Hyundai and Kia Airbag Control Unit Settlement, Check If You Qualify — In re, ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation, No. 2:19-ml-02905-JAK

There’s $62.1 million on the table for people who owned or leased certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles — if you had one on April 14, 2025. Hyundai and Kia agreed to pay this amount to settle claims that a defective airbag control unit could fail to deploy the airbags in a crash. You have until April 8, 2027 to file.

Hyundai-Kia Airbag Control Unit Settlement — Key Facts

Category	Detail
Settlement Amount	$62,100,100 total
Claim Deadline	April 8, 2027
Who Qualifies	Anyone who owned or leased an eligible Hyundai or Kia Class Vehicle in the U.S. on April 14, 2025
Estimated Payout	Up to $350 (Recalled Vehicles) or $150 (Unrecalled Vehicles) residual payment, plus reimbursement of eligible out-of-pocket recall expenses
Proof Required	Yes, for out-of-pocket expense reimbursement (receipts, invoices, or a signed affidavit); no proof required for the residual payment
Settlement Status	Final approval granted October 8, 2025
Court & Case Number	U.S. District Court, Central District of California, No. 2:19-ml-02905-JAK
Law Alleged	Product liability and consumer protection claims over a defective ZF-TRW airbag control unit
Administrator	JND Legal Administration
Official Claim Site	acusettlement.com/hyundaikia
Last Updated	August 14, 2026

Who Is Hyundai-Kia and Why Are They Being Sued Over Airbag Control Units?

Hyundai and Kia, along with parts suppliers Hyundai Mobis and Mobis Parts America, are accused of selling millions of vehicles equipped with a ZF-TRW-manufactured airbag control unit (ACU) — the electronic component that decides when airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, and other crash safety systems activate. This case claims that component was vulnerable to a condition called electrical overstress, which could knock out the ACU and leave a car’s airbags unable to deploy in the exact moment they’re needed.

What Did Hyundai and Kia Do to Owners of These Vehicles?

Twenty named plaintiffs — including Larae Angel, Bobbi Jo Birk-LaBarge, and eighteen others — brought this case alleging Hyundai and Kia designed and sold vehicles with a ZF-TRW ACU that could fail during a collision due to electrical overstress, potentially causing the airbags and other safety systems not to deploy. The case covers a wide range of models across roughly a decade of production, split into two groups: vehicles that were already recalled over this exact defect, and vehicles that share the same component but haven’t been recalled yet.

Hyundai and Kia deny all the allegations and haven’t been found liable for anything — this is a negotiated settlement, not a court ruling on the merits. But the deal still puts real money and real protections on the table for people who owned or leased an affected vehicle.

That denial doesn’t erase what’s now available: reimbursement for what recall repairs cost you, a flat cash payment regardless of whether your car was ever recalled, and a decade-long warranty on the new parts.

Who Qualifies for the Hyundai-Kia Airbag Control Unit Settlement?

Here’s exactly how to know if this case includes you.

You’re a Class Member if you owned or leased, or previously owned or leased, one of the following as of April 14, 2025:

Recalled Vehicles (already subject to a ZF-TRW ACU recall):

• Certain 2011–2013 Hyundai Sonata and 2011–2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
• 2010–2012 and certain 2013 Kia Forte and Forte Koup
• 2011–2012 and certain 2013 Kia Optima and Optima Hybrid
• 2011–2012 Kia Sedona

Unrecalled Vehicles (same component, no recall issued yet):

• Certain 2011–2013 and all 2014–2019 Hyundai Sonata and Sonata Hybrid
• 2018–2023 Hyundai Kona and 2022–2023 Hyundai Kona N
• 2019–2021 Hyundai Veloster
• Certain 2013 and all 2014–2020 Kia Optima and Optima Hybrid
• 2014 Kia Sedona

You do not qualify if you’re Hyundai, Kia, Hyundai Mobis, or Mobis Parts America (or their officers, directors, or employees), a dealer or dealer’s officer, class counsel, a judicial officer assigned to the case, someone who already settled these claims individually, or someone who properly excluded themselves by the August 25, 2025 deadline.

Not sure whether your specific vehicle qualifies? Use the VIN lookup tool on the official settlement site — eligibility is determined by VIN, not just by model year.

Hyundai-Kia Owners Outside the U.S. — Are You Still Covered?

This settlement covers vehicles originally sold or leased in the United States or its territories and possessions. It’s nationwide within that scope — there’s no state-by-state restriction. If your vehicle was sold outside the U.S., this settlement does not apply to you.

Not sure if you qualify for the Hyundai-Kia settlement? A free consultation with a product liability attorney can help before the April 8, 2027 deadline.

How Much Can Hyundai-Kia Settlement Class Members Get?

The settlement stacks two kinds of benefits, and you may qualify for both depending on your situation.

Out-of-Pocket Expense Reimbursement — Recalled Vehicles Only

If your vehicle was one of the Recalled models, you can be reimbursed for reasonable rental car costs, towing charges to a Hyundai or Kia dealer, childcare expenses incurred during the repair, unreimbursed repair costs tied to the ACU, and lost wages from taking time off to drop off or pick up the vehicle for the recall repair. You’ll need a receipt, invoice, or a signed affidavit if you don’t have one.

Residual Distribution Payment — Up to $350

Every Class Member can file for this, whether your vehicle was recalled or not. It’s up to $350 for Recalled Vehicles and up to $150 for Unrecalled Vehicles, paid pro rata after out-of-pocket claims and other settlement costs are covered — more filers, smaller checks, though $350/$150 is the ceiling either way. You don’t need a receipt or proof of purchase for this one.

