AP – Attorneys general in 17 states on Thursday urged the United States (US) 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 fuelled by a viral social media challenge.
Some Kia and Hyundai cars sold in the US over the last decade do not have engine immobilisers, a standard feature on most cars that prevents the engine from starting unless the key is present.
Videos circulating on the social media service TikTok 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 per cent in 2022, now accounting for 20 per cent 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 (NHTSA) 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 TikTok 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 statement.
“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.
Kia said in a statement that it is focussed on the issue, “and we continue to take action to address the concerns these attorneys general have raised”.
The automaker says more than 165,000 customers have had the software installed, and over two million owners have been contacted about it.
The company says the vehicles comply with federal safety standards, so a recall isn’t necessary.
Hyundai also said its vehicles comply with federal anti-theft requirements. The company said it rolled out the software upgrade to prevent the thefts two months ahead of schedule, but it did not answer a question about how many vehicles have received it.
“We are communicating with NHTSA on our many actions to assist our customers,” the company statement said.
