Attorneys general in Maryland, D.C. and more than a dozen other states are calling on federal authorities to order a massive recall of Hyundai and Kia vehicles, saying their easily-bypassed ignition switches and vulnerability to being stolen has created a “safety crisis on the roads.”
The request came in a letter from 18 state attorneys general to the head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Due to this vulnerability in their starting systems, the vehicles can be hot-wired and stolen in a matter of minutes, presenting a serious safety issue nationwide,” officials wrote in the letter. “Thefts 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.”
The letter asks the federal agency to order a mandatory recall of Kia and Hyundai vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2022, or to ensure the carmakers institute a voluntary recall.
In a written statement from Kia, the company said it is committing to working with law enforcement agencies to combat car theft. It said all its vehicles fully comply with federal standards and a recall “is neither appropriate nor necessary under federal law.”
Officials across the D.C. area have been raising the alarm about a rapid rise in thefts involving the vehicles after videos that first started circulating on the social media platform TikTok showed how easily they could be hot-wired and stolen using only a USB cable and a screwdriver.
Since then, the car manufacturers have been handing out free steering wheel locks; and in February, the carmakers announced plans to roll out software updates that would require car keys to be in the ignition switches to turn vehicles on.
However, the letter Thursday said the measures don’t go far enough.
“First, it will reportedly take months to release software updates for all models, and more troubling, an update is not even feasible for a significant percentage of the affected vehicles,” the letter stated.
Hyundai has said about 15% of affected vehicles cannot accommodate the software update, according to the letter.
The letter also said the voluntary campaign by the carmakers lacks the urgency of a safety recall.
The state officials say the thefts “have consumed law enforcement and emergency first responder resources, referencing a public alert sent out by police in Fairfax County, Virginia, as one of several examples.
The highway administration has the authority to order recalls of vehicles that fail to comply with federal safety standards or those that have defects that pose an “unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.”
The letter was signed by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb.
Kia and Hyundai respond
In the statement from Kia, the company said it has already contacted over two million owners and lessees of Kia vehicles to let them know about the software upgrade, and more than 165,000 customers have already had the update installed.
In addition, the company said it has handed out around 47,000 free steering wheel locks to customers and local police.
A statement from Hyundai similarly said the company has already taken steps to address the problem, including making engine immobilizers — a key anti-theft device — standard on all vehicles produced as of November 2021 and rolling out free software upgrades.
“Hyundai is committed to continuing our efforts in completing the software upgrade for all affected vehicles in the most effective manner possible. We are communicating with NHTSA on our many actions to assist our customers,” the company said in the statement.
