Hyundai Kia airbag settlement: who qualifies and how to claim
Hyundai and Kia airbag control unit settlement: up to $350 per recalled car or $150 for other covered models. Claim by April 8, 2027. Check your VIN.
Yes, claims are open until April 8, 2027. If you owned or leased a covered Hyundai or Kia on or before April 14, 2025, you can claim a residual payment of up to $350 for a recalled model or up to $150 for any other covered model, and a residual-only claim needs no receipts if you enter the Unique ID from your notice. Owners of recalled models can also be reimbursed for documented recall costs, and without a Unique ID the administrator may ask for proof of ownership.
The court granted final approval on Oct. 8, 2025, and those amounts are ceilings, not guarantees. This is separate from the Hyundai and Kia anti-theft settlement.
What the Hyundai Kia airbag settlement is about
The case is part of a multidistrict litigation over airbag control units (ACUs) made by ZF-TRW: In re ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation, No. 2:19-ml-02905-JAK, in the Central District of California before Judge John A. Kronstadt. The plaintiffs say the ACUs in certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles are vulnerable to "electrical overstress," which they allege can keep airbags and other safety features from working in a crash. Hyundai, Kia and their Mobis parts affiliates deny the allegations, and the court hasn't decided who is right.
The settlement is worth $62,100,100 in payments and credits, including $13,500,000 the defendants spend on recall, loaner-car and outreach programs. The court approved $20,493,033 in attorneys' fees and costs.
Don't confuse it with Hyundai and Kia's theft-related case. This one is about airbag control units, while the separate Hyundai and Kia anti-theft settlement has its own fund and rules. For how defect settlements generally work, see our auto defect settlements guide.
Who qualifies: covered models and the April 14, 2025 cutoff
You qualify if you owned or leased a covered vehicle on or before April 14, 2025, including if you have since sold it, and the vehicle was originally sold or leased in the U.S. or its territories. Eligibility goes by VIN, so use the lookup tool on the official site. Only certain vehicles inside these year ranges were recalled, and the lookup shows which yours is.
Left out are Hyundai, Kia and Mobis companies and their dealers, class counsel, court staff, anyone who already released economic-loss claims in an individual settlement, and people who opted out.
| Model | Covered model years |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Sonata and Sonata Hybrid | 2011–2019 |
| Hyundai Kona (Kona N) | 2018–2023 (2022–2023) |
| Hyundai Veloster | 2019–2021 |
| Kia Forte and Forte Koup | 2010–2013 |
| Kia Optima | 2011–2020 |
| Kia Optima Hybrid | 2011–2016 |
| Kia Sedona | 2011–2012 and 2014 |
How much you could get from the airbag settlement
Cash comes in two forms. Owners of recalled vehicles can be reimbursed for documented out-of-pocket costs of the recall: unreimbursed rental or other transportation, towing, childcare, ZF-TRW ACU repair costs and lost wages. Any class member can also claim a residual payment, split per capita from what remains after reimbursements and costs, of up to $350 for a recalled vehicle or up to $150 for an unrecalled one. If a lot of people claim, the per-person amount can fall below those caps.
There are non-cash benefits too: a 10-year warranty on new parts installed under the recalls, an inspection program after certain frontal crashes where an airbag didn't deploy, and outreach and loaner-car programs.
| Benefit | Who can claim | Amount | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-pocket reimbursement | Recalled vehicles only | Documented recall costs | Receipt, invoice or statement; other proof if you have none |
| Residual payment | Recalled vehicles | Up to $350 | Unique ID, or ownership papers if asked |
| Residual payment | Other covered vehicles | Up to $150 | Unique ID, or ownership papers if asked |
How to file a Hyundai Kia airbag settlement claim
The fastest route is the online form at ACUSettlement.com, run by JND Legal Administration, and a paper form is available too. Filing directly is free. If you're unsure what a Unique ID is, read what a claim ID or notice ID is, and for paperwork tips see what counts as proof of purchase.
- Look up your VIN on ACUSettlement.com to confirm your vehicle is covered and whether it was recalled. The 17-character VIN is on the dashboard by the windshield, the driver's door jamb, your registration and your insurance card.
- Find the Unique ID on your postcard or email notice. You can leave it blank if you don't have one.
- Decide what you are claiming. For recall costs, gather receipts, invoices or statements. For a residual payment only, tick the residual-only box.