What Pro-Rata Means for Your Hyundai-Kia Check

This is a shared fund, not a guaranteed flat amount. What you actually receive depends on the total number of valid claims and what’s left after out-of-pocket reimbursements and administrative costs are paid.

Payment method and timing depend on the “Effective Date” — which depends on whether the settlement gets appealed. Check the settlement site for updates once that’s resolved.

Payments over $600 may appear on a 1099. Check with a tax professional if your total crosses that line.

Honestly, even if your car was never recalled, it costs you nothing to file for the residual payment — there’s no reason to skip it just because you didn’t have out-of-pocket expenses.

How to File Your Hyundai-Kia Airbag Settlement Claim — Step by Step

1. Go to the official claim site: acusettlement.com/hyundaikia/claim
2. Enter your VIN — eligibility and vehicle category (Recalled vs. Unrecalled) are determined by VIN
3. Choose which benefit(s) you’re claiming — out-of-pocket reimbursement, residual payment, or both
4. Upload proof if claiming reimbursement — receipts, invoices, or a signed affidavit for each expense
5. Submit and save your confirmation number
6. Watch email — JND Legal Administration will contact you if anything else is needed

Takes about 10-15 minutes online if you have your documentation ready. Multiple recalled vehicles? You can file a separate claim for each one, as long as the expenses aren’t duplicated.

30+ days left as of this writing — but with a claim deadline over a year out, there’s no urgency to rush; just don’t let it slip your mind entirely.

Should Hyundai-Kia Class Members Opt Out or Object?

What Opting Out of the Hyundai-Kia Settlement Actually Meant

The opt-out deadline was August 25, 2025, and it has passed. Opting out would have meant no settlement payment, but it preserved the right to sue separately over these claims. If you didn’t request exclusion by that date, you’re a Class Member now and bound by the settlement’s terms.

How Objecting to the Hyundai-Kia Settlement Worked

The objection deadline was also August 25, 2025, and has passed. The court held the Fairness Hearing on September 29, 2025, and granted final approval on October 8, 2025.

One thing worth knowing regardless of when you’re reading this: this settlement does not release your right to sue over personal injury, wrongful death, or actual physical property damage tied to an airbag deployment or non-deployment incident. That’s carved out specifically — this settlement only covers the economic claims.

Hyundai-Kia Airbag Control Unit Settlement — Key Dates, 2025–2027

Milestone	Date
Class Period Cutoff (ownership date)	April 14, 2025
Opt-Out Deadline	August 25, 2025 (passed)
Objection Deadline	August 25, 2025 (passed)
Fairness Hearing	September 29, 2025 (held)
Final Approval Granted	October 8, 2025
New Parts Warranty Period Begins	April 14, 2025 (runs 10 years)
Claim Filing Deadline	April 8, 2027
Expected Payment Date	UNVERIFIED — depends on the “Effective Date,” which depends on whether the settlement is appealed; administrator has not published a specific mailing date

Hyundai-Kia Airbag Settlement — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 2:19-ml-02905-JAK

Do I need a lawyer to file a Hyundai-Kia settlement claim?

 No. The claim form is built for Class Members to file themselves using their VIN. You can hire your own lawyer at your own expense if you want one, but Class Counsel — Baron & Budd and Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein — already represents the class at no cost to you.

Is the Hyundai-Kia airbag settlement legitimate?

 Yes. It’s a court-approved settlement in In re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation, No. 2:19-ml-02905-JAK, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, with final approval granted October 8, 2025, administered by JND Legal Administration.

When will Hyundai-Kia settlement payments be sent?

 Payments go out after the “Effective Date,” which depends on whether anyone appeals the final approval. No specific mailing date has been published yet — check the settlement site for updates.

What if I missed the Hyundai-Kia claim deadline? 

Claims must be submitted by April 8, 2027. That’s still well over a year away as of this writing, so there’s time — just don’t wait until the last minute given how the out-of-pocket documentation requirements work.

Will my Hyundai-Kia settlement payment go on a 1099?

 Payments over $600 may be reported. Check with a tax professional about your specific payout.

My car was never recalled — can I still get money? 

Yes. Every Class Member, recalled or not, can file for the residual distribution payment of up to $150. You just can’t claim out-of-pocket expense reimbursement unless your specific vehicle was actually recalled.

Does this settlement cover injuries from an airbag that didn’t deploy? 

No — and importantly, it doesn’t take away your right to pursue that separately. Personal injury, wrongful death, and physical property damage claims tied to airbag deployment or non-deployment are expressly not released by this settlement.

How much are the attorneys getting paid?

 The court awarded Class Counsel 33% of the settlement amount — $20,493,033.30 — plus a $2,500 service award to each of the 20 named plaintiffs. Neither of those amounts reduces what’s available to the rest of the class beyond what’s already built into the $62.1 million figure.

Sources Used in This Hyundai-Kia Airbag Settlement Article

• Official Settlement Website — In re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation: https://www.acusettlement.com/hyundaikia
• Official Settlement FAQ, JND Legal Administration: https://www.acusettlement.com/hyundaikia/faq
• Official Settlement Agreement (via settlement site Documents page)

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official Settlement Administrator’s website (JND Legal Administration) on August 14, 2026. Last Updated: August 14, 2026.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.