Hyundai, Kia theft no recall overview:ย
- Who: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the reason behind a wave of Hyundai and Kia thefts does not meet its criteria for a nationwide recall, rejecting a request for one made by a total of 18 attorneys general.ย
- Why: The NHTSA said vehicles are not federally required to be equipped with an engine immobilizer, and that it does not take the actions of criminal actors hotwiring vehicles into account when determining whether a recall is necessary.ย
- Where: Nationwide.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has determined that a TikTok trend resulting in a wave of thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles does not meet the agencyโs criteria for a nationwide recall.ย
The NHTSAโs acting associate director of enforcement, in a letter to attorney generals from a total of 18 states, said the agency found the car theft issue does not constitute โeither a safety defect or noncompliance requiring a recall,โ reports NBC News.ย
Hyundai and Kia agreed to pay more than $200 million in May to resolve claims the automakers sold model year 2011-2022 vehicles that were not equipped with an engine immobilizer, making them vulnerable to theft.ย
The NHTSA, meanwhile, said the federal standard for automotive safety does not require a vehicle to be equipped with an engine immobilizer, and that criminal actions taken to hotwire a vehicle are not taken into account when determining whether a recall is needed.ย
Attorneys general request Hyundai, Kia vehicles be retrofitted with engine immobilizer
Led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the attorney generals wrote to the NHTSA in April to request the agency announce a recall for model year 2011-2022 Hyundai and Kia vehicles not equipped with an engine immobilizer, reports NBC News.ย
The attorneys general, as part of their recall request, also asked the NHTSA to require that the vehicles be retrofitted with engine immobilizers to prevent them from being vulnerable to theft going forward.ย
โThefts of these Hyundai and Kia vehicles have led to at least eight deaths, numerous injuries and property damage, and they have diverted significant police and emergency services resources from other priorities,โ the attorneys general wrote, reports NBC News.ย
Earlier this month, a trio of cities โ including Columbus, Ohio; Milwaukee, and Seattle โ joined a sprawling multidistrict litigation that is currently in a California federal court over claims Hyundai and Kia left their vehicles vulnerable to theft.ย
The cities argue a rash of Hyundai and Kia vehicle thefts qualifies as a public nuisance as it has forced them to siphon off resources from local law enforcement and first responders to address the issue.ย
The MDL also contains around 60 lawsuits brought by consumers and a number of complaints from insurers.ย
Do you own a model year 2011-2022 Kia or Hyundai vehicle? Let us know in the comments!
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194 thoughts onNo recall for theft-prone Hyundai, Kia vehicles, NHTSA says
2020 Kia Optima EX
I have a 2015 Kia soul . It Was stolen april 23 2023 and it is still in the shop itโs been 72 days . Iโve been paying for rental coverage . My policy has maxed out . Kia dealership called me July 3rd regarding the repair of my vehicle which was estimated for repairs to be completed this week (July 3rd 2023) to tell me that the part Iโve been waiting 2 months to receive from Kia to repair my car was a bad part and now they are expecting me to wait another 2 months for them to reorder this back ordered part . They do not have a loaner vehicle to provide me I called Kia corporate and all they can offer me is a reimbursement of rental coverage with supporting documentation but I can not afford to pay $60 a day in rental fees out of pocket for the next 2 more months (60 days) on top of rental fees Iโve already incurred. They want me to pay approximately $3,600 in rental fees for the 60 more days that I have to wait to get the replacement back ordered part In because the original part that was ordered 2 months ago was a bad part from Kia the manufacturer.
I just received my kia letter regarding steering wheel lock cover a month ago. My car was stolen over 2 months ago. kia should have sent these notifications out much earlier and I would never be in this situation. Kia is continuing to drop the ball and is not offering any help or solution other than a reimbursement that is not guaranteed. I do not feel comfortable spending close to 4K in rental fees due to Kiaโs mistake. Not only was my car stolen because they neglected to inform Kia owners of the situation in a timely manner to address the situation but on top of this situation they sent out a bad replacement part that I should not be responsible to cover fees ab charges due to their error additionally i am not 100% guaranteed to have any money reimbursed to me.
How stupid would I be to shell out aprox $4k dollars of my hard earned money for Kia to โmaybe reimburse meโ
Itโs sad because I love my Kia soul . I havenโt had any issues with my car for years it was a great car up until now Iโve had no issues . I was considering purchasing a newer Kia soul model as I couldnโt see myself purchasing a different model because I love this car but after this experience with Kia I will NEVER purchase or own another Kia vehicle ever again. they let down every Kia owner in this situation for footing the bill on Kia owners instead of owning up and addressing the matter and taking responsibility.
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