Easy Theft: Attorneys Prompt Recall Of Kia, Hyundai Cars In The US

Attorneys general in 17 states in the U.S. urged the federal government to recall millions of Kia and Hyundai cars because they are too easy to steal, a response to a sharp increase in thefts fueled by a viral social media challenge.

Some Kia and Hyundai cars sold in the United States over the last decade do not have engine immobilizers, a standard feature on most cars that prevents the engine from starting unless the key is present.

Videos circulating on social media have shown how people can start Kia and Hyundai models by using only a screwdriver and a USB cable.

In Los Angeles, thefts of Hyundai and Kia cars increased by about 85 percent in 2022, now accounting for 20 percent of all car thefts in the city, according to the California attorney general’s office.

These social media-inspired thefts have often ended in tragedy, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration blaming the stolen car trend for 14 reported crashes and eight deaths.

In October, a police commissioner said that a car crash in Buffalo, New York, that left four teenagers dead may have been linked to the social media challenge.

In the incident, a total of six teenagers were in a speeding Kia that crashed, Buffalo police said. The car had been reported stolen.

“The bottom line is, Kia’s and Hyundai’s failure to install standard safety features on many of their vehicles have put vehicle owners and the public at risk,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a news release. “Instead of taking responsibility with appropriate corrective action, these carmakers have chosen instead to pass this risk onto consumers and our communities.”

Bonta and the other attorneys general sent a letter on Thursday to NHTSA requesting a nationwide recall. The letter also was signed by attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia.