Insurers, Cities Blame Kia, Hyundai in Suits Over Rash of Thefts

Kia and Hyundai bear responsibility for costs stemming from a rash of car thefts, several hundred insurers and 17 municipalities say in filings that urged a federal judge to reject the automakers’ bid to end their lawsuits.

Certain 2011-2022 Kia and Hyundai models have no engine immobilizer—an electronic security device that makes it harder to start a vehicle without the appropriate key. Social media posts that demonstrate how to break in and steal the cars spurred thefts, the insurers and government entities say.

Kia America Inc., Hyundai Motor America, and related companies “blame everyone but themselves for problems ...