Indianapolis — It’s not just Kia vehicles — Hyundai thefts are up 500% over the past year.
Hyundai is providing a new update that is supposed to prevent the thefts from happening, but one recent theft victim says she was never notified.
“I was just in the Hyundai dealership earlier this year,” Jordan Thomas said.
Thomas’ vehicle was stolen on Sunday, Oct. 22.
“I was having some routine maintenance done, and they had given me a software update for just something with my engine,” Thomas said. “They never once mentioned this was a problem.”
Thomas caught the thieves in action on her security camera. In the video, one thief can be seen taking the broken window from the vehicle and placing it in the next-door neighbor's yard.
"The insurance adjuster said this is about his seventh one in a week,” Thomas said.
According to data from IMPD, as of September 28, they have recorded 751 Hyundai thefts. There were 125 recorded for 2022 entirely.
"That's like my livelihood,” Thomas said. “I have three kids who go to school. We go to the gym and have extracurricular activities. It's really hard to be a one car family in this city when there isn't great public transportation. "
While Thomas claims she didn't know about the software update, Hyundai says they notified all customers via mailing address listed in the Hyundai system.
According to information sent to WRTV by Hyundai, the software upgrade modifies certain modules on Hyundai vehicles equipped with “turn-key-to-start” ignition systems.
As a result, locking the doors with the key fob will set off the factory alarm and activate an “ignition kill” feature so the vehicle cannot be started. Customers must use the key fob to unlock their vehicles to deactivate the feature.
The company sent the following statement to WRTV:
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. Our dealers across the country are maximizing the number of anti-theft software installations that can be performed on a daily basis, contributing to steadily increasing completion rates, which we report to NHTSA weekly. Hyundai recently piloted mobile service centers in Washington, D.C. and St. Louis County, MO and plans to replicate in additional markets through year-end to further scale and speed installation of the software upgrade. We remain committed to ensuring the quality and integrity of our products, all of which are fully compliant with federal anti-theft requirements. Engine immobilizers are now standard on all Hyundai vehicles produced as of November 2021.
As for Thomas, she isn’t sure if her car will be repaired or not. She says she hopes the company takes responsibility for manufacturing a vehicle that's become a hot commodity for theft.
“I couldn’t imagine being a single parent and not being able to get my kids anywhere or not being able to afford the repairs,” Thomas said. “I really think these companies and huge corporations are to blame.”
There are other ways to further protect your Hyundai.
Customers can buy a steering wheel lock or get a free one from IMPD. Also, parking in a garage or well-lit area and locking the doors will help.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has also been tracking this ongoing issue.
They say thefts of Hyundais and Kias started to increase in 2020, with thieves targeting vehicles without standard immobilizers. The upward theft trend initially appeared in a few specific states and has since spread across the country.
The latest analysis, which examined theft claims through the end of 2022, found that theft claim frequency for 2003–23 Hyundai and Kia models in the second half of 2022 was seven times as high as the first half of 2020.
For more information on Hyundai’s anti-theft software upgrade, click here.
