Newark is now part of a nationwide lawsuit against automakers Kia and Hyundai, joining 19 other major cities suing the car companies for defects in vehicles that allegedly led to car thefts.
The lawsuit, which also includes Chicago, New York and Milwaukee, claims Kia and Hyundai intentionally failed to include engine immobilizers in their vehicles for more than a decade. An engine immobilizer is anti-theft technology designed to make a car harder to steal. The suit alleges car thefts spiked after a video exposing the defect was posted on social media.
In Newark, city officials said a surge in car thefts also led to an increase in violent incidents. Newark’s complaint says many of the car models are designed with lower-income workers in mind, and when the cars are stolen it’s that much more of a burden on their owners. The lawsuit is seeking damages, alleging fraud, neglect and deceptive marketing practices.
