Kias and Hyundais Keep Getting Stolen by the Thousands and Cities Are Suing | A viral Tiktok trend that began in 2021 demonstrated how the companies failed to install a basic anti-theft technology …::A viral Tiktok trend that began in 2021 demonstrated how the companies failed to install a basic anti-theft technology that made them trivially easy to steal.
It’s worth mentioning that this impacts only US vehicles from those brands.
And only the key operated ones. Push to start are not affected.
“Push to start” may stop someone driving off in the car, but they are still targets.
Thieves smash the windows, hop in, see the lack of key startup, then hop out. You still will end making a call to the police or insurance company.
Having “Hyundai” or “Kia” anywhere on the car makes them a target of thieves, even with push to start.
Nah, the proximity key cars have buttons on the door handle. It’s a dead giveaway sign that it’s pushbutton inside. Most thieves know this/figure it out real quick so they don’t waste their time/risk getting caught.
More needs to be said. Insurance companies have raised the rates of basic, liability only, for a salvage title car, by more than 70% increase in the last 3 years. $440/6mo > $770/6mo.
This is an attack on all motorists in a way I’ve never seen. Financially attacking everyone for two car models that have been designed to be targets of “model”, and to allow children to make a mess of their futures.
What leverage can we possibly have against this exploitation?
I hope it’s the result of not using the metric system.
No, but it is the result of deregulation. Similar models sold in Canada don’t have this issue because (drumroll please), federal regulations require immobilizers on new cars. Free market at work folks.
But Canada operates as a free market without the issue…sounds more like a US govt with a weak regulator problem.
A free market requires stringent regulation to function humanely and morally. The two are at odds with each other. My final sentence is a critique of neoliberalism, an ideology in which regulation is reduced and power is given to corporate entities and away from regulators. It’s been impossible to escape in politics since Thatcher and Reagan, and leads to some of the worst aspects of today’s society that we havr to suffer. One of which is the poor people who bought a car assuming it’d be safe, just to find that the companies saved a quick buck to their loss. I hope the people win these lawsuits, but I doubt the justice system has the teeth (or willingness) to prosecute this negligence as it should be.
I said this above, and more needs to be said. Insurance companies have raised the rates of basic, liability only, for a salvage title car, by more than 70% increase in the last 3 years. $440/6mo > $770/6mo.
This is an attack on all motorists in a way I’ve never seen, and a further attack on new car owners who are unwittingly being sold these cars by car dealerships.
Financially attacking everyone for two car models that have been designed to be targets of “model”, and to allow children to make a mess of their futures. What leverage can we possibly have against this exploitation?
Can you link any additional information regarding that ? I just got my Hyundai stolen in the EU (from 2019) and last week apparently another one was stolen in the same area.
Did you have an immobilizer on your car? Where I live the insurance basically requires one if you want to be insured, so virtually all private cars have one installed.
The original article on the TikTok video that has “started” the trend refers only to low end models without one installed, so starting it without a key becomes trivial.
That’s why I’m searching for some answers, cause I don’t really know. It was a Kona model, and last week a Tucson was stolen (2018 make) so I don’t know what to tell you. I’m currently trying to find out if I can start a lawsuit against Hyundai for this exact reason.
Are you sure? This stuff is happening in Australia too. Something about the key hole size being the exact size as a USB-A cable.
That’s only a small part of it. The bigger issue was that Hyundai/Kia removed like a 10 cent chip that would have prevented this issue on the US and a few other markets to save money.
Still, everyone puts the blame on Hyundai, and while they definitely deserve some blame in all this, let’s not forget the fact that people are still actively stealing these cars. These are still scumbag criminals doing this. An average person could see a car with its doors unlocked and the engine running and they won’t hop in and steal it, because they’re not asswipes.
Here it says that this should not be possible in Australia due to the immobilizers.
https://www.drive.com.au/news/us-kia-and-hyundai-thefts-what-it-means-for-australia/
Maybe some thieves believe all KIAs and Hyundays are targets and eventually some are stolen due to other factors.
Car thefts are up here anyway, but a lot of it is break and enters where they just get into your house to grab the keys.
There is a diagnostic USB port in the steering column of the car, they are plugging a cable into that then the car just starts without the key.
Immobilizers are required here in Australia so it’s not that, I think it just inspired a bunch of kids to go steal cars in other ways.
the companies failed to install a basic anti-theft technology
Failed to install or weighed the cost of not installing it and kept the profit?
Was it a requirement by law? Obviously not as this seems to be an America thing. So why not change the laws and mandate antithetical devices in cats
Technically no, but standards do dictate that measures to prevent unauthorized use be present so I imagine those legal battles will be around that second part, especially with immobilizers being practically standard for every other manufacturer. Changing the laws will be a tough part, we can’t even get reasonable automotive lighting laws on the books or enforced.
This is a law in Canada and to my knowledge these kinds of thefts aren’t happening here. This should be an easy fix.
