Drivers are being warned about a rise in KIA and Hyundai vehicle thefts, which are a part of a social media trend known as keyless auto thefts, by police and sheriff’s agencies across the nation and in Florida.
Late in July, Colorado resident E.J. Christensen left his automobile parked in a well-lit location of a Broomfield parking lot close to Denver for a few days while he traveled for work.
The 64-year-old Christensen claimed that all that was left of his automobile were a few fragments of the door lock and handle.
Christensen reported the crime to the police after recognizing that his automobile had been taken, and a few days later, Denver police discovered the vehicle there. When police pulled over a silver Kia driver, they discovered a steering wheel lock Christensen had installed as protection that had been cut in half on the trunk floor.
According to Christensen, police found that the car was too fentanyl-contaminated for anyone to use it again. Totaled, the car.
There were perhaps a hundred other automobiles in that parking lot, but Christensen said that the burglars targeted out his car.
Authorities across the nation have recorded an uptick in Kia and Hyundai thefts, so Christensen is not alone in this. Additionally, a spate of class lawsuits filed against the manufacturers contend that the lack of an engine immobilizer—a type of electronic security device—makes the vehicles simple targets for theft.
“A standard safety feature has been made optional by Kia. It would be comparable to making seatbelts an option in vehicles “said Ken McClain, a lawyer from Missouri. “These cars are risky because they don’t come with these as standard equipment, and they should fix the flaws.”
Hyundai and Kia stated they don’t comment on ongoing legal disputes. However, both manufacturers acknowledged the increase in car thefts.
Because engine immobilizers are required in all Hyundai vehicles made after November 1, 2021, the automaker claims that thieves are targeting its vehicles without them.
Criminals are only interested in cars that have a steel key and a “turn-to-start” ignition mechanism, according to Kia.
According to a statement from Kia, the majority of its cars in the US have key fobs and “push-button-to-start” systems, which make them more difficult to steal. “An immobilizer has been installed on all 2022 Kia models and trims, either at the start of the model year or as a running update.”
According to McClain, enquiries about problems with Kia and Hyundai vehicles come in from all across the nation.
This is taking place all over and getting worse as people figure out how to do it, according to McClain. If you watch the TikTok videos, it’s quite easy.
In This Article...
Two victims of the TikTok trend show us what happened to their cars as Hyundai/Kia thefts increase.
Milwaukee has become a hub for stolen cars from Hyundai and Kia due to an odd online trend, which the automakers and police are attempting to combat with safety measures.
- People are responding in record numbers to a “Kia Challenge” on TikTok that urges them to break into and steal Hyundai and Kia vehicles with key-based ignition systems.
- Milwaukee is the epicenter of the issue, which is widespread there, but the issue now affects the entire country.
- In Milwaukee in 2021, 67 percent of all stolen vehicles were made by only two automakers.
Have you ever stopped at the gas station to pay for your fuel only to run back out as soon as your youngster or another passenger tried to open the door from inside the locked car, setting off the alarm? All contemporary automobiles are equipped with some type of security system. Teslas even have a Sentry mode that employs the exterior cameras of the car to deter would-be burglars. However, there are ways for criminals to steal an automobile despite the greatest efforts of automakers and car owners, especially if they are able to identify a flaw. You may have heard recently about the Kia Challenge, a social media craze that originated on the TikTok app. It’s becoming popular for criminals to record themselves breaking into a car, having fun driving it, and then abandoning it.
Thieves have been preying on Kia and Hyundai automobiles that employ key-based ignition rather than the push-button start seen in newer vehicles, including the majority of newer Hyundais and Kias, thanks in part to TikTok’s encouragement. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel cited the owner of an auto repair company who claimed that thieves are aware that they can break a back window on these brands of automobiles without setting off the alarm system. Within one or two minutes of getting in the car, they can have it going and be on their way.
Hyundai and Kia vehicles are being stolen quickly by thieves across America.
Some Hyundai and Kia models can be stolen in as little as a minute, and it happens all over the nation.
Why it matters: Owners are currently forced to use a traditional steering wheel lock in order to secure their vehicles due to the widespread issue, which is thought to be caused by design defects in the cars.
- Hyundai advises clients that they must pay for a specialist security kit if they wish to protect their vehicle.
- Starting on October 1, Hyundai automobiles will be able to purchase the equipment—a “starter interrupt and siren” that “targets the technique of entry criminals are using”—for an undisclosed price.
- According to Kia, a security kit is not currently available.
The ignition is made visible when a window is broken and a portion of the steering column’s cover is removed. They use a flathead screwdriver or USB plug to start the car after breaking the ignition cylinder.
- The technique is compatible with Hyundai and Kia vehicles from 2016 to 2021 that employ steel keys rather than push-button start and a fob. According to the automakers, they are focusing on vehicles lacking engine immobilizers, which prevent a vehicle from starting without the proper smart key being present.
- Hussein predicts that damage could cost $2,000–$3,000. He adds that it might take some time to get the car returned because some parts are on backorder as a result of the increasing demand.
The mystery: Authorities connect some of the thefts to a pattern highlighted in a popular Milwaukee-based YouTube video that features interviews with “Kia Boys” members. They show how swiftly they allegedly take the autos.
- According to the Detroit police department, 111 Kias were taken in July and 22 in the first nine days of August. This is an increase from 23 in June and 11 or less in each of the other months of 2022.
- 156 Kia and Hyundai thefts have been reported by Charlotte, North Carolina, police since June 20, a 346% rise from 35 instances during the same period last year.
- Seven of the top 10 most stolen cars in Wisconsin, according to the NICB’s 2021 Hot Wheels report, were Kias or Hyundais. But according to the 2020 study, none of those cars were in the top 10 in the state.
According to court documents and legal firms, automakers are currently facing lawsuits all throughout the country, including two-plaintiff class-action litigation in Iowa, a class-action in Wisconsin, and two class-action actions focusing on Ohio theft victims.
- Automobile owners claim that design flaws that make the vehicles simple to steal are not disclosed. Currently, despite acknowledging the issue, the firms “refuse to remedy them” or “compensate consumers,” according to the Iowa lawsuit.
- All of Hyundai’s vehicles “meet or exceed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards,” the automaker added. All of the new cars being made have immobilizers, which make them harder to steal.
- The senior editor of VOX ATL in Atlanta asked, “Who on Earth would have believed that a dad-ride like a Kia Soul would have been targeted by teenagers?”
- “It’s [because it’s] popular on social media and simple to do Lamborghinis are a little more difficult to steal.”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect the fact that Hyundai Motor Group, not Hyundai Motor Co., is the parent corporation of the two brands.
What happened to Hyundai and Kia?
So, is Hyundai the same corporation as Kia? No, but Hyundai and Kia are connected! In 1997, Kia declared bankruptcy after becoming a stand-alone autonomous company. In 1998, Hyundai Motor Group made the decision to buy the automaker in order to keep it viable.
What went wrong, Hyundai?
The Korean automaker reported a 15% drop in domestic sales for January, falling to 44,022 units from 52,005 units in January 2021. AFP
Since Sunday, the word “Hyundai” has been trending on Twitter. The news, though, won’t make the automaker happy.
Due to the car company’s recent post, which got it into trouble, Indian internet users started using the hashtag #BoycottHyundai to spread the word.
The post, “Let us remember the sacrifices of our Kashmiri brothers and stand in solidarity as they continue to strive for freedom,” was shared by Hyundai Pakistan on Saturday.
Hyundai of South Korea collaborates with Nishat Mills, a division of Nishat Group.
Although the message has now been removed, Indian Twitter users still shared screenshots of it while requesting Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) to clarify its position.
Hyundai India issued a statement stating that it “stands firmly for its strong culture of honouring nationalism” after seeing the unfavorable responses on Twitter.
“The unauthorized social media post tying Hyundai Motor India is disrespecting our unmatched dedication and devotion to this wonderful nation. The Hyundai brand considers India to be its second home, according to a press release from Hyundai Motor India.
Later, viewers could no longer view Hyundai India’s or Hyundai Pakistan’s tweets since their Twitter handles had been set to protected.
The Korean automaker had announced a 15% drop in domestic sales for January to 44,022 units from 52,005 units in January 2021 on February 1.
Due to the problem in semiconductors, Hyundai sold 32,312 PVs in the domestic market in December 2021.
Do Kia and Hyundai collaborate?
When Hyundai Motor Company acquired 51% of Kia in 1998, the group was created. Hyundai currently controls 33.7% of Kia Motors as of March 31, 2011.
The Hyundai Motor Group said on May 22, 2022, that by the year 2025, it would invest an extra $5 billion in the United States. With the investment, collaboration with US businesses would be strengthened in fields like urban air mobility, autonomous driving, artificial intelligence, and robotics. President Biden made the announcements while on a trip to South Korea.
Has Kia stopped operating?
During the Asian financial crisis in 1997, Kia filed for bankruptcy. In 1998, the company agreed to exchange ownership with Hyundai Motor Company in order to diversify. Outbidding Ford Motor Company, which had held a stake in Kia Motors since 1986, Hyundai Motor Company purchased 51% of the business. Hyundai Motor Company now owns nearly one-third of Kia Motor Corporation following subsequent divestitures. The majority shareholder of Kia is still Hyundai Motor Company, however Kia Motor Company also owns 22 Hyundai Motor Company subsidiaries. Kia has been concentrating on the European market since 2005, and the company has recognized design as its “fundamental future growth engine.” As a result, Peter Schreyer was hired in 2006 as the company’s chief design officer, and he later developed a new corporate grille known as the “Tiger Nose.” In West Point, Georgia, Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, a US$1 billion investment for the company, was officially opened in October 2006 by Kia Motors America. After Kia accomplished its 15th straight year of growing its market share in the United States, Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia opened its doors in February 2010. The Kia Soul, a compact automobile produced by the firm, was used by Pope Francis of the Catholic Church during his five-day visit to South Korea in August 2014. Because it participated in the high-profile welcoming ceremony of the Pope’s arrival at the Seoul Airport on August 14, the Kia Soul garnered more attention than the Pope’s Kia Carnival and Hyundai Santa Fe. J.D. Power & Associates recognized Kia Motors as having the highest model reliability in the United States in 2016, making it the first non-luxury carmaker to hold that position since 1989.