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A Hyundai and Kia airbag control unit class action lawsuit settlement has been reached for customers of vehicles that were recalled years ago, and the lawsuit also includes certain vehicles that were not included in the recalls.
The Hyundai and Kia airbag lawsuit has been in court more than six years after more than 20 class action lawsuits were sent into this multidistrict litigation in August 2019. Several automakers were sued after they recalled vehicles due to defective airbag control units.
Eight groups of defendants filed motions to dismiss in July 2020, but the lawsuits were allowed to move forward. In May 2022, the airbag control unit class action lawsuits were consolidated into one massive lawsuit titled, “In re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation,” Case No. 2:19-ml-02905-JAK.
The consolidated class action includes multiple automakers, including Hyundai and Kia. Toyota has settled and so has Mitsubishi.
The lawsuit was filed after Hyundai and Kia recalled vehicles to repair or replace the airbag control units built by ZF-TRW. Multiple automakers announced recalls because the airbags could fail due to electrical overstress.
The Hyundai airbag recall included these models.
- Certain 2011-2013 Hyundai Sonata
- Certain 2011-2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
And the Kia airbag recall included these vehicles.
- 2010-2012 and certain 2013 Kia Forte
- 2010-2012 and certain 2013 Kia Forte Koup
- 2011-2012 and certain 2013 Kia Optima
- 2011 and certain 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid
- 2011-2012 Kia Sedona
Hyundai and Kia deny all the allegations in the airbag class action lawsuit and decided to settle to put an end to the ongoing and expensive litigation.
According to the Hyundai and Kia airbag settlement, you may be eligible if on or before April 14, 2025, you own, lease, or previously owned or leased one of these vehicles.
- 2011-2019 Hyundai Sonata
- 2011-2019 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
- 2018-2023 Hyundai Kona
- 2022-2023 Hyundai Kona N
- 2019-2021 Hyundai Veloster
- 2010-2013 Kia Forte
- 2010-2013 Kia Forte Koup
- 2011-2020 Kia Optima
- 2011-2016 Kia Optima Hybrid
- 2011-2012, 2014 Kia Sedona
Hyundai and Kia offered reimbursements for certain expenses when the recalls were announced, but the settlement says a customer may submit claims for “(a) [R]eimbursement for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred to obtain a Recall repair for a Recalled Vehicle, and (b) residual payments of up to $350 for a Recalled Vehicle and $150 for an Unrecalled Vehicle.”
Residual payments will be distributed on a per capita basis and will be determined after all eligible reimbursement claims are paid.
If the airbag control unit settlement is granted final approval, a Kia or Hyundai customer can submit a residual payment claim form at www.ACUSettlement.com by March 29, 2027.
There is also a 10-year warranty for new airbag control units installed during the Hyundai and Kia recalls if the problem is caused by electrical overstress. But any settlement vehicle that wasn’t recalled will not receive the airbag control unit warranty.
According to the settlement, these customers who filed the class action lawsuit will receive $2,500 each:
Larae Angel, Bobbi Jo Birk-LaBarge, John Colbert, Brian Collins, Gerson Damens, Bonnie Dellatorre, Dylan DeMoranville, Joseph Fuller, Tina Fuller, Lawrence Graziano, Michael Hernandez, Kinyata Jones, Diana King, Richard Kintzel, Carl Paul Maurilus, Kenneth Ogorek, Burton Reckles, Dan Sutterfield, Amanda Swanson, and Lore Van Houten.
And the settlement says the lawyers representing customers will receive $20,493,033.30.
Nothing about the settlement is final until a fairness hearing is held, currently scheduled for September 29, 2025.
The Hyundai and Kia airbag control unit lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: In re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 2:19-ml-02905-JAK.
The plaintiffs are represented by Baron & Budd, P.C. and Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP.