'Go Into the PayMe App:' Woman Says Hyundai, Kia Drivers May Qualify for Lawsuit Money Over Defective Part

"Both of these brands have massive lawsuits against them right now and it’s safety related."

Woman says Hyundai, KIA drivers should see if they can claim money from lawsuit over defective part

Photo by: gemma_fraser & Erik Mclean

Nina Hernandez

By: Nina Hernandez

Oct 19, 2025 at 4:00pm ET

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A woman is urging Kia and Hyundai drivers to check and see if they can file a claim in the class action settlement over defective airbags.

TikTok creator Gemma (@gemma_fraser) posted a video with her story last week. To start the video, she says, “Wait, so if you drive a Kia or a Hyundai, you might want to stop and listen to this. Both of these brands have massive lawsuits against them right now and it’s safety related.”

Gemma says anyone with one of the affected models should go to the PayMe app and see if they’re able to claim part of the settlement. PayMe is a cashless payment app that also helps users connect to class-action lawsuit settlement payouts.

“This is a safety concern, because they allegedly have airbags in them that don’t really work the way that airbags are supposed to,” she explains. “So, picture this, you’re driving and you get in an accident and you’re relying on those airbags to protect you. But, guess what, they don’t work right.”

What's Going On With Kia and Hyundai’s Airbag Settlement?

The South Korean auto brands did agree to pay $62 million over the summer to settle a class action lawsuit that alleged some of its ZF-TRW airbag control units failed to deploy during crashes. Both brands deny wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement.

If you were in such an accident, you might be able to get reimbursed for your rental car and other related expenses. Some might also qualify for small residual payments of $350 for recalled models and $150 for non-recalled models. The deadline to submit a claim is March 29, 2027.

What Models Are Affected?

In the comments section of the video, one person reminded Gemma that she promised to include a list of the make and models with the defective airbags. “Girl, you got me scared now and you didn’t drop the make and models,” they wrote.

Here are the makes and model years involved:

Hyundai Sonata, 2011-2019
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, 2011-2019
Hyundai Konda, 2018-2023
Hyundai Kona N, 2022-2023
Hyundai Veloster, 2019-2021
Kia Forte, 2010-2013
Kia Forte Koup, 2010-2013
Kia Optima, 2011-2020
Kia Optima Hybrid, 2011-2016
Kia Sedona, 2011-12, 2014

In order to make a claim, car owners must send documentation of expenses, such as a receipt, invoice, or signed affidavit if they don’t have a receipt or invoice.

What do you think?

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In a Reddit thread posted to r/Hyundai three months ago, Hyundai owners discussed getting a notice in the mail and filing claim forms. Others said they hadn’t heard anything about it yet.

Motor1 contacted Gemma via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We’ll update this if she responds.