A group of state attorneys general announced a nationwide settlement on Tuesday requiring Hyundai and Kia to provide free hardware fixes and restitution after selling millions of vehicles without industry-standard anti-theft immobilizers, a lapse that fueled a surge in thefts across the country and contributed to a dramatic crime surge in Chicago.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said the agreement will allow every eligible Hyundai and Kia owner to receive a zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector at no cost, even if their vehicle previously qualified only for a software update that the manufacturers said fixed the problem.
The settlement also requires the companies to equip all future vehicles with immobilizer technology, pay up to $4.5 million in restitution to affected consumers, and provide another $4.5 million to participating states for investigative costs…