Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a coalition of 17 attorneys general who want a nationwide recall of Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
In a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the coalition requested that Kia and Hyundai vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2022 be recalled because they are vulnerable to hotwiring and theft.
The attorney general group points out that certain Kia and Hyundai ignition switches can be bypassed easily “by removing the steering wheel column cover, accessing the keyed ignition, and turning it with a USB cable or similar shaped item.”
The coalition also states that Kia and Hyundai vehicle models “lack engine immobilizers, ubiquitous anti-theft devices that provide a second line of defense against theft by preventing vehicles from being started unless a unique code is transmitted from the vehicle key.”
“Due to this vulnerability in their starting systems, the vehicles can be hotwired and stolen in a matter of minutes, presenting a serious safety issue nationwide,” states the letter.
Even though the car companies announced software service updates to address those vulnerabilities, the group of attorneys general say they don’t adequately address the safety concerns that Kia and Hyundai owners face.
“Kia and Hyundai have still not fully addressed vulnerabilities in certain models that have resulted in increased