Many Hyundai and Kia owners in Maryland are eligible to have a free anti-theft hardware fix installed on their vehicles, and some who had cars stolen can apply for restitution.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said Wednesday that his office, along with more than 30 attorneys general across the country, reached a settlement with Hyundai and Kia. Officials argued the vehicles lacked “industry-standard, anti-theft technology,” leaving them vulnerable to theft, according to a news release.

As part of the settlement, Kia and Hyundai will have to equip cars with engine immobilizer anti-theft technology that meets industry standards, offer free zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protectors to eligible cars and provide up to $4.5 million to eligible car owners.

Thefts of Hyundai and Kia cars soared in 2021 after people demonstrated how to access the vehicles’ ignition cylinders on social media. That means people could start the cars without a key, often using just a screwdriver and a USB cable.

Car thefts nearly doubled in Baltimore in 2023, and Hyundai and Kia cars made up almost half of the stolen vehicles. In 2023, the city also filed a lawsuit against Hyundai and Kia, saying the carmakers “put cost savings and profits over public safety.”

The attorneys general alleged that Kia and Hyundai were slow to respond to the surge in thefts, “waiting years to launch a service campaign to update the software on many affected vehicles,” and that the eventual software fix could be easily bypassed.

Hyundai and Kia previously offered to install a zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector, according to the release, but only for the roughly 20% of their vehicles not eligible for the software update. Now, all Maryland consumers with eligible vehicles can get this hardware fix.

How to get the hardware fix and apply for restitution

The vehicles eligible for the hardware fix date as far back as 2011 and as recently as 2022. About 9 million eligible vehicles were sold nationwide.

People can check if their car is eligible by entering their VIN number on the settlement website.

People with eligible cars should get a notice from Hyundai or Kia. They’ll then have one year to make an appointment with authorized dealerships to have the ignition cylinder protector installed, according to the Attorney General’s office.

Some owners who had their cars stolen may also be eligible for up to $4,500 in restitution.

For restitution, eligible cars must have had the software upgrade installed or scheduled to be installed, and the theft must have happened on or after April 29, 2025.

Car owners who experienced only a partial loss of the car could receive up to $2,250, while others could get up to $375 for expenses related to an attempted theft.

The deadline to apply for restitution is March 31, 2027. Hyundai and Kia owners can get more information from the settlement website.

Associated Press contributed to this report.