🚗💰👨⚖️ Kia an’ Hyundai Goin’ Cough Up $200 Million Kala fo’ Square Up Legal Kine Tita Action Ova’ Da Kaa Jacking
Kia an’ Hyundai, da kine kaa makas, dey wen’ shaka an’ green light fo’ pay ova’ $200 million kala to pau da big kine lawsuit about dea’ kaas getting easy jack. Dis lawsuit had plenny owners of about nine million kaas all riled up, an’ all dis wen’ happen wen plenty kine kaa thefts was goin’ up big time, like wave at North Shore, all ova’ da place 🌊🚗📈.
Dis whole pilikia wen’ start wen’ get guys online, showing oddahs how fo’ steal these kaas so easy, like keiki stealing candy. Da kine TikTok an’ YouTube videos all ova’, showing every kine how fo’ jack da kaas, especially da Kia an’ Hyundai ones. Lawyers fo’ da kaa owners wen’ say dey was all bummed, say Kia an’ Hyundai neva’ put in dat kine anti-theft thing, da immobilizer, in plenny of dea’ kaas from 2011 till now 📹💻🔑.
Dey said no have dis kine immobilizer made um easy fo’ make da kine videos online wea’ guys showing how fo’ start da kaa engine just using one USB charger or some oddah metal kine. Had oddah stuffs too dat made um easy fo’ jack da kaas, like no hard fo’ get to da ignition, so could steal da kaa in less time den it takes fo’ make one spam musubi, da lawyers wen’ add 🕑🔌🍙.
Da kine lawyer guy, Steve Berman, who was representing all da people who owned da kaas, he wen’ talk about how he an’ his team wen’ try fo’ work out one settlement dat would cover all kine losses, from da lucky ones who neva’ had dea’ kaa stolen, to da ones who had dea’ kaas stolen an’ den wen’ get all bus’ up ’cause of Kia an’ Hyundai’s mess up.
Dis settlement now just gotta wait fo’ one fed judge to say can, an’ den could be worth about $200 million, depending on how many customers say dey like take part, da kaa makas wen’ say in one statement. Dey also wen’ say dat dey going set aside up to $145 million fo’ cover da kine losses da owners had to shell out 💸👨⚖️👍.
On top of dat, Hyundai an’ Kia wen’ say dey going also pay back da owners fo’ da kine insurance deductibles, increased insurance premiums, an’ oddah kine losses related to da theft. Both these kine kaa makas operate by demself, but Hyundai is da boss company of Kia Motors 🏭🔝.
As fo’ da online guys, YouTube an’ TikTok, dey wen’ say dat dey took off plenty videos related to dis “Kia Challenge” dat was going around. Da kaa makas also wen’ say dat dey get kaas that can get one software upgrade dat would put in da missing immobilizer, like da Kia Sportage, Kia Sorento an’ da Kia Sedona 💻🚘🔧.
Da Highway Loss Data Institute, dey wen’ say in one 2021 report dat Hyundai an’ Kia was lagging, like one slow poke turtle, behind oddah kaa makas when it came to installing da immobilizers. In 2015, only 26% of Hyundai and Kia kaas had da kine immobilizers as standard, compared to 96% for oddah kaa makas 🐢🚘💔.
Da law firm Hagens Berman, who was standing up fo’ da kaa owners, dey wen’ say dat sometimes da kaa owners wen’ left with repair bills of about $10,000. Dey wen’ say, “We believe consumers who bought affected Hyundai and Kia kaas deserve bettah,”. Da kaa makas responsible wen’ fail to protect against basic theft fo’ cut costs 🛠️💰😔.
NOW IN ENGLISH
🚗💰👨⚖️ Kia and Hyundai to Shell Out $200 Million for Lawsuit over Car Thefts
In a surprise turn of events, automakers Kia and Hyundai have agreed to pay a whopping $200 million to settle a class-action lawsuit. This lawsuit stemmed from accusations that their vehicles were particularly prone to theft. The settlement will affect about nine million car owners, coming at a time when the nation is grappling with a surge in auto thefts 🌊🚗📈.
This wave of thefts was fueled by online demonstrations showcasing the ease with which these vehicles could be stolen. Videos on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube became infamous for instructing viewers on how to hijack these cars, causing a furor among Kia and Hyundai car owners 📹💻🔑.
Legal representatives of the car owners claimed that Kia and Hyundai were negligent in equipping several car models from 2011 to 2022 with an immobilizer. This device, which is a common anti-theft measure, prevents a car from starting unless a code from the vehicle’s smart key is transmitted 🕑🔌🍙.
The absence of such a device made it possible for people to create online videos, demonstrating how they could start the engines using simple items like a USB charger or a similar metal object. Other design flaws, such as easy access to the ignition assembly, were also highlighted, allowing these cars to be stolen in a shockingly short time.
Steve Berman, a lawyer representing the affected car owners, commented that they aimed to negotiate a settlement that would cover various types of losses. This ranged from fortunate owners who had never experienced theft to those whose cars were completely totaled due to the negligence of Hyundai and Kia 💸👨⚖️👍.
The proposed settlement, valued at approximately $200 million, is awaiting approval from a federal judge. If approved, it could provide significant relief to owners who had to bear out-of-pocket expenses. The automakers have committed to setting aside up to $145 million for this purpose 🏭🔝.
Moreover, Hyundai and Kia have pledged to reimburse owners for costs such as insurance deductibles, increased insurance premiums, and other theft-related losses. Despite operating independently, Hyundai is the parent company of Kia Motors.
In response to the so-called “Kia Challenge” videos circulating online, YouTube and TikTok announced that they had removed several related videos. Additionally, the automakers have confirmed that they offer software upgrades to several Kia models, including the Kia Sportage, Kia Sorento, and the Kia Sedona, to address the immobilizer issue 💻🚘🔧.
The Highway Loss Data Institute revealed in a 2021 report that Hyundai and Kia had been lagging behind other car manufacturers in installing immobilizers. In 2015, only 26% of Hyundai and Kia’s vehicle series had passive immobilizers as standard equipment, compared to 96% of other manufacturers 🐢🚘💔.
Law firm Hagens Berman, representing the car owners, revealed that owners sometimes faced repair bills of about $10,000. They maintained, “We believe consumers who purchased affected Hyundai and Kia cars deserve better,” emphasizing that the automakers failed to provide adequate protection against basic theft to cut costs 🛠️💰😔.
