Kia Optima and Sportage window regulator settlement

Who may be eligible

Kia has settled a class action over the automatic window regulators in certain 2016-2017 Optima and all 2017 Sportage vehicles, which the plaintiffs said can break and leave a power window stuck. If you own, lease, or previously owned or leased one of those vehicles and paid out of pocket for a window regulator repair, you may be eligible to claim part of that cost back, on a sliding scale from 100% of what you paid up to $400 if the failure happened under 35,000 miles down to 40% up to $160 above 125,000 miles. Current owners who would rather not file a repair claim may instead ask for a $40 dealer service card. Claims close November 23, 2026 and the court's final approval hearing is January 7, 2027, so nothing is paid until after that and any appeals; filing on the official settlement site is free and the administrator decides every claim.

The notice states no state limit, so it is usually nationwide. Covered: 2016-2017 Kia Optima, 2017 Kia Sportage.

Only the official administrator or agency decides who is eligible. Read the official notice before filing, and file only if you believe you meet its criteria.

Model and year are a starting point, not a decision. Coverage usually turns on the individual vehicle. Check yours on the official claim page, which is where any VIN lookup lives.

How much it may pay

About $40–$400. Every figure here is an estimate from public materials, not a guarantee: many settlements pay pro rata or only after a claims review, so final amounts commonly land well below the advertised maximum.

Reimbursement is tiered by the mileage at the time of the out-of-warranty failure: 100% of what was paid, capped at $400, under 35,000 miles; 80% capped at $320 to 55,000; 60% capped at $240 to 75,000; 45% capped at $180 to 125,000; and 40% capped at $160 above that. Up to four repairs per VIN may be claimed. Current owners and lessees can instead take a $40 dealer service card. These figures are read off the court-authorized notice and are not a promise of any amount; the administrator reviews every claim and may reject one that is not documented.

The notice sets no overall settlement fund: Kia pays approved claims as they are submitted, on a claims-made basis. Class counsel will ask the court to award fees, costs and expenses of no more than $1,244,000 and service awards of $1,500 for each of the four class representatives. The court may award less than counsel asks, and the notice says the request is posted on the settlement website once it is filed.

What the deadline is

The claim deadline is November 23, 2026.

The deadline to opt out or object is October 23, 2026.

The court's fairness hearing is set for January 7, 2027; payments do not go out until the settlement is finally approved and any appeals are resolved.

The notice says valid claims are paid as they are approved after the settlement's effective date, which arrives once the court grants final approval and any appeals are resolved. It gives no date and warns that appeals can take time.

What proof is needed

Receipts or payment records may be required.

The official claim form states exactly what it accepts; gather it before you start.

How to file for free

Open the official claim page on this page, run by Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, read the criteria, and file there if you believe you meet them. Filing is free: official claims never carry a fee, and this site never files on anyone's behalf.

Never give a Social Security number, bank login or card number to a site that is not the official administrator or agency page.

Why this case happened

The plaintiffs alleged that the automatic window regulators in these vehicles use drums and gears that can separate or break, leaving a power window inoperable. Kia denies the claims and the court has not decided which side was right. The parties agreed to settle instead of going to trial, and the judge granted preliminary approval and authorized the notice that sets out these terms.