Update:
- A federal judge in California has approved a class action settlement to resolve claims that a defect inside certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles may expose owners to the risk of sudden vehicle failures and fires.
- On Feb. 8, U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton granted a motion for preliminary approval of the settlement, which includes reimbursements for repairs and extended warranties for about 2.1 million vehicles.
- The agreement specifically calls for an extended warranty for free inspections and necessary repairs for 15 years or 150,000 miles, recalls and product improvements for certain models, reimbursement for eligible repairs at authorized shops, goodwill payments for inconvenience due to repair delays and reimbursement of related expenses. to transportation, lodging, and meals for class members stranded by a qualified failure or fire.
- The Hyundai and Kia class action settlement applies to owners of the 2013-2019 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport and the 2011-2019 Hyundai Sonata. The affected Kia models are the 2012-2019 Kia Sorento, the 2011-2019 Kia Optima, the 2012-2019 Kia Soul and the 2011-2019 Kia Sportage.
(December 18, 2018)
A new class action lawsuit argues that a defect inside certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles can expose owners to the risk of sudden vehicle failures and fires.
Hyundai and Kia’s class-action lawsuit alleges that more than 350 complaints have already been filed with the NHTSA about this engine failure, but that the manufacturers have failed to correct the problem.
Plaintiffs in the class action against Hyundai and Kia argue that owners are at risk of serious injury in a crash if the vehicle suddenly catches fire. In addition, the plaintiffs say the car manufacturers either knew or should have known about the alleged defect, but failed to disclose it to the public.
The alleged defect mentioned in the Hyundai and Kia class-action lawsuit has to do with gasoline direct injection engines in certain Kia and Hyundai models. The alleged defect causes problems with the flow of oil to the moving parts of the engine, presenting a risk of fire.
The parts can break off and punch a hole in the vehicle’s engine, according to the class action lawsuit, which can ignite a major fire. The oil is supposed to flow to the bearings and connecting rods without any problem, but engine seizing poses an immediate risk of vehicle damage and fire.
Lawyers representing the plaintiffs in this Hyundai and Kia class action lawsuit say, “Hyundai and Kia are putting their own consumers at grave risk of wildfires, property loss and personal injury, and alarmingly, they have also chosen to conceal actively defect.”
The models affected in this Hyundai and Kia class action lawsuit include the 2013-2019 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport and the 2011-2019 Hyundai Sonata. The affected Kia models are the 2012-2019 Kia Sorento, the 2011-2019 Kia Optima, the 2012-2019 Kia Soul and the 2011-2019 Kia Sportage.
If these vehicles catch fire, the total loss of the car, property damage or even personal injury to those involved in a crash can occur, the plaintiffs say.
Hyundai and Kia’s class-action lawsuit seeks to recover losses that vehicle owners have already experienced due to this problem, including car rentals, expensive repairs, towing fees, car payments and time off.
In addition, the plaintiffs in the Hyundai and Kia class action allege that they did not receive the benefit that was agreed to by purchasing these vehicles because the car manufacturer never warned them about the risks and dangers
Congress has asked representatives of those companies to answer questions about the issue, but so far, representatives of the automakers have not.
The plaintiffs who filed the Hyundai and Kia class action suit are also seeking injunctive relief options that could result in an order for automakers to recall, repair or replace affected vehicles so drivers don’t face the risks of total engine failure and the result. fire
The plaintiffs in the Hyundai class action are represented by Christopher R. Pitoun and Steve W. Berman of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP.
The Hyundai Class Action Lawsuit is Leslie Flaherty et al., v. Hyundai Motor Company et al., Case no. 8:18-cv-02223, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
UPDATE: On October 11, 2019, Hyundai and Kia reached a $758 million settlement with car owners who claim their vehicles suffer from premature engine failure that can cause the cars to burst into flames.
Read about more class action lawsuits and settlements:
