Kia and Hyundai are rolling out a free software program replace for automobiles that could be targets of the “Kia problem” — a viral TikTok problem that has impressed automobile thefts nationwide. The software program replace can be free for thousands and thousands of Kia and Hyundai house owners, the US Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) mentioned Tuesday.
The problem went viral in 2021, in keeping with CNBC, encouraging younger folks to steal sure makes and fashions of 2010-2021 Kia and Hyundai automobiles. The focused automobiles lack an immobilizer — an digital safety machine that forestalls somebody from beginning a automobile engine with out the suitable key. Movies on TikTok and different social media channels exhibit how one can successfully hotwire one in all these automobiles with a USB wire.
In Los Angeles, the viral problem led to an 85% year-over-year enhance in Hyundai and Kia thefts in 2022, CNBC reported. Thefts of Kias and Hyundais skyrocketed in different components of the nation as effectively, whereas the thieves posted movies of themselves stealing the automobiles. Tags like “Kia boys” raked in tens of thousands and thousands of views on TikTok, regardless that the social media firm mentioned it will take away any such content material that it discovered.
The problem has resulted in at the very least 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities, in keeping with the NHTSA.
With the software program replace, you may must put the right key within the ignition to activate the automobile, the NHTSA mentioned. The replace may even prolong the size of the alarm sound from 30 seconds to 1 minute.
The NHTSA mentioned house owners of those automobiles ought to contact Hyundai (toll-free at 800-633-5151) or Kia (toll-free at 800-333-4542) for data on the replace.
Hyundai mentioned in a launch that the free software program improve can be out there to almost 4 million automobiles, beginning with greater than 1 million mannequin yr 2017-2020 Elantra, 2015-2019 Sonata and 2020-2021 Venue automobiles. The remaining eligible automobiles ought to be capable to get the improve by this June.
Automotive house owners must take their automobile to a Hyundai dealership to get the improve. The set up ought to take lower than an hour. The Hyundai set up additionally comes with a window decal alerting would-be thieves that the automobile is supplied with new anti-theft know-how.
At www.hyundaiantitheft.com, Hyundai prospects can enter their automobile’s Car Identification Quantity (VIN) to search out out when it’s eligible for the software program improve.