5 On Your Side: Kia has new fix to protect vehicles from viral thefts

Kia finally has a fix for vehicles left vulnerable to a viral crime wave inspired by TikTok videos.

The company announced a new, physical theft deterrent system for certain Kia vehicles that have not been able to get theft deterrent software upgrades.

Kias being stolen: The history

In 2022, TikTok videos started circulating showing criminals how to bypass the ignition and steal certain Kia and Hyundai vehicles.

In February 2023, Kia and Hyundai announced millions of their vehicles lacked an engine immobilizer, which is a standard feature on most cars preventing the engine from being started by anything other than a key.

Kia and Hyundai started rolling out a software upgrade that updated the theft alarm software to require a key to be in the ignition to turn the vehicle on.

However, not all defective vehicles were able to get the software upgrade. Nearly a year later, Kia has a hardware fix for those vehicles left behind.

Kia's new fix

According to Kia, vehicles not eligible for the software upgrade can get an ignition cylinder protector.

The product is designed to reinforce the ignition cylinder body, preventing it from being removed using the method seen in TikTok videos, according to Kia’s media release.

This free fix became available on Dec. 20. Dealerships will install the product and put a decal on the window saying the vehicle is equipped with enhanced theft protection.

The hope is that’s enough to deter thieves from even attempting to steal the car.

Owners can check to see if their vehicle is eligible for this upgrade here.

Kia also said it will notify impacted owners with instructions on how to get the free ignition protector installed.

In announcing this latest update, Kia said nearly 940,000 vehicles have installed anti-theft software upgrades since January 2023. They are also planning software upgrade clinics in 2024 to help local dealers with installations, but they didn’t say exactly where.