Attorneys General in 18 states across the country are asking the National Transportation Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall Hyundai and Kia vehicles because they’re more likely to be stolen, according to Reuters. The AGs — led by California AG Rob Bonta — argue that because they lack standard features like electronic immobilizers, it makes stealing them much easier.
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Reuters looked at data from state and police officials and found that vehicles built by Hyundai and Kia represented a very large share of stolen vehicles in a number of U.S. cities all because they lack an immobilizer. This all stems from the Kia Boyz TikTok videos that showed people how to steal Kias and Hyundais without push-button ignitions.
“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,” Bonta said in a statement reported by Reuters. “The states have written to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with their concerns.”
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute, U.S. theft claims were reportedly twice as common for Hyundais and Kias compared with all other manufacturers for vehicles bought between 2015 and 2019. Bonta reportedly said the automakers decided to “carve out” the U.S. when installing immobilizers, since the same models in Canada and Europe are equipped with them.
“Instead of taking responsibility with appropriate corrective action, these carmakers have chosen instead to pass the risk onto consumers and communities,” he said.
Reuters previously reported that the twin automakers said they would offer software upgrades to 8.3 million vehicles in the U.S. to help cut down on thefts. Unfortunately, upgrades will reportedly not be available for many impacted vehicles until June, and they cannot be installed on some 2011-2022 models.