Payments in the Hyundai and Kia Defective Airbag Control Units Settlement are calculated on a per capita basis, meaning every eligible class member who files a valid claim receives an equal share of the remaining settlement fund. Owners or lessees of recalled vehicles can receive up to $350 per person, while those with unrecalled vehicles can receive up to $150. For example, if you owned a 2012 Hyundai Sonata — one of the recalled models — and you file a claim before the April 8, 2027 deadline, you would be in the pool eligible for up to $350, with your actual payout depending on how many other people also file valid claims. The settlement, formally titled *In Re: ZF-TRW Airbag Control Units Products Liability Litigation* (Case No.
2:19-ml-02905-JAK-JPR, Central District of California), establishes a total fund of $62,100,100 in payments and credits. The court granted final approval on October 8, 2025. Beyond the flat per-person payments, the settlement also covers reimbursement for specific out-of-pocket expenses and provides a 10-year warranty on replacement airbag control units.
Table of Contents
- How Are Payments Calculated in the Hyundai and Kia Airbag Control Units Settlement?
- Which Hyundai and Kia Vehicles Qualify for Settlement Payments?
- What Out-of-Pocket Expenses Can Be Reimbursed Under the Settlement?
- How to File Your Claim Before the April 2027 Deadline
- Understanding the Airbag Defect and Why the Settlement Exists
- The 10-Year Warranty on Replacement Airbag Control Units
- What Happens to the Settlement Fund After Claims Close
- Frequently Asked Questions
How Are Payments Calculated in the Hyundai and Kia Airbag Control Units Settlement?
The payment structure works in two layers. First, the settlement fund pays out reimbursement claims — these are specific, documented out-of-pocket expenses that owners of recalled vehicles incurred because of the defect. After all valid reimbursement claims are satisfied, the remaining money in the $62.1 million fund is divided equally among all eligible claimants on a per capita basis. That means if 100,000 people in the recalled vehicle category file valid claims and there is $35 million left in the fund after reimbursements, each person would get $350 (the cap). If more people file, the individual amount drops proportionally, but it cannot exceed the stated maximums. There are three distinct payment tiers. Recalled vehicle owners and lessees are eligible for up to $350 each.
Unrecalled vehicle owners and lessees can receive up to $150. The 20 original named plaintiffs who initiated the litigation each receive $2,500 as service awards for their role in bringing the case. The gap between recalled and unrecalled vehicle payments reflects the fact that recalled vehicles had a formally identified safety defect, while unrecalled vehicles were included based on the broader risk associated with ZF-TRW airbag control units. One important nuance: the word “up to” is doing real work here. Your actual payment depends entirely on the number of valid claims filed. If relatively few people submit claims — which happens more often than you might expect in class action settlements — individual payouts could hit the maximum. If the claims volume is high, everyone gets a smaller slice. This is a common structure in consumer class actions, and it means filing early offers no advantage over filing on the last day, since the math is the same regardless of when your claim comes in.
Which Hyundai and Kia Vehicles Qualify for Settlement Payments?
The settlement divides eligible vehicles into two categories — recalled and unrecalled — and your payment tier depends on which group your vehicle falls into. Recalled vehicles include the 2011–2013 Hyundai Sonata, the 2010–2012 (and certain 2013) Kia Forte and Forte Koup, the 2011–2012 (and certain 2013) Kia Optima, and the 2011–2012 Kia Sedona. If you owned or leased any of these models, you fall into the higher payment tier of up to $350. Unrecalled vehicles that are still covered by the settlement include the 2014–2019 Hyundai Sonata, the 2018–2023 Hyundai Kona, the 2014–2020 Kia Optima, the 2014 Kia Sedona, and other select model years. These vehicles were not subject to a formal recall but were included in the litigation because they use the same ZF-TRW airbag control unit technology that is susceptible to electrical overstress failures.
However, simply owning one of these vehicles is not enough. You must have owned or leased a class vehicle as of April 14, 2025, or have previously owned or leased one that was originally sold in the United States. If you bought a used Kia Optima that was originally sold in Canada and never titled in the U.S., you would not qualify. Similarly, if you purchased your vehicle after the April 14, 2025 eligibility date and were not a prior owner, you would fall outside the class definition. Check your vehicle’s history carefully before filing.
What Out-of-Pocket Expenses Can Be Reimbursed Under the Settlement?
Beyond the flat per-person payments, owners of recalled vehicles can seek reimbursement for specific expenses they incurred because of the airbag defect. These reimbursable costs include rental car expenses (for a vehicle comparable to the recalled one), towing charges to get the vehicle to a dealer, childcare costs you paid during the time your car was being repaired, the cost of any out-of-pocket ZF-TRW airbag control unit repairs, and lost wages from time spent dropping off or picking up your vehicle for recall-related service. For example, if you had your 2012 Kia Optima towed to the dealer for the airbag control unit recall and had to rent a car for three days while it was serviced, you could submit receipts for both the towing fee and the rental. If you also had to pay for childcare during the dealer visit because you had no other transportation, that cost is reimbursable too.
The key requirement is documentation — receipts, pay stubs, or other records that verify the expense and connect it to the recall repair. This reimbursement category is only available to recalled vehicle owners, not to those in the unrecalled vehicle class. That distinction matters because these reimbursement claims are paid from the settlement fund before the per capita distribution happens. If the total reimbursement claims are substantial, they reduce the pool available for the flat per-person payments. In practice, most class members did not incur significant documented expenses, so the impact on per capita payments is typically modest.
How to File Your Claim Before the April 2027 Deadline
The claim submission deadline is April 8, 2027, which gives class members a generous window to gather documentation and file. Claims can be submitted through the official settlement website at www.ACUSettlement.com. The claims administrator is JND Legal Administration, reachable by mail at PO Box 91478, Seattle, WA 98111, or by phone at 1-866-287-0740. If you are only filing for the per capita cash payment (up to $350 for recalled vehicles or up to $150 for unrecalled vehicles), the process is relatively straightforward — you need to establish that you owned or leased an eligible vehicle during the qualifying period. If you are also seeking reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, you will need supporting documentation such as receipts, invoices, or wage statements.
The tradeoff here is effort versus payout: the per capita payment requires minimal paperwork, while reimbursement claims require you to locate and submit specific records that may be years old. For many people, the flat payment alone is worth the few minutes it takes to file. There is no advantage to filing early versus filing close to the deadline in terms of payment amount, since all valid claims are pooled and divided after the submission window closes. However, filing sooner reduces the risk of forgetting entirely. Millions of eligible class members never file claims in settlements like these, often because they set a mental reminder and then let it slip. If you qualify, the practical advice is to file now rather than later.
Understanding the Airbag Defect and Why the Settlement Exists
The core defect at issue involves ZF-TRW airbag control units that are vulnerable to electrical overstress. In plain terms, an electrical surge can damage the control unit, which may then fail to deploy the airbags and other safety restraint systems during a collision. This is not a hypothetical risk — it is the kind of failure that can turn a survivable crash into a fatal one, because the vehicle’s occupants lose the protection they are counting on at the moment of impact. The litigation consolidated claims from vehicle owners across the country who argued that Hyundai and Kia knew or should have known about the vulnerability in these ZF-TRW units.
The $62.1 million settlement resolves these claims without the automakers admitting fault, which is standard in class action settlements of this scale. The court in the Central District of California granted final approval on October 8, 2025. One limitation worth noting: the settlement and the associated warranty extension cover only failures caused by electrical overstress. If your airbag control unit fails for a different reason — physical damage from a flood, corrosion from a coolant leak, or simple age-related wear — that would fall outside the scope of this settlement. The warranty on replacement parts installed during recalls is for 10 years, but it is specifically tied to electrical overstress failures, not a blanket guarantee against all possible malfunctions.
The 10-Year Warranty on Replacement Airbag Control Units
In addition to cash payments, the settlement provides a 10-year new parts warranty on replacement airbag control units installed during the recall process. This covers failures caused by electrical overstress only.
If you had your vehicle’s airbag control unit replaced under the recall and it fails again within 10 years due to the same type of electrical vulnerability, the repair would be covered at no cost to you. This warranty benefit does not apply to unrecalled vehicles, and it does not cover failures unrelated to electrical overstress. For recalled vehicle owners who plan to keep their cars long-term, this warranty adds meaningful value beyond the cash payment — a replacement airbag control unit can cost several hundred dollars or more if paid out of pocket, so the extended coverage is worth being aware of if you experience airbag warning lights or other restraint system issues down the road.
What Happens to the Settlement Fund After Claims Close
After the April 8, 2027 deadline passes and all claims are processed, the remaining mechanics of the settlement play out. Over $20.5 million of the $62.1 million fund has been awarded to class counsel for attorney fees, which is a standard percentage in consumer class action cases of this size. The remaining funds are allocated to reimbursement claims first, then distributed per capita among all valid claimants in each tier.
For class members weighing whether to file, the math favors participation. Even if the per capita amount ends up below the maximum due to high claim volume, it represents money you are entitled to for a genuine safety defect in your vehicle. The claims process through www.ACUSettlement.com is designed to be accessible, and the extended deadline through early 2027 removes the urgency that sometimes causes people to miss shorter filing windows. If you owned or leased one of the covered vehicles, this is a settlement worth acting on.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money will I actually receive from the Hyundai Kia airbag settlement?
Recalled vehicle owners can receive up to $350, and unrecalled vehicle owners up to $150. The exact amount depends on how many people file valid claims, since the remaining fund is split equally among all claimants in each tier after reimbursement claims are paid.
When is the deadline to file a claim in the ZF-TRW airbag control unit settlement?
The claim submission deadline is April 8, 2027. Claims can be filed online at www.ACUSettlement.com or by mail through JND Legal Administration.
What if I already sold my Hyundai or Kia — can I still file a claim?
Yes. You are eligible if you previously owned or leased a covered vehicle that was originally sold in the United States, even if you no longer own it. You must have owned or leased it as of or before April 14, 2025.
Does the settlement cover airbag failures from any cause?
No. The settlement specifically addresses failures caused by electrical overstress in ZF-TRW airbag control units. Failures from other causes, such as physical damage or unrelated electrical issues, are not covered.
Can I get reimbursed for expenses I already paid related to the recall?
Yes, but only if you owned a recalled vehicle. Reimbursable expenses include rental cars, towing, childcare during repairs, out-of-pocket ACU repair costs, and lost wages related to vehicle drop-off and pickup. You will need receipts or documentation.
Is the 10-year warranty available for all covered vehicles?
No. The 10-year new parts warranty applies only to replacement airbag control units installed in recalled vehicles during the recall process, and it covers only electrical overstress failures.