ST. LOUIS — Some owners of Hyundai and Kia vehicles are now eligible for a free software upgrade aimed at halting the cars’ high theft rates.
Thefts of Hyundais and Kias became a major public safety issue in the ºüÀêÊÓƵ region and nationwide over the past year. Thieves target the vehicles because many models are missing a common security device, making them easier to steal. ºüÀêÊÓƵ officials threatened to sue the companies in August, noting that the stolen cars often provide thieves with the means to commit more crimes.
Nick Desideri, communications director for ºüÀêÊÓƵ Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, declined to comment on news of the software upgrades.
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The trend began with a viral TikTok video that shows how to break into and drive off in many 2011-21 models of the South Korean-made vehicles using just a screwdriver and a USB charging cable.
Owners of 2017-20 Elantras, 2015-19 Sonatas and 2020-21 Venues are eligible for the upgrade, which takes about an hour to install at a Hyundai dealership. Several other Hyundai models will be eligible in June, though a company spokesperson said some models will not be able to accommodate the upgrade.
A spokesperson for Kia said the company expects software upgrades to be available to most drivers in the next few months.
In all, about 3.8 million Hyundais and 4.5 million Kias will be eligible for the software update, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday.
A full list of Hyundai models available for upgrade can be found .
“We have prioritized the upgrade’s availability for owners and lessees of our highest-selling vehicles and those most targeted by thieves in order for dealers to service them first,†said Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai Motor America.
Thefts of Kias and Hyundais jumped 1,350% last year in the city, from 273 to 3,958, after the video showed how to take advantage of the vehicles’ lack of an engine immobilizer, a standard security device. The same was true in ºüÀêÊÓƵ County, where a jump from 140 to 1,621 marked a 1,057% increase.
In January, 271 Hyundais and 186 Kias were reported stolen in the city. The county reported 65 stolen Hyundais and 70 stolen Kias during the same time.
Hyundai is the parent company of Kia Motors, but the two operate independently.
The software update had not been provided to dealers as of Tuesday afternoon, said Jay Brown, service manager at Clement Hyundai in Wentzville, but he expects “to see it at any time.â€
As soon as dealers receive access to the software, Brown said he thinks customers will begin to call about it.
Brown does not anticipate having to hire additional employees, he said, because the fix should be easy enough that it can be handled by workers of any experience.
Kia owners can visit the to determine if they’re eligible for the upgrade and request a steering wheel lock, said James Bell, head of Kia corporate communications.
Manufacturers had previously provided free steering wheel locks to area police departments for distribution. Still, theft rates of Kias and Hyundais remained high enough that major insurers like Progressive and State Farm refuse to issue new policies on the vehicles.
A Hyundai spokesperson said engine immobilizers are now standard on all Hyundai vehicles produced as of November 2021. A spokesperson for Kia told the Post-Dispatch the device is now standard on all vehicles, and it always has been on the company’s push-start vehicles.
Attorneys have filed a , alleging the manufacturers did not meet federal requirements because the cars were made without the engine immobilizer.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the percentage increase in Kia and Hyundai thefts from 2021 to 2022.Â