A $62.1 million class settlement over airbag control units in Hyundai and Kia cars won final court approval on Oct. 8, 2025, and the claim period stays open until April 8, 2027. Current and former owners and lessees of recalled Hyundai Sonatas and Sonata Hybrids and Kia Fortes, Forte Koups, Optimas, Optima Hybrids and Sedonas can claim a residual payment of up to $350, and people with certain other models can claim up to $150. Hyundai and Kia deny the allegations.
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The lawsuit, In re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation, No. 2:19-ml-02905, alleges the vehicles carry airbag control units that are “vulnerable to a condition called electrical overstress,” according to the official settlement website. The site says the settlement provides $62,100,100 in payments and credits. The package is cash payments, reimbursement of certain costs and warranty and inspection programs.
Whether a particular car is covered is settled by its vehicle identification number, so the first job for any owner is a lookup, not a guess. The class is people who owned or leased, or previously owned or leased, a covered car on April 14, 2025, and the car must have been originally sold or leased in the United States or its territories. A person who sold the car before that date is outside the class, and one who sold it afterward is still in it. The VIN lookup tool on the settlement website answers the coverage question for each car.
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Recalled and unrecalled cars get different caps
The settlement splits covered cars into two groups, and the split sets the ceiling. The settlement’s FAQ says residual payments will be up to $350 for recalled vehicles and $150 for unrecalled vehicles. Recalled vehicles, by VIN, include certain 2011 to 2013 Hyundai Sonatas, 2011 and 2012 Sonata Hybrids, 2010 to 2012 Kia Fortes and Forte Koups, 2011 to 2013 Optimas, certain 2011 and 2012 Optima Hybrids and 2011 and 2012 Kia Sedonas.
The unrecalled group is wider. It takes in certain 2011 to 2013 and all 2014 to 2019 Sonatas, plus Sonata Hybrids, the 2018 to 2023 Hyundai Kona, the 2022 and 2023 Kona N, the 2019 to 2021 Veloster, later Fortes, Optimas and Optima Hybrids, and the 2014 Sedona. Those owners can claim up to $150.
The $350 is a maximum, not a promise
Residual money is shared out per capita, meaning equally among class members who file a qualifying claim, after approved reimbursements are paid. The FAQ calls the amounts “up to,” and a summary from OpenClassActions adds that the final figure depends on how many valid claims come in and on court-awarded fees and costs.
The official site gives no payment date. Payments for approved out-of-pocket expenses are issued after the settlement’s Effective Date, which depends on whether anyone appeals the final approval. The site does not name a date for that, so the April 2027 claim deadline and the payment date are separate clocks.
Receipts are a separate claim for recalled cars
Owners of recalled vehicles can also seek reimbursement of certain reasonable out-of-pocket costs tied to the recall, according to the settlement website. The covered costs are rental or other transportation, towing, childcare, unreimbursed airbag control unit repair costs, and lost wages for dropping off or picking up the car.
The FAQ says the court-appointed Settlement Special Administrator reviews each of those claims to verify the expenses and set the amount, and the decision is final. Supporting documentation means a receipt or invoice, or a signed affidavit when neither exists. Unrecalled vehicles do not carry this reimbursement. They get the residual payment only.
What does a claim need?
People who received a postcard or email notice have a Unique ID, and a claim with that ID needs no additional documents, according to OpenClassActions. Without one, a claimant needs proof of ownership showing a name and the VIN, such as a title, registration, or purchase or lease agreement. Claims go in online at the claim page or by mail postmarked by April 8, 2027.
The exclusion and objection deadline passed on Aug. 25, 2025, according to the site, so filing a claim is the step still open. The site also warns that deadlines may be moved, canceled or otherwise modified, which makes a return visit to the settlement website worthwhile before April.
The settlement also carries benefits that cost nothing to claim: a 10-year warranty on parts installed under the recalls against airbag non-deployment from electrical overstress, an inspection program and an outreach program to raise recall completion. The settlement administrator, JND Legal Administration, lists a phone line at 1-866-287-0740 for anyone whose Unique ID never arrived. Car owners juggling more than one claim form can use MoneyPilot, a paid app that files claim forms for members and tracks settlement deadlines.
Still holding receipts from a Hyundai or Kia airbag recall?
This settlement runs five months past today, and the payment date is not set, so a claim filed early can sit unpaid for a while. Owners with recall receipts, towing bills or rental invoices have a second claim that needs its own paperwork.
The Settlement & Refund Recovery System includes a step-by-step filing walkthrough and a claim log and payment tracker, so the VIN, the Unique ID and each receipt are recorded in one place. Its Part 5, Proof: Claiming When the Receipts Are Gone, covers what to do when an invoice is missing.
Get the claim tracker and filing walkthrough for the Hyundai and Kia airbag settlement →
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Warren Cohen is a finance writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, covering personal finance topics including credit, banking, and beginner investing. He earned his degree in business administration from Arizona State University and began his career working in consumer finance, where he gained direct experience with lending and credit systems. He now writes for personal finance websites and fintech platforms, focusing on clear, practical content that helps readers make informed financial decisions.
