Kia and Hyundai have agreed to equip millions of vehicles with anti-theft hardware after a surge of stolen cars in Minnesota and beyond spurred an investigation into the automakers’ safety standards.
The multistate settlement, which Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Tuesday, could apply to more than 140,000 vehicle owners in Minnesota.
The manufacturers will notify consumers in the first few months of 2026 if their vehicles are eligible for a free zinc-reinforced cylinder protector, which physically blocks thieves from accessing parts they need to easily steal cars. Those who receive notice will have one year to set up an installation appointment at their local dealer.
Ellison’s office started investigating the companies in 2023 as cities across the country — including Minneapolis and St. Paul — grappled with a rash of auto thefts following viral social media posts challenging teens to steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles. A design feature in many of the South Korean companies’ 2011-22 models allowed people to drive vehicles without a key.
That effort grew to a coalition of 35 attorneys general, who concluded Kia and Hyundai likely had violated state consumer protection and public nuisance laws by failing to include industry-standard anti-theft equipment.
“By failing to include industry-standard anti-theft technology in their vehicles, Hyundai and Kia unleashed a wave of auto thefts that cost Minnesotans their cars, their hard-earned money, and sometimes even their lives,” Ellison said in a statement. “In short, they put their profits ahead of people’s safety.”
The settlement could cost the companies more than $500 million, he added. The manufacturers also agreed to equip all future vehicles with the technology.
Kia and Hyundai agreed to provide free software updates for vehicles last year as part of a settlement agreement filed on behalf of consumers. Those individuals are eligible for the hardware fixes under the states’ settlement, said Ellison, who described the software updates as inadequate.
