Social Media Challenge Prompts Kia And Hyundai Recall Request
If you currently own, or have previously owned, a Kia or Hyundai vehicle, did you know it was apparently easy to steal? There is a social media challenge that shows how to…
If you currently own, or have previously owned, a Kia or Hyundai vehicle, did you know it was apparently easy to steal? There is a social media challenge that shows how to steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles with just a screwdriver and a USB cable.
According to an article written by Associated Press reporters Adam Beam and Tom Krisher on LasVegasSun.com, the Attorneys General of 17 American states as well as the District of Columbia have signed a letter which urges the federal government to recall Kia and Hyundai vehicles because many of them do not have engine immobilizers. This is a feature that is standard on most vehicles which keeps the engine from starting if the key is not present.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta initiated the letter, which has now been signed by the attorneys general from "Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia." Per the AP article, the city of Los Angeles experienced an 85% increase in Kia and Hyundai auto thefts during 2022!
Beam and Krisher report that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) attributes "14 reported crashes and eight deaths" to the viral TikTok social media challenge.
Officials from both South Korean automakers have issued statements which say that their vehicles already "comply with federal safety standards." Instead of recalling millions of vehicles, they are contacting customers to let them know they will install or update engine immobilizer software on their vehicles to "require the key to be in the ignition switch to turn the car on."
The story posted on LasVegasSun.com estimates: "About 3.8 million Hyundai cars and 4.5 million Kia cars are eligible for the software update." If your Kia or Hyundai vehicle has not received the software update or installation, or even if you're unsure, you should contact the service department at your local dealer as soon as possible.
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Larry Martino is the long-time Afternoon Drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.
Thieves Target These 10 Cars For Catalytic Converters In Nevada
The theft of catalytic converters in Las Vegas is a plaguing problem.
You've seen the stories on the news, maybe you know someone or maybe you're a victim of this trending criminal activity: Catalytic convertors are being stolen at a high rate.
And it seems like in the past five years, a rush of more catalytic convertors have been plucked out of cars and sold as scrap metal. In 2022, catalytic convertor thefts were 540% higher across the country compared to 2020, according to USA Today.
It's a relatively "easy" crime that requires a sly person to slip under a car, to saw off the pollution-controlling device and to ultimately sell off the metal from the converter.
It's a costly item that ranges in the thousands to get replaced, and most insurance doesn't cover theft of catalytic convertors.
Catalytic convertors help clean a car's exhaust and filters out harmful pollution coming from the car's tailpipe.
Precious metals, such as platinum and palladium, are used in the catalytic convertors, which are some-what valuable when sold off as scrap metal. The disrupted supply chain has also increased the prices for these metals. Someone who sells a catalytic convertor and its metals can get anywhere from $50 to $1,000 depending on the quantity and quality of the metal.
But despite this increasing trend of stolen catalytic convertors, there are a few ways to protect your car.
The most common way is to park in a manner where thieves are unable to climb underneath. Keep your car in a garage (if you have one) and avoid street parking if possible. If you must park in the street, or in a public parking lot, then try to stay in a well-lit area near buildings or anywhere that may have a security camera.
Also, a AAA driver once told us to spray paint your catalytic convertor with a bright color like neon orange, bright pink, red, etc. This will deter a possible thief for a few reasons. It's harder to sell a spray-painted catalytic convertor, and the thief may think that the convertor is linked with a specific car, per the AAA worker's recommendation.
8 News Now published an article that outlines the 10 most popular cars that thieves target when it comes to stealing catalytic convertors. Scroll down below to see if your car is on the list!
10. Dodge Journey
The tenth most popular car among catalytic convertor theft is a Dodge Journey. This car's size and popularity makes it a prime target.
9. Chevrolet Equinox
A Chevy Equinox is the ninth most popular car when it comes to people targeting vehicles for catalytic convertors. Considering this is one of the most popular cars across the country, it makes sense why this vehicle is a hot target for this crime trend.
8. Chevrolet Silverado
A catalytic convertor replacement for a Chevy Silverado can cost more than $2,000 -- just for the part, according to RepairPal.com. From the precious metals to the ease of sliding underneath the truck, the Silverado is another prime target for catalytic convertor theft. The Silverado takes eight place on the top 10 most targeted cars for catalytic convertor theft.
7. Subaru Forester
Subaru is one of the most popular vehicle makes in the West. The high degree of precious metals within this model's catalytic convertor makes it a prime target for car theft in general and catalytic convertor apple picking.
6. Toyota Prius
Placing sixth on the list is a Toyota Prius. Due to the car being a hybrid model, there are more precious metals within the car's interior products. Thus, making this model's catalytic convertor much more expensive.
5. Chevrolet Cruze
Although it's no longer in production, the Chevrolet Cruze is one of the most coveted cars when it comes to catalytic convertor theft. The metals and the abundance of this car makes it a prime ride to steal catalytic convertors from.
4. Ford Econoline
The E-Series, which is the fourth generation Econoline, reached the fourth spot on our "Top 10" list. Due to the fact that many companies and organizations use this model for work or business purposes, it could be understood why these cars are plagued with the problem of getting their catalytic convertors stolen.
3. Honda CR-V
This popular car is hot among thieves who are looking for a quick pay day. Precious metals and the popularity of the car makes for this vehcile to land on the third spot for most popular cars that are targeted by catalytic convertor thieves.
2. Ford F Series Truck
It's one of the most best-selling cars in America: The Ford F Series Truck. It almost received the #1 spot, but the degree of theft wasn't as high as the next car on the list.
1. Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is one of the hottest vehicles when it comes to getting your catalytic convertor stolen. From the precious metals inside of the convertor and to sheer popularity of the car, this make received first place on this list.
