(CNN) A coalition of attorneys general for 17 states and the District of Columbia on Thursday called for a federal recall of Hyundai and Kia vehicles they say are unsafe and too easy to steal.
The attorneys general called for the recall “following the continued failure of companies to take adequate steps to address the alarming rate of theft of their vehicles,” a release from California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who leading the coalition, said.
In a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the coalition requested a recall of “unsafe” Hyundai and Kia vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2022 “that have easily bypassed ignition switches and lack of engine immobilizers become particularly vulnerable to theft.”
The vehicles in question, 2015-2019 Hyundai and Kia models, such as the Hyundai Santa Fe and Tucson and the Kia Forte and Sportage, when equipped with turn-key ignitions — compared to cars that only require a button to push to start. — are about twice as likely to be stolen compared to other vehicles of a similar age. Many of these vehicles lack some of the basic anti-theft technologies included in most other vehicles, even for those years, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute, an industry group that keeps track of insurance statistics.
NHTSA responded that this was not the type of thing the agency could request a recall for.
“This particular matter involves intentional criminal behavior under the purview of law enforcement authorities,” the vehicle safety agency said in a statement. “However, since last year, NHTSA has met repeatedly with Hyundai and Kia to discuss factors contributing to the theft vulnerability, review the scope of the differing software and hardware in the affected models, and receive regular updates on companies’ action plans.”
These models have been the subject of a viral trend on social media where thieves have filmed themselves and others stealing Hyundai and Kia vehicles and taking them for a drive. In some parts of the country, the problem has become so severe that some insurance companies refuse to write new policies on these Hyundai and Kia models in areas where thefts have become common.
The models in question do not have electronic immobilizers, which rely on a computer chip in the car and another in the key that interacts to confirm that the key is in that vehicle. Without the right key, an immobilizer should do just that — prevent the vehicle from starting.
“Hyundai and Kia have announced that they will start voluntary service campaigns to offer software updates for certain vehicles with this initial system vulnerability. However, unfortunately, this is an insufficient response to the problem and does not adequately address the safety concerns facing vehicle owners and the public,” the letter to NHSTA said.
In a statement on Friday, Hyundai said it was “committed to ensuring the quality and integrity of our products.”
“A subset of Hyundai vehicles on the road in the US today — mainly ‘base trim’ or entry-level models — are not equipped with push-button ignition and immobilizing anti-theft devices,” Hyundai said. “It is important to clarify that an engine immobilizer is an anti-theft device and that these vehicles fully comply with federal anti-theft requirements. on TikTok and other social media channels.”
The automaker added that it has taken “comprehensive action” to help customers. That action includes, in part, standardizing engine immobilizers on all vehicles starting in November 2021 and rolling out a software upgrade to “avoid the theft method involved, two months ahead of schedule .”
Kia said Friday that it “remains focused on this issue and we continue to take action to address the concerns raised by these Attorneys General. We are committed to working with them and their law enforcement agencies.” -their states to combat car theft and the role Social media played in encouraging it.”
Kia added that it will “continue to roll out free, enhanced security software upgrades to restrict unauthorized operation of the vehicle’s ignition systems and we are also providing steering wheel locks for those affected owner without paying them.”
“To date, Kia has contacted more than two million owners and lessees of Kia vehicles to inform them of the availability of the software upgrade, and more than 165,000 eligible customers have installed that’s the upgrade,” the automaker said. “Furthermore, in addition to providing more than 39,000 free steering wheel locks to more than 275 law enforcement agencies nationwide for distribution to affected Kia owners, we shipped nearly 8,000 locks directly to affected owner too. We will continue to provide additional free locks as needed.”
The two South Korean automakers have developed a software patch to fix the problem, the automakers said. Hyundai and Kia operate as separate companies in the United States, but Hyundai Motor Group owns a large stake in Kia, and various Hyundai and Kia models share much of their engineering.
The patch will be installed free of charge on models that need it, with software that requires an actual key in the ignition to turn on the vehicle. The software will also block the car from starting after locking the doors with the key fob remote control. The vehicle must be unlocked before it can be started.
The software also extends the length of the alarm sound from 30 seconds to a full minute. Hyundai dealers will also place stickers on the window stating that the vehicle has anti-theft software installed.
“The bottom line is, the failure of Kia and Hyundai to install standard safety features in many of their vehicles has put vehicle owners and the public at risk,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We are now asking the federal government to require these companies to correct their mistake through a national recall and assist us in our continued efforts to protect the public from these unsafe vehicles.”
Recalls are ordered by NHTSA or, more commonly, by automakers to correct safety-related defects. The attorney general’s letter asserts that the ease of theft of these Hyundai and Kia vehicles constitutes a safety hazard and that the vehicles do not meet federal standards for theft prevention.
“Furthermore, the thieves drove these vehicles recklessly, speeding and performing wild stunts and causing multiple crashes, at least eight deaths, and significant injuries,” the letter said.
CNN’s Aaron Silverman contributed to this reporting
