Law Firm Seeks Congressional Inquiry Over Hyundai, Kia Thefts
Says historical automaker testimony has resulted in decisive action over safety issues.

Law firm said past automaker testimony before Congress resulted in action on vehicle safety issues.
IMAGE: Pixabay/Arcaion
A California law firm representing some Hyundai and Kia owners in lawsuits against the carmakers over thefts is urging Congress to take action on the issue.
It’s the latest development in a series of pushbacks against the South Korean brands to more aggressively address the thefts of models without immobilizing antitheft technology as standard.
Multiple major U.S. cities have sued the automakers, about two dozen attorneys general have urged them to take stronger action about the thefts, and 18 states have asked a federal regulator to recall the 2011- to 2022 models in question.
Now MLG Attorneys at Law has written a letter to Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell to take up the matter as chairwoman of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The firm said in a statement that the committee has previously brought automakers to testify before Congress, resulting in action on vehicle safety issues.
MLG said it’s leading a class-action lawsuit against Hyundai and Kia over the thefts. It said it’s now representing a growing list of personal-injury cases related to the thefts.
The carmakers have expedited measures intended to prevent thefts and help vehicle owners get their models insured, including speeding up a software update and working with insurer AAA to insure affected models. But the increasingly loud pushback from various corners maintains they’re not doing enough.
LEARN MORE: States Seek Recall of Theft-Prone Hyundai, Kia Models
More Dealer Ops

Dealer Debrief: Defection Data & EV Updates
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence discusses how to use defection data to your advantage and the latest on EV sales and charging infrastructure.
Read More →
How Defection Data is Bridging the Dealership Conversion Gap
Lead volume is flat, cross-shopping is up and brand loyalty is in retreat. As confident sales teams keep losing buyers they thought they had, daily industry sales data is showing dealers exactly where their funnel is breaking and how to fix it without buying a single new lead.
Read More →
Dealer Debrief: Where are you losing customers?
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence discusses the hidden leaks in dealerships where you might be losing customers without even realizing it.
Read More →
Dealer Debrief: Improving Your Inventory Management
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence covers a new survey that shows what service technicians really want and two launches that could help improve your inventory and vehicle life cycle management.
Read More →
Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is a Dealership: Why the Fundamentals Still Decide Who Wins
A teaching moment by a legendary football coach happens to apply perfectly in the auto retail space. Learn what it is and how to use it to your store’s advantage.
Read More →
What Market Timing Mistakes Mean for Your Reinsurance Program
When volatility hits, dealer-owned reinsurance programs face a familiar temptation: pull back and wait for calmer waters. New data from BOK Financial shows why that instinct can quietly cost you years of surplus growth.
Read More →
Dealer Ads and the FTC
The agency has made it clear in recent enforcement actions and warnings, in auto retail and other industries, that advertised prices must include all nonoptional costs to the consumer.
Read More →
Used Autos Supply Dwindles
The March shopping surge, despite high prices, cut into inventory by the most since the thick of the pandemic, Cox Automotive analysts calculated.
Read More →
Managing Risk Effectively Through Changing Times
The variables influencing risk pricing have changed significantly over the past five years. Being proactive and responsive to emerging trends is not optional but essential.
Read More →
Survey Reveals What Won't Fix What's Breaking Car Sales
AutoPayPlus says extra-long auto loans are trapping consumers and threatening the dealer trade-in cycle, and that the industry is leveraging the wrong tools to combat high MSRPs.
Read More →
