Penalty Amount
$4,500,000
Consumer protection case where Hyundai and Kia settled for selling millions of vehicles without industry-standard anti-theft technology, leading to a nationwide surge in thefts and public safety risks. The settlement requires free hardware fixes for affected vehicles and restitution for consumers.
Hyundai and Kia must equip all future vehicles with engine immobilizers, offer free zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protectors to eligible vehicle owners, provide up to $4.5 million in restitution to consumers whose cars were damaged by thefts, and pay $4.5 million to the states for investigation costs.
In-house legal teams should review customer sales agreements, dealer contracts, and vehicle warranty terms to ensure they reflect the settlement requirements. Specifically, examine clauses related to product specifications, safety compliance, warranty coverage, and defect remediation. Contracts may need amendments to mandate the inclusion of industry-standard engine immobilizers in all future vehicles, outline the provision of free hardware fixes (zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protectors) for eligible models, and define processes for restitution to consumers whose vehicles were damaged due to the lack of anti-theft features. Additionally, verify that agreements with dealers or distributors address the free distribution and installation of these protective devices.
Entity
Hyundai and Kia
Also known as: Hyundai, Kia
Industry
AutomotiveOfficial Press Release
https://www.doj.state.or.us/media-home/news-media-releases/ag-rayfield-announces-settlement-w-hyundai-and-kia-over-anti-theft-technology/
20251216 Hyundai Kia OR AVC ACCEPTED
https://www.doj.state.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/20251216-Hyundai-Kia-OR-AVC-ACCEPTED.pdf
Oregon Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/
"Hyundai and Kia"
"Pay $4.5 million to the states to defray the costs of the investigation."
"lacked industry-standard, anti-theft technology"
$4.5M
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced a multistate settlement with Hyundai and Kia over the sale of millions of U.S. vehicles lacking industry-standard anti-theft engine immobilizer technology, which contributed to a surge in auto thefts. The settlement requires the manufacturers to equip all future U.S.-sold vehicles with immobilizers, offer free ignition cylinder protectors to eligible owners, provide up to $4.5 million in consumer restitution for theft damage, and pay $4.5 million to the coalition states. The 36-state coalition is led by Connecticut, Minnesota, and New Hampshire, with New Jersey as a co-lead.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong launched a consumer protection investigation into Hyundai and Kia for failing to equip vehicles with standard anti-theft immobilizers between 2011 and 2022, leading to high theft rates and public safety concerns. The investigation seeks records on the companies' decision-making and potential fixes, following a coalition of attorneys general calling for a federal recall.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield joined a multistate coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging NHTSA’s rollback of fuel economy standards. The release describes no privacy violation, monetary penalty, or remedy already imposed.
An Oregon judge rejected RealPage’s attempt to have the state’s rent-pricing lawsuit dismissed, allowing the case to move forward. Oregon alleges that RealPage pooled landlords’ private pricing and availability information to recommend rents and encouraged property managers to accept those recommendations automatically; no penalty or final remedy was imposed in this ruling.
$400.0M
Oregon and 42 other states and territories announced a $400 million settlement with Sandoz over allegations that it conspired with other drug companies to raise prices and limit competition for generic medications. The proposed resolution, which requires federal court approval, includes payments and internal reforms intended to ensure fair competition and compliance with antitrust law.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and a multistate coalition filed suit alleging that DuPont (now EIDP) and Corteva shifted substantial assets to Vylor while PFAS contamination lawsuits were pending, potentially leaving insufficient resources to pay cleanup costs. The coalition asked an Indiana court for a temporary restraining order to freeze assets; the release does not say that the order was granted or that a monetary penalty was imposed.