- Credibility:
CHICAGO — Thefts of Kias and Hyundais have skyrocketed in Chicago in recent years, part of a national trend that started when social media videos showed how easily they could be stolen.
Now, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is calling for a federal recall of the cars, saying the manufacturers have failed to “take adequate steps” to address and prevent the thefts.
Raoul on Thursday signed a letter with officials in 18 other states asking the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall affected Kias and Hyundais made 2011-2022, according to a news release from his office.
The cars lack engine immobilizers and have “easily-bypassed” ignition switches, which is what’s made them so vulnerable to being stolen, according to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
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More than 7,000 Kias and Hyundais were stolen just in 2022 in Chicago, according to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
The thefts spiked across the United States after viral videos posted to social media showed how people could easily steal the cars.
In a particularly prominent video posted to TikTok, a group who dubbed themselves the “Kia Boyz” showed how they could steal a Kia using just a USB cable and screwdriver — taking over the car in as little as 20 seconds, according to Raoul’s letter. The Kia Boyz encouraged others to steal Kias and Hyundais, according to the letter.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office has issued warnings about the thefts and encouraged owners of affected cars to install kill switches.
Car owners have also been encouraged to fill out a consent form on the department’s website, which would help law enforcement agencies receive faster cooperation from car makers to track stolen vehicles. Those who fill out the form can also get stickers to display on their cars that would alert potential thieves that it can be tracked by investigators.
But Raoul said in his statement Kia and Hyundai “have not gone far enough … to remedy their vehicles’ vulnerability to theft.”
“While the companies have offered a software upgrade, the upgrade will not be available for many affected vehicles until June, or not installed at all for some 2011 to 2022 models,” according to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. “Vehicle owners who cannot receive the software upgrade can reportedly receive a free steering wheel lock from Kia and Hyundai, but the lock does not address the underlying ignition system flaw that makes the vehicles so vulnerable to theft.”
The recall is necessary as a matter of safety, as the thefts show defects in the cars and have allowed for “many incidents of reckless driving resulting in injuries, death and property damage,” according to Raoul’s letter.
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