Nearly two dozen state attorneys general are demanding that Hyundai and Kia take action to stop what legal officials say is an “alarming” rash of vehicle thefts from the South Korean automakers.
From 2011 to 2022, Hyundai and Kia chose not to equip their cars sold in the US with “engine immobilizers,” an anti-theft device that states say was standard on other new cars during that period.
“Cars are often one of the biggest purchases a family will ever make, and families shouldn’t have to worry that manufacturers are cutting corners that could put their purchase at risk,” said Attorney General California, Rob Bonta, in a statement. “Hyundai and Kia made the decision to forgo a standard safety feature that would help protect owners’ investments, and now their customers are paying the price. It’s time for Hyundai and Kia to take responsibility for their poor decision that is harming American families and putting public safety at risk.”
Insurance companies like Progressive and State Farm have it stopped providing automatic coverage for certain Hyundai and Kia vehicle model years and trim levels in some states because thieves were targeting the cars. Bonta and 22 other state attorneys general are calling on automakers to take “immediate action” to deter theft.
More theft claims than all other car brands combined
The Highway Loss Data Institute, a unit of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, found in September that Hyundai and Kia vehicles without immobilizers had a vehicle theft claim rate of 2.18 per 1,000 years of insured vehicle. The rest of the industry combined had a rate of 1.21.
In a letter, the attorneys general pressed Hyundai and Kia to take immediate action to correct this public safety issue.
Hyundai and Kia launched in February free anti-theft software updates for millions of vehicles. The changes extended the duration of an alarm sound in cars from 30 seconds to one minute and require the key to be in the ignition switch to start a vehicle.
In a statement, Kia told CBS MoneyWatch on Monday that it has contacted approximately 1.1 million drivers to inform them of the software update and will notify an additional 2 million by the end of March. Dealers say installing the technology takes less than an hour, the company added.
Kia said it has taken other steps to reduce theft, including providing about 23,000 steering wheel locks to more than 120 U.S. law enforcement agencies for free distribution and launching a website where drivers can use their VIN to check if there is a vehicle. is eligible for the new software.
“We are also in contact with the major insurance companies so they are aware of the actions we have taken and are actively working with them to ensure our customers have access to comprehensive and quality coverage,” Kia said.
The software updates won’t be available to most Hyundai and Kia owners until June, the states said, while some drivers with vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2022 can’t use the software.
A Hyundai spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
TikTok ‘Challenge’ Related to Deaths
The vulnerability in some Hyundai and Kia vehicles surfaced in TikTok videos showing how to steal the cars with a USB cable and a screwdriver. The thefts are linked to at least 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In Los Angeles, Hyundai and Kia car thefts increased 85 percent in 2022 and accounted for about 20 percent of cars stolen in the city, Bonta’s office said.
Along with California, the states that signed the AG letter to automakers are Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon , Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, along with the District of Columbia.
