INDIANAPOLIS — The number of Kia and Hyundai vehicles that are getting stolen is spiking in Indianapolis.
The reason: Certain models do not have an immobilizer, a security feature that car companies say is now standard as of 2021.
If your Kia or Hyundai starts up with a physical key, your car may be a target for theft.
That's because thieves learned how to steal the cars from social media videos.
While the theft of certain Hyundai and Kia models is a nationwide problem, police in Indianapolis say it is an issue here, too.
So far in 2023, 436 Kias have been reported stolen in Indianapolis. In 2022, there were 94. Year over year, that's a 363.8% increase.
As for Hyundais, 247 have been reported stolen in Indianapolis so far in 2023, up from 89 in 2022. Year over year, that is a 177.5% increase.
IMPD Ofc. Samone Burris said recommends Kia and Hyundai drivers to park in well-lit areas.
"If you have access to it, we want you to obtain a vehicle steering wheel lock for your car," Burris said.
To try to prevent thefts, software updates are now available to Kia and Hyundai owners.
A Kia spokesperson said they notified all eligible owners and lessees, which amounts to more than 3 million vehicles. Of those vehicles, more than 490,000 vehicles have been upgraded.
The Kia spokesperson added that, to date, "We have distributed more than 170,000 locks, and we will continue to provide them to law enforcement agencies and owners as they are needed."
To find out if your vehicle is affected, you can enter your vehicle identification number here.
Hyundai said they distributed more than 80,000 steering wheel locks to more than 650 law enforcement agencies. They also said their software update available for all affected vehicles has been released, and nationally, are at 15% completion.
Here's a list of the affected Hyundai models:
- 2018-2022 Accent
- 2011-2022 Elantra
- 2013-2020 Elantra GT
- 2013-2014 Genesis Coupe
- 2018-2022 Kona
- 2020-2021 Palisade
- 2013-2022 Santa Fe
- 2013-2018 Santa Fe Sport
- 2019 Santa Fe XL
- 2011-2019 Sonata
- 2011-2022 Tucson
- 2018-2021 Veloster
- 2020-2021 Venue