AUSTIN, Texas — Hyundai and Kia owners have been plagued by thefts nationwide, primarily due to their lack of protective features.
The thefts have led Austin leaders to pass a resolution calling on the federal government to recall the models that aren't equipped.
In 2023, there were 2,370 thefts of Kias and Hyundais alone – almost a 700% jump from 2022, when there were only 349. Data from the Austin Police Department (APD) also showed 222 thefts in 2021 and 179 in 2020.
Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes (District 2) sponsored the resolution and said her constituents have fallen victim to the crimes. She believes with the statistics and the continuing rise of thefts among Kia and Hyundai owners, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) should take action.
Fuentes worries the TikTok trend, which originally ignited the widespread thefts, will continue and affect more Austinites.
"More and more cities are adopting this style of resolution to call on our federal government to issue a country-wide recall," Fuentes said. "This issue is a matter of public safety and when we think about what makes a community safe is, part of it is arming our community with knowledge, and knowledge about the vulnerabilities of the car that they have."
What Hyundai is doing to deter thefts
Hyundai officials told KVUE that the automaker is working with dealers across the country to install anti-theft software at a rapid rate. Recently, staff said they set up multi-day service centers in Washington, D.C.; St. Louis County, MO; New York; Chicago; the Twin Cities; upstate New York; and Baltimore; and have plans to add more in other areas.
"Hyundai is committed to the comprehensive actions we are undertaking to assist customers and communities affected by the persistent theft of certain vehicles not equipped with push-button ignitions and engine immobilizers," Hyundai said.
Hyundai also has a website for affected customers.
What Kia is doing to deter thefts
Kia said it developed and rolled out a software upgrade earlier this year for eligible customers. The upgrade is designed to stop the vehicle's ignition from working if someone tries to get in without a key while it's locked.
Kia officials said around 1,000,000 vehicles have received the upgrade.
“Kia continues to take significant steps to support our customers in response to criminals using methods of theft promoted and popularized on social media to steal or attempt to steal certain vehicle models," Kia said. "Kia is committed to continuing to work with law enforcement agencies the country to combat car theft and the role social media has played in encouraging it, and we remain committed to supporting our customers and to vehicle security.”
Kia added that for those customers who aren't eligible for the upgrade, it has provided free steering wheel locks.
Kia also has a website for affected customers.
Fuentes said there will be a virtual conference on Jan. 31 with representatives from different cities to bring more attention to the thefts.
"Since we're operating in the digital age, it's important that governments and community leaders do what they can for data privacy and security protection," Fuentes said
KVUE reached out to the NHTSA on Thursday but did not get a response back.