— The Hyundai shutdown of Bluelink 3G connected services has caused a class action lawsuit that alleges the sunsetting of 3G wireless has rendered important features obsolete in Hyundai and Genesis vehicles.
The Hyundai Bluelink feature allegedly uses technology which is only compatible with 3G wireless networks, and Hyundai's vehicles allegedly cannot be upgraded or adapted to work with later wireless technologies such as 4G or 5G.
According to the Hyundai 3G sunset lawsuit, the automaker sold vehicles between 2014 and 2020 with Bluelink connected services that operate features such as emergency and crash reporting.
Hyundai Bluelink depends on 3G wireless technology from Verizon which discontinued its 3G wireless service December 31, 2022.
The Hyundai Bluelink shutdown lawsuit includes:
"All persons or entities in the United States who are current or former owners and/or lessees of a vehicle equipped by Defendants with the BlueLink feature and 'connected services.'”
The 3G sunset allegedly left Hyundai and Genesis customers without features they paid for, believing those features would function for the life of the vehicles.
According to the class action lawsuit, Hyundai knew about the shutdown of Bluelink 3G wireless years ago but didn't tell customers. As early as 2010, Verizon announced it would transition its entire 3G network to 4G LTE.
However, Hyundai allegedly continued to market and sell vehicles while promoting the benefits of Bluelink.
The plaintiff who filed the lawsuit alleges Hyundai knew by 2012 that 3G would be phased out of service.
"Defendants deceived Plaintiff and class members by marketing, promoting, selling and leasing vehicles equipped with a 3G telematics system knowing that the product was going to become obsolete." — Hyundai 3G sunset class action lawsuit
The Hyundai 3G sunset lawsuit was filed by Illinois plaintiff John Tamburo who purchased a certified pre-owned 2015 Hyundai Genesis on May 31, 2017.
The Hyundai 3G sunset class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Eastern Division): John Tamburo v. Hyundai Motor America Corporation, et al.
The plaintiff is represented by Edelman Combs Latturner & Goodwin, LLC.
The Hyundai 3G sunset class action lawsuit follows 3G lawsuits filed against other automakers, as you can see below.