A proposed $760 million class action settlement over engine fires in Kia and Hyundai vehicles is now in the hands of a California judge.
The proposed settlement over engine fires is expected to affect more than 4 million drivers.
RECOMMENDED: Kia, Hyundai agree to settle U.S. class action lawsuits over engine fires for more than $760 million
The proposal, which calls for cash reimbursements for repairs, refunds for related towing and rental car expenses and lifetime warranty coverage for engine repairs, needs preliminary approval from Judge Josephine L. Staton before the class action settlement can move forward.
The class action lawsuit includes drivers who owned or leased the following vehicles with 2.0-liter or 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection engines:
- 2011-2019 Hyundai Sonata
- 2013-2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
- 2014-2015 and 2018-2019 Hyundai Tucson
- 2011-2019 Kia Optima
- 2012-2019 Kia Sorento
- 2011-2019 Kia Sportage
So far, the settlement deal does not include the Kia Soul, which was involved in the fatal Ohio car fire that killed Keith Nash in 2017.
An Oklahoma family filed a lawsuit after their 2019 Kia Soul rental car – seriously injuring 33-year-old Jordan Carlton – during a Hawaiian vacation in June.
UP IN FLAMES | The latest on the Kia/Hyundai fires investigation
Since April 2018, the I-Team has exposed thousands of Kia and Hyundai fires and uncovered some of these fires may be caused by fuel leaks resulting from improper repairs during engine recalls.
Kia and Hyundai issued sweeping recalls earlier this year after I-Team Investigator Jackie Callaway interviewed a whistleblower and former employee at Kia headquarters who claimed the company has known about the fire hazard since 2017.
