Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has announced a multistate settlement with Hyundai and Kia regarding the sale of vehicles lacking standard anti-theft technology. The agreement, led by Ellison and joined by 34 other attorneys general, comes after an increase in thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles across Minnesota and the United States.
Under the terms of the settlement, Hyundai and Kia will provide a free hardware fix for all eligible vehicles to address security vulnerabilities. The companies estimate that installing zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protectors on affected cars could cost more than $500 million. Notices to eligible consumers are expected in early 2026, giving them one year from receipt to schedule installation at authorized dealerships. Consumers who previously received only a software update will also be eligible for the hardware fix.
Attorney General Ellison stated, “Maintaining public safety means holding people who commit crimes accountable, but it also means holding corporations accountable when their greed helps criminals harm the people of Minnesota. 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. In short, they put their profits ahead of people’s safety.
“Minnesota was the first state to investigate Kia and Hyundai’s knowing failure to act, and I’m proud to have led this bipartisan coalition of states in reaching this significant nationwide settlement. It shows once again that in addition to holding individual offenders accountable for criminal acts in the criminal-justice system, attorneys general can use their broad authority in civil law to hold corporations accountable for upstream actions or inactions that harm the safety of the public. I have used this civil authority before and I will not hesitate to use it again,” Attorney General Ellison concluded. “I’m grateful to all the states that joined our coalition and to the attorneys general of Connecticut and New Hampshire, who co-led this investigation.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey commented on local impacts: “While mayors and police departments were trying to get a handle on rising crime, Kia and Hyundai made the problem even worse by taking shortcuts that made stealing cars easy. Minneapolis residents and police officers paid the price. The concessions that Attorney General Ellison has won in this settlement will give Minneapolis drivers more peace of mind and help us further reduce crime in our city.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara added: “The manufacturer’s lack of urgency and their desire to save money inexcusably prolonged this crisis. Today’s settlement is a significant step forward and reflects what Kia and Hyundai should have done years ago. I am thankful for the leadership of our Attorney General, Keith Ellison, to hold the manufacturers accountable.”
Investigations revealed that between 2015–2022 only about one-quarter of new Kias or Hyundais sold had engine immobilizers—compared with nearly all other manufacturers’ vehicles during those years—making them easier targets for thefts which then surged dramatically following viral social media trends such as those spread by groups like “Kia Boys.” For example, reported thefts involving these brands increased sharply; Minneapolis saw an 836% rise from 2021–2022 while Saint Paul experienced a 611% jump over the same period.
These stolen vehicles were often used in additional crimes including robberies or violent incidents; Minneapolis police linked such thefts in 2022 alone with five homicides as well as multiple shootings, robberies, and hundreds of accidents.
Although both automakers began offering software updates addressing some vulnerabilities starting in 2023—and limited hardware fixes for certain models—authorities allege these measures were insufficient since thieves continued bypassing protections.
Consumers whose vehicles qualify—including all model year 2011–2022 Hyundais or Kias without factory-installed engine immobilizers—will receive notifications about scheduling free installations at dealerships beginning early next year. Those who previously received software updates but still suffered vehicle theft or attempted theft after April 29, 2025 may also seek restitution through claims processes detailed at www.HKMultistateImmobilizerSettlement.com.
The coalition leading negotiations included attorneys general from Connecticut and New Hampshire alongside Minnesota; others from states such as California, Illinois, New Jersey joined both investigation efforts and final agreement.
Ellison emphasized his office’s ongoing commitment: individuals responsible for criminal acts face prosecution while corporations contributing significantly to public safety risks through negligence or delay are held civilly liable—a strategy he described as complementing rather than replacing traditional criminal justice approaches.
