seemingly endless affair. They are also exempt from the various lawsuits launched in the same context, notably against Stellantis, BMW, Toyota, and the Volkswagen Group. It remains to be seen whether this agreement, which follows other measures taken in 2023, will be enough to stop all the lawsuits across the Atlantic: some owners already consider the compensation they are offered too low. For example, only $375 is awarded in the event of attempted theft, while the cost of repairs can sometimes be much higher.

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