Hyundai Blue Link System Will Self Destruct
Messages that self-destruct and dastardly extortion – it all sounds like the plot to Mission Impossible, right? But it’s actually the story of Hyundai’s Blue Link systems. Pay up, or it’ll blow up.
Messages that self-destruct and dastardly extortion – it all sounds like the plot to Mission Impossible, right? But it’s actually the story of Hyundai’s Blue Link systems. Pay up, or it’ll blow up.
Ok, ok. There’s no blowing up involved, but the self-destruct part is entirely possible and that threat of extortion has led to a class-action lawsuit.
Starting in 2015, Hyundai started notifying owners that if you allow the Blue Link subscription to be inactive for more than a year, the system will be permanently disabled.
That’s right. Hyundai is giving owners a timeline and if they don’t pay up, the hardware of the Blue Link system gets the axe.
“Reactivating your Blue Link services after it is disabled will require a hardware change, dealer-assisted installation, and will cost a minimum of $500 to replace the telematics unit plus any applicable subscription fees.”
Can you imagine if Netflix charged you $500 each time you wanted to resubscribe?
A class action lawsuit accuses Hyundai of failing to inform owners when they bought the cars that the system would eventually self-destruct and that the value of the car is now lowered without the option of the Blue Link system. All owners want is the option to resubscribe