- Fill out one claim form per VIN. If you have several eligible vehicles, repeat the process for each.
- Choose how to be paid: virtual debit card, PayPal, Venmo or a paper check.
- Submit online, or mail the form so it is postmarked or emailed by April 8, 2027, to Hyundai-Kia Airbag Control Unit Settlement, c/o JND Legal Administration, PO Box 91478, Seattle, WA 98111. Keep a copy.
Key dates for the Hyundai Kia airbag settlement
Only one date still matters for filing: the claim deadline. You may see March 29, 2027 on older listings because an earlier version of the notice said the deadline was "no earlier than" that date. The official claim form and website now say April 8, 2027, which is 18 months after the court's final approval, so use April 8.
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary approval | April 14, 2025 | Done |
| Opt out or object | Aug. 25, 2025 | Passed |
| Final approval hearing | Sept. 29, 2025 | Held |
| Final approval order | Oct. 8, 2025 | Granted |
| Claim deadline | April 8, 2027 | Open now |
| Payments | Not announced | After the effective date; residual payments follow reimbursements |
Is the Hyundai Kia airbag settlement legit?
Yes. A federal judge granted final approval on Oct. 8, 2025. JND Legal Administration runs the website and notices, and the court-appointed Settlement Special Administrator, Patrick Hron, reviews out-of-pocket claims, with decisions that are final. The official site is ACUSettlement.com and the help line is 1-866-287-0740. If an unexpected postcard or email arrives, our guide to JND settlement notices shows how to verify it.
Never pay to file, and type the web address yourself instead of tapping a link in an unexpected message. One more point worth knowing: the settlement does not release claims for personal injury, wrongful death or actual physical property damage, including airbag deployment or non-deployment.
What happens after you file
The administrator verifies each claim and may contact you for documents. Approved out-of-pocket reimbursements are paid after the settlement's effective date, which depends on whether the final approval is appealed, and residual payments come after all eligible reimbursements and settlement costs. No payment date has been announced, so check the official site for updates; our explainer on how long settlement checks take covers typical timelines.
Owed can tell you whether you qualify for this and other open settlements, open the official claim form and remind you before each deadline, but you submit the claim yourself. Owed Pro is $2 for the first week, then $49 per year — one flat membership. Owed never takes a percentage of any payout. Filing directly with the administrator is free. Start with the eligibility quiz or browse the settlements directory.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. The court and the administrators decide who qualifies and how much each person receives.
Glossary
- Airbag control unit (ACU)
- The module that reads crash sensors and tells the airbags and seatbelt tensioners when to fire.
- Electrical overstress
- A surge of electrical energy that the plaintiffs say can damage a chip in the ACU and keep airbags from deploying.
- Residual payment
- A per capita cash payment from money left after reimbursements and costs, capped at $350 or $150 depending on the vehicle.
- Unique ID
- The code on your postcard or email notice. The claim form lets you leave it blank if you don't have one.
- Recalled vehicle
- A covered model that Hyundai or Kia recalled for the ACU issue. Only these owners can claim out-of-pocket recall expenses.
FAQ
Yes. It is a court-approved class settlement in the ZF-TRW airbag control unit litigation, with final approval granted on Oct. 8, 2025. File only at ACUSettlement.com.
April 8, 2027. Older listings show March 29, 2027, but the official claim form and website now say April 8.
Residual payments are up to $350 for a recalled vehicle and up to $150 for an unrecalled one, split per capita after reimbursements and costs. Recalled-vehicle owners can also be reimbursed for documented recall expenses.
Not for a residual-only claim if you enter the Unique ID from your notice. Recall-cost reimbursements need receipts, invoices or statements, and without a Unique ID you may be asked for ownership papers.
Check your VIN with the lookup tool on ACUSettlement.com. Covered models include the 2011–2019 Sonata, 2010–2013 Forte and 2011–2020 Optima, but only the VIN lookup is definitive.
Yes, if you owned or leased a covered vehicle on or before April 14, 2025. The class includes people who previously owned or leased one.
- Official settlement website: Hyundai-Kia Airbag Control Unit Settlement (JND)
- Official FAQ
- Official claim form (PDF)
- Court order granting final approval, Oct. 8, 2025 (C.D. Cal.)
- CourtListener docket: In re ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation
This article is based on public information as of Oct 19, 2026; features, prices and deadlines change. Owed is not a law firm and nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice. Corrections →
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