Published
August 22, 2026
This settlement resolves claims over power-window regulators in certain Kia Optima and Sportage vehicles. Current and former owners may claim documented repair costs, while current owners can choose a $40 Kia dealer service card instead.
Current Status
Claims are open. Claim Forms must be submitted online or postmarked by November 23, 2026; the official notice gives only the date and does not specify a cutoff time or timezone. The court granted preliminary approval on June 8, 2026, and scheduled a final approval hearing for January 7, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. No final approval order or payment date had been announced as of August 22, 2026.
Status
Claims Open
Preliminary approval granted June 8, 2026
Claim Deadline
November 23, 2026
Submit online or postmark by this date
Estimated Payout
Up to $400 per Repair
Or a $40 Kia dealer service card for current owners and lessees
Proof Required
Yes
Class Member ID, VIN and supporting ownership or repair documents
What Changed Recently?
The court preliminarily approved the proposed settlement on June 8, 2026 and authorized notice to current and former owners and lessees. The official settlement website and claim portal are now live. Plaintiffs allege that power-window regulator drums or gears can separate or break, leaving a window unable to move normally; Kia denies the claims, and the settlement is not an admission that Kia violated the law or did anything wrong.Who Qualifies?
The class covers residents of the United States and District of Columbia, excluding U.S. territories, who currently or previously owned or leased a Class Vehicle. Class Vehicles are certain 2016 and 2017 Kia Optima vehicles and all 2017 Kia Sportage vehicles identified on a defined VIN list. Model and year alone are not enough to confirm coverage, so use the official Kia settlement VIN lookup before filing.Important exclusions include vehicles treated as a total loss or salvage, fleet vehicles such as rentals and company vehicles, dealerships that owned a vehicle when it needed a covered repair, insurers and subrogated entities, extended-warranty and service-contract providers, and owners who already released these claims. Anyone who validly opts out is also excluded.
How Much Can You Get?
Current and former owners or lessees can seek reimbursement for amounts they actually paid for parts and labor to replace one or more power-window regulators at an authorized Kia dealership or a reputable third-party repair facility. The settlement permits claims for up to four regulator replacements per eligible VIN. The percentage and cap for each repair depend on the vehicle's mileage when the out-of-warranty failure occurred:- Under 35,000 miles: 100% of the amount paid, capped at $400.
- 35,001–55,000 miles: 80% of the amount paid, capped at $320.
- 55,001–75,000 miles: 60% of the amount paid, capped at $240.
- 75,001–125,000 miles: 45% of the amount paid, capped at $180.
- 125,001 miles or more: 40% of the amount paid, capped at $160.
Current owners and lessees have a second option: instead of repair reimbursement, they may request a $40 digital Dealer Service Card. The card can be used for service, merchandise or parts at an authorized Kia dealership's service department within six months after issuance. A claimant cannot receive both benefits for the same vehicle, and former owners and lessees cannot choose the service card.
What Proof or Notice ID Is Required?
Proof is required. The Claim Form asks for the Class Member ID printed on the settlement notice and the Class Vehicle's VIN. A repair-reimbursement claim must include a repair order from a Kia dealership or verifiable repair facility showing the VIN, the window-regulator work, the vehicle mileage, repair date and cost, plus proof that the class member paid for the repair. A claim for the $40 service card must include documentation showing that the claimant currently owns or leases the vehicle, such as current registration.The claimant must also sign an attestation that the information is true. If Kroll determines that a claim is deficient, the notice says it will identify the problem and give the claimant 30 days from the deficiency notice to correct it.
What Is the Deadline?
The deadline to submit a Claim Form online or have a mailed form postmarked is November 23, 2026. The notice does not give a time or timezone for online filing, so do not assume the portal remains open through the end of the day in your location.October 23, 2026 is the separate deadline to exclude yourself, object to the proposed settlement or file a notice that you intend to speak at the final approval hearing. Opting out means receiving no settlement benefit but keeping the right to pursue the released claims separately. Objecting means staying in the class while telling the court why you oppose some part of the proposed settlement.
How Do You Take Action?
Start with the official VIN lookup. If the vehicle is covered, use the official Kia window regulator claim form and choose either repair reimbursement or, if you are a current owner or lessee, the $40 service card. Gather the required supporting records before beginning and keep copies of the completed form and everything submitted.The official Kia Window Regulator Settlement website also hosts the notice, settlement agreement, claim form and current court dates. OCA is not the settlement administrator and cannot confirm a VIN, recover a Class Member ID or decide whether a repair is eligible.
What Happens Next?
The final approval hearing is scheduled for January 7, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. The court will decide whether the proposed settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate and will consider the requested attorneys' fees, costs and service awards. The hearing date may change, and holding the hearing does not itself mean final approval has been granted.Valid claims are paid after the settlement's Effective Date. If there are no objectors, that date follows entry of final judgment; if there are objections or appeals, the settlement does not become effective until the time to appeal expires or all appeals are resolved. The official materials do not announce a payment date.
Sources and Verification
- Official Kia Window Regulator Settlement website, including the live claim portal, VIN lookup, deadlines and Important Dates section.
- June 8, 2026 preliminary approval order, long-form notice and paper Claim Form in Le Beau, et al. v. Kia America, Inc., et al., No. 8:22-cv-01545-FWS-JDE (C.D. Cal.) — embedded below.
- Official Kroll claim form, used to verify the documentation requirements and November 23, 2026 deadline.
Questions
Which Kia vehicles are covered by the window regulator settlement?
The settlement covers certain 2016 and 2017 Kia Optima vehicles and all 2017 Kia Sportage vehicles on the settlement's VIN list. Current and former owners or lessees should use the official VIN lookup to confirm a specific vehicle.
Can I claim both repair reimbursement and the $40 Kia service card?
No. A current owner or lessee must choose either reimbursement for eligible out-of-pocket window-regulator repair costs or the $40 dealer service card. Former owners and lessees may claim only eligible repair reimbursement.
How many Kia window regulator repairs can be reimbursed?
The settlement allows reimbursement claims for replacement of up to four window regulators per eligible VIN. Each repair is subject to the mileage-based reimbursement percentage and cap.
What documents are required for a Kia window regulator claim?
A repair-reimbursement claim requires the Class Member ID and VIN, a qualifying repair order showing the VIN, repair, mileage, date and cost, and proof of payment. A $40 service-card claim requires proof that the claimant currently owns or leases the vehicle, such as current registration.
What happens if Kroll says my Kia settlement claim is incomplete?
The notice states that the Settlement Administrator will notify a claimant of a deficiency and provide 30 days from that notice to correct it.
Has the Kia window regulator settlement received final approval?
No. The court granted preliminary approval on June 8, 2026. The final approval hearing is scheduled for January 7, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time, and no payment date has been announced.
Official Kia Settlement Documents
For more class actions keep scrolling below.
Settlement Amount
No fixed common fund disclosed — claims-made benefits
Case Title
Le Beau, et al. v. Kia America, Inc., et al.
Case Number
8:22-cv-01545-FWS-JDE
Court
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Final Approval Hearing
January 7, 2027 at 10:00 AM PST
The court may reschedule the hearing without further mailed notice
Administrator
Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
Official Website
Kia Window Regulator Settlement
