Seattle sues Hyundai and Kia over soaring car thefts
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
Car thefts across the nation have been skyrocketing over the last few years, but not all brands are equal. In Seattle, the city attorney says the number of purloined Hyundais and Kias was 620% higher in July 2022 compared to the same month in 2021.
Driving the news: Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison filed suit in U.S. District Court this week, alleging the manufacturers of Hyundai and Kia failed to install anti-theft technology, contributing to an increase of their car models being stolen in Seattle.
Details: The suit alleges Hyundai and Kia failed to use immobilizer technology that ensured car ignitions could not be started without their keys long after other carmakers had adopted the same technology. As a result, Hyundai and Kia cars were easier to steal than others, the suit says.
- Videos that went viral on social media showed how to steal car models simply by removing a plastic piece under the steering wheel and using a USB cord and turning it like a key.
- The crime wave that followed "has had a significant impact on law enforcement operations, emergency services, and public safety," the city claims in the suit.
- The most Kia and Hyundai thefts have occurred in Northgate, Capitol Hill, Central District and Beacon Hill, according to the city attorney’s office.
Hyundai senior group manager Ira Gabriel told Axios Seattle in an email the lawsuit is "improper and unnecessary."
- Hyundai Motor America has made engine immobilizers standard on all vehicles produced as of November 2021.
- Owners of past models can also bring their vehicles to a local Hyundai dealer for the purchase and installation of a customized security kit, Gabriel said.
- Free steering wheel locks have been distributed to select law enforcement agencies across the country, including in the Seattle area, Gabriel added.
Kia American said in a statement Wednesday all 2022 models and trims have had an immobilizer added.
Of note: Although Hyundai and Kia are separate brands that operate independently, the Hyundai Motor Company is the largest shareholder in Kia Motors, with 33.88 percent ownership.
What's next: The city is seeking unspecified damages and asking the car manufacturers to fix the problem, saying the current measures on the most recent models are not enough.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect Ira Gabriel's title as senior group manager of Hyundai (not super group manager).