I also have to wonder how much it was fueled by the silicone shortage, omitting electronics in order to get a car out the door, as other manufacturers did (albeit in a smarter way, so not that any of this stuff exempts Hyundai/kia from criticism)
These are pre-2020 models
Kias are just shit cars for shit people
It’s getting near impossible to insure Kias/Hyundais in some states now because this is so bad. I’d actually be considering buying one of their EVs or Hybrids if it wasn’t such an issue.
Are insurers refusing all Kia/Hyundai or just the affected ones?
None of the push to start ones are affected, only the base model key operated ones because they didn’t install immobilizers on them.
My wife has an affected model, but a push to start version. Getting insurance was fine. They did call to verify that it was the push to start before they finalized the policy, though.
There are other auto makes besides KIA/Hyundai, to be considered… that didn’t overlook a “easy to steal with a USB” type problems.
If you’re trying to find a manufacturer that hasn’t had some colossal/nefarious fuck up in the past, good luck to you because they don’t exist.
Of course, I just really like the styling and price range on a lot of their newer models. I’m not seriously looking to buy right now, but if these problems didn’t exist they’d be the top of the list probably.
I was one of the victims. My Hyundai Elantra was stolen. Smashed out the back window and ripped out the ignition to steal it. My insurance company has totaled the vehicle and paid me the value of the car. They totaled it because the thieves colored all over the seats and ceiling of the vehicle and the repair shop can’t get replacement parts. I’ve started car shopping and I’ll be damned if I buy another Hyundai at this point. Even though I’m seeing them for $3-5k cheaper than comparable sedans.
The most eye opening part was that my car was spotted at a McDonalds down the road from my work with the smashed window, and the person called the police. An office didn’t arrive to the restaurant for over an hour and the thieves had already driven off. I think the police are overwhelmed with thefts, and the thieves, even if they’re caught, are underage and released with a court date that they aren’t attending. When I was at the impound lot to release the vehicle to the repair shop, two more Hyundais arrived while I was there!
On a positive note, I needed new tires and rear brakes that I’d scheduled to complete after my summer vaca so I can add that money to the down payment.
Police don’t care abkut property crimes against people
Against poor people. If someone smashes a Ferrari, they will be arrested in a matter of minutes.
I can’t afford to buy new vehicles, so I’m stuck still driving around in my 2004 - but even that car has a factory-installed immobilizer. It’s weird that it’s not considered a standard option on all models for modern vehicles.
I dunno about suing them. Lots of things are easy to steal. If there were a Tik Tok trend of stealing garbage cans, I might make an effort to secure the ones I have, but I wouldn’t sue the garbage can manufacturer for not addressing the possibility of theft if mine were stolen. These cars do have some theft protection, at least to the extent that you can’t accidentally steal them. Car owners should probably do what they can to deter theft, Tik Tok & YouTube should dissuade users from encouraging kids to steal, parents should be more responsible, and (not that it would necessarily help) all cops should stop being bastards
Found the European. In America everything is always someone else’s fault, it says so in the constitution.
It’s such a shame, I had a 2011 Kia Soul that was my favorite car I’ve ever owned (and notably not in the model years with the immobilizer problem). Unfortunately some moron crashed into me earlier this year and totaled it. My first thought was to replace it with another Soul but their reputation is so bad at this point that I had to go with something else. Six months later a Soul that I test drove is still sitting at the same used car dealership. No one will touch them.
I recently shopped auto insurance. There are now policy carriers that refuse to insure Kia and Hyundai for a new policy. It has been one of the very first questions a rep asks so they can figure out if the call needs to be ended right away.
Good to know. Hopefully sticking with my current carrier works…
Can’t get them insured at all? Why wouldn’t they offer liability, collision, and comprehensive (except vandalism) and just deny theft/vandalism coverage?
Just got home to find out my neighbor’s kia was stolen. Managed to get it back and catch the guys. But his steering column is busted now.
… Batman? Did you bust the steering column with one of their faces?
they SWORE TO HIM
Are the models with immobilizers safe?
To the beet of my knowledge, yes.
To the carrot of my knowledge, I agree.
Yes, but you might be more likely to be targeted by thieves who don’t know the difference.
Maybe just encourage the cops to do their job? Or at least shoot different people.
They get PAID suspension for not doing their job right…
Slaycation
Right? You wouldn’t know it from the downvotes I’m getting above
Are you kidding me? We want people summarily executed in the streets because they stole a fucking CAR??
I think they wanted to highlight that first, let’s not shoot exclusively innocent, then let’s not shoot anyone
(ik they didn’t put the /s but remember this reactionary behavior is what keeps us separated)
I made the noob mistake of thinking the sarcasm was sufficiently clear. No, let’s just go with random slaughter instead.
I see sarcasm is still as elusive as ever on the Internet
deleted by creator
Trash cars. Had a Hyundai that started falling apart after a year of being brand new
If you bought a cheap Korean car for misers you deserve to have it stolen and you deserve to find metal shavings at the bottom of your oil pan when the cops get it back for you.
“If you can’t afford nice things, then you deserve to have your things stolen from you.”
You are a dick.
Waste of time and resources for what amounts to content for a political ad.
These companies did absolutely nothing wrong. Broke no laws. They sold cheap fucking cars.
