After months of Hyundais and Kias being stolen by TikTok users participating in the “Kia Challenge,” the two automakers are providing a free update to their theft-deterrent software to anyone who owns the vulnerable cars.
The news was shared this Tuesday in a consumer alert from the National Traffic Safety Administration.
“Hyundai and Kia have developed anti-theft software for millions of their vehicles that do not have an immobilizer and will provide it free of charge to vehicle owners,” the alert said.
The update software will extend the car’s alarm “from 30 seconds to one minute and requires the key to be in the ignition switch to start the vehicle,” the alert said.
The Kia challenge started on TikTok, showing how certain older model Kias and Hyundais can be stolen with a USB cable.
According to the NHTSA, approximately 3.8 million Hyundais and 4.5 million Kias do not have an “immobilizer” that prevents the car from starting without the key.
Thefts skyrocketed across the country after the challenge began. According to the consumer alert, the social media challenge “has resulted in at least 14 reported accidents and eight fatalities,” in addition to a number of stolen cars.
Maryland woman Lexy had her Kia stolen twice thanks to the challenge. After expensive repairs to fix the damage caused by the first theft, his Kia Optima went missing a second time and has still not been found.
“My stomach just dropped. I was in complete shock,” Lexy told News4 earlier this month.
Like other Kia and Hyundai owners, he saw higher car insurance rates due to the increased cost of replacements and repairs.
According to the consumer alert, Hyundai and Kia “have been working with law enforcement to provide more than 26,000 steering wheel locks since November 2022 to 77 law enforcement agencies in 12 states.”
Lexy, like many other drivers, had planned to get a steering wheel lock, but the police department didn’t have free ones and online prices had skyrocketed.
But the lack of action from car companies so far had been frustrating.
“We’re just citizens trying to get to work, trying to take care of our families,” Lexy said. “The fact that they haven’t offered any kind of compensation, no way to fix the problem, is really baffling.”
Hyundai will roll out its software update in phases by the end of February, according to the alert, and will send customers “a window sticker alerting potential thieves that the vehicle is equipped with anti-theft protection.”
Kia will also begin updating its vehicles at the end of February.
For information on free upgrades, car owners can call Hyundai toll-free at 800-633-5151 or call Kia toll-free at 800-333-4542.
