St. Paul resident LaShaun Johnson has filed a class action lawsuit against automakers Hyundai and Kia after his Kia Sorento was stolen on August 24th.
Johnson filed his lawsuit in U.S. District Court and accuses the automakers of selling vehicles that are “defective and more susceptible to theft.”
Johnson's lawsuit comes amid a sharp rise in auto thefts of Kia and Hyundai models. According to data compiled by the St. Paul Police Department, there has been a 1300% increase in Kia and Hyundai auto thefts. In all of 2021, there were only eighteen Kias stolen across the city. This year, the St. Paul Police Department reports that at least 256 Kias have been stolen.
Hyundai models have also seen a rise in thefts as well. In 2021, there were only 31 Hyundais stolen throughout St. Paul, but in 2022 at least 212 Hyundais have been stolen, a 584% increase in thefts.
It's not just St. Paul that has seen a sharp uptick in Kia and Hyundai theft. Throughout the nation, drivers who own a Kia or Hyundai are finding themselves the victims of brazen car thefts, often at the hands of teenagers.
It's no coincidence that car thefts for these two specific auto brands have been rising over the past couple of months. Earlier this year, social media was flooded with viral videos of teens showing off just how easy it is to break into and start up select models of Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
What began as a viral video trend eventually turned deadly. In late August, a 70-year-old St. Paul resident, Phoua Hang, was killed after getting struck by a stolen Kia Sportage. Authorities have yet to make an arrest in the case. In response to the hit and run and other criminal activities, the city of St. Paul has also taken aim at the automakers, threatening them with legal action if they did not remedy the defect in their vehicles.
The lawsuit emphasizes how easy it is for thieves to steal select Kia or Hyundai models. A hopeful thief simply has to break into the vehicle through a window or an unlocked car, take off the steering wheel column cover, and use a flat head screwdriver or a USB port to start up the car. The theft takes a matter of seconds, and because of how quickly news about the theft spread on social media, it's now become common knowledge how vulnerable these vehicles are. Through a simple online search, anyone can view any of the thousands of online videos showing just how simple the process is.
Johnson accuses the automakers of not having engine immobilizers, enabling the rise of thefts. The lawsuit specifically highlights that knowledge of the defect is now widespread, allowing any would-be thief to easily steal a Kia or Hyundai.
In the lawsuit, Johnson includes a WCCO-TV news report that details the rise of Kia and Hyundai thefts over the past couple of months. Ramsey County undersheriff Mike Martin is cited in the report detailing that a “design flaw” in vehicles is to blame for the rise in thefts.
Hyundai has responded to the WCCO report by declaring that they are aware of the issue and that all their vehicles meet federal security requirements. Kia also responded to the WCCO report, explaining that “Kia America is aware of the rise in vehicle thefts of a subset of trim level vehicles in your area. As of the current 2022 Model Year, all Kia vehicles have an engine immobilizer fitted as standard. All Kia vehicles for sale in the U.S. meet or exceed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.”
The lawsuit is seeking an award of damages in an amount to be determined at trial.
