Hyundai and Kia owners can now get free anti-theft devices

The action comes after a settlement over the wave of thefts happening all over the country.

Hyundai and Kia owners can breathe a sigh of relief after the two automakers agreed to provide proper anti-theft technology. Minnesota’s attorney general led the effort of 35 states suing Kia and Hyundai because they were literally too easy to steal.

During 2022 and 2023, a massive wave of thefts targeting these two brands left Hyundai and Kia owners frustrated. This emotion was with good reason, as theft of these two cars was twice as high as that of other brands.

Basically, if Hyundai and Kia owners had cars from 2015 to 2019, they were sitting ducks. These cars were twice as likely to be stolen as other brands. As this article reports, thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles were 2.18 for every 1,000 vehicles, while the national average was 1.21.

To make matters worse, the cars were so easy to steal that it became a viral social media trend, leaving the two brands with a terrible situation and Hyundai and Kia owners scratching their heads over what to do.

Not only that, but the brands went viral for the wrong reasons, as many stole the cars only for joyriding and then dumped them. Others used the stolen cars for worse crimes.

Chances are you’ve watched the viral videos, but here’s an instructional video on the social impact this situation had. By the way, do not try anything you see in it!

Why Were Hyundai and Kia Models So Easy To Steal?

This theft issue was the prime example of how the cheapest trim of a car is truly as simple as they come. As Kelley Blue Book reports, it was the base cars that lacked an engine immobilizer. This meant that they were easy to start without the key present.

Thieves quickly realized that they could easily start the car by ripping off the ignition cylinder, then jamming a USB drive. Crude, but efficient.

The problem got so bad that insurance companies began declining coverage of some models. So, Hyundai and Kia owners were left truly as vulnerable as possible. First, their cars were easy to steal. Then, insurance wouldn’t cover them, and all because they had purchased the cheaper trims.

These were some of the vehicles left out of insurance.

• 2015-2021 Hyundai Accent
• 2015-2021 Hyundai Elantra
• 2015-2021 Hyundai Kona
• 2015-2021 Hyundai Santa Fe
• 2015-2021 Hyundai Tucson
• 2015-2021 Hyundai Veloster
• 2015-2021 Kia Forte
• 2015-2021 Kia Optima
• 2015-2021 Kia Rio
• 2015-2021 Kia Sedona
• 2015-2021 Kia Sorento
• 2015-2021 Kia Soul
• 2015-2021 Kia Sportage

The problem was that both Kia and Hyundai weren’t necessarily cooperating. Although the companies said they were looking for solutions, owners felt they were slow to react.

Hyundai and Kia owners got offered many solutions.

At first, both companies offered a software upgrade, but the solution wasn’t enough. Hackers found a way to still break into the cars.

So, after legal pressure coming from the settlement, both companies offered to improve the ignition system with zinc-reinforced materials. At the same time, they also offered the upgrade free of charge for four million vehicles.

Finally, the company agreed to pay around $9 million to Hyundai and Kia owners for the troubles caused. Although the two manufacturers have taken action, there’s still a lot of criticism over the fact that the solution took close to four years and a lawsuit.

If you want to know if you’re eligible for a free upgrade and other improvements, you can visit Hyundai’s official site. Here, you’ll find that all the vehicles listed are eligible for the repairs at no extra charge.

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