Hyundai Kia stolen car settlement: who qualifies for up to $4,500

What the Hyundai Kia stolen car settlement is

This is a settlement with state attorneys general, not a class action. On December 16, 2025, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and 35 other attorneys general announced a $9 million deal with Hyundai and Kia over 2011–2022 vehicles sold without engine immobilizers. An immobilizer keeps an engine from starting without the right key, and its absence made these cars easy targets for a theft method that spread on social media. The companies offered a software update on most affected models in 2023, but thieves could still get around it.

Up to $4.5 million is restitution for owners whose cars were hit by thieves. The other $4.5 million goes to the states to cover their investigation. Hyundai and Kia also have to put industry-standard immobilizers in future U.S. vehicles and offer free zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protectors.

It is separate from the class action settlement over the same missing immobilizers. Owed covers that deal on its Hyundai and Kia pages, and the multistate claim form asks about money you already received from it.

Who qualifies for the Hyundai Kia stolen car settlement

You need all three of these:

• An eligible vehicle. A 2011–2022 model-year Hyundai or Kia from the list below that wasn't built with a factory immobilizer, which you own or lease. The official site checks your VIN.
• The Software Upgrade. It was installed when the theft or attempt happened, or you can document an appointment you had scheduled for it.
• A qualifying incident. A theft or attempt on or after April 29, 2025 and before the earliest of the day your car got the free zinc sleeve or March 31, 2027.

A model on the list isn't enough on its own. The rules on the official site turn on the vehicle, the upgrade and the date of the incident; they don't list a state requirement.

How much you could get

These are reimbursement caps, not flat checks. You're repaid documented losses that nothing else covered, up to the cap for your situation, one time.

A "total loss" means repairs would cost at least 70% of the car's value, you sold or donated it for under 30% of that value, your insurer totaled it but you weren't made whole, or three months have passed and the car hasn't been recovered. Once you receive total-loss or partial-loss money, later incidents don't qualify. And the restitution fund tops out at $4.5 million, paid on a rolling basis until it's gone, so a late claim can come up empty.

How to file a Hyundai Kia settlement claim

Filing directly with the administrator is free, and you submit the claim yourself. Online is the recommended route.

1. Find your VIN. It has 17 characters and appears on the dashboard plate, the driver's door jamb, your registration and your insurance card.
2. Go to HKMultistateImmobilizerSettlement.com, open Submit Claim and enter your VIN to check eligibility.
3. Enter your contact details and pick a payment method: a prepaid Mastercard (valid for one year) or a check (valid for 120 days).
4. Give the date of your Software Upgrade installation or appointment, the date of the theft or attempt, and the amount you're requesting.
5. Upload your proof: ownership (registration, title, bank note or insurance card), a police report or insurance records, documents showing the loss or expenses, and any prior reimbursement you received.
6. Submit by March 31, 2027 and keep the confirmation email with your Claim ID and Confirmation Code, which let you fix the claim later. Prefer paper? Email the form and documents to HyundaiInfo@HKMultistateImmobilizerSettlement.com or KiaInfo@HKMultistateImmobilizerSettlement.com, or mail them, postmarked by March 31, 2027, to HK Multistate Immobilizer Settlement, P.O. Box 369, East Brunswick, NJ 08816.

Hyundai Kia settlement key dates

There is no opt-out or objection deadline on the official site, because this is an attorney general deal rather than a class action. The dates that matter are about when the incident happened and when you file.

The free upgrades and how they affect your claim

Two free fixes come with the deal. The Software Upgrade is available at authorized Hyundai and Kia dealers, and the zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector (the "zinc sleeve") can be installed at no cost at any authorized dealer. Hyundai's notice says eligible owners can get the protector installed until March 31, 2027, and the attorneys general say owners have one year from their notice date to schedule it.

One catch to understand: a theft only qualifies for money if it happened before the sleeve went on your car (or before March 31, 2027). The sleeve exists to stop the next theft, so don't skip it to keep your eligibility. Just file for any theft or attempt that already happened. Without the Software Upgrade, or a documented appointment for it at the time, the claim doesn't qualify.

Is the Hyundai Kia settlement legit?

Yes. It was announced by 36 attorneys general, and Hyundai's own customer notice points owners to the same claims site. The site's privacy policy shows it's run by Angeion Group; our guide to Angeion Group notices explains what that means. Real contacts are 1-877-409-4173 for Hyundai claims, 1-844-655-4191 for Kia claims and P.O. Box 369, East Brunswick, NJ 08816. Attorney general announcements also point Kia owners to Kia's customer-care site; the settlement site hosts the Kia claim form and claims line too, so it's a safe place to start.

You never pay to claim. The form asks for your VIN and documents, and the payment choices are a prepaid card or a check, so a request for your online banking password is a red flag. See how to spot settlement scams before you click a link in a text or email.

What happens after you file

The administrator reviews your documents. If something is missing you'll get written notice and 45 days to fix it. Approved claims are paid within 90 days of your final determination notice, so use the check or card promptly. The administrator makes no statement about taxes, so ask a tax adviser or read whether settlement money is taxable. If you also qualify for the class action deal, our Hyundai claim guide covers that one, and the auto defect guide explains how these reimbursements usually work.

Owed finds the settlements you may qualify for, explains them in plain English, opens the official claim form, reminds you before deadlines and tracks each claim to payout. 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. Take the eligibility quiz or browse open settlements. This is general information, not legal advice. Owed isn't a law firm or the settlement administrator, and the administrator decides who qualifies and how much they receive.

Glossary

Engine immobilizer

An anti-theft system that keeps the engine from starting unless the correct key or fob is present.

Software Upgrade

The free anti-theft software update offered at authorized dealers. Having it installed, or an appointment for it, is required to qualify.

Zinc sleeve

A zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector installed at no cost to block the social media theft method.

Qualifying theft

A theft or attempt on an eligible vehicle on or after April 29, 2025, before the zinc sleeve is installed or March 31, 2027.

Total loss

A vehicle that is wrecked or damaged so badly it is not worth repairing, or that was not made whole by insurance, or that has not been recovered after three months.

Restitution

Money paid to people who were harmed, as opposed to money paid to a government.

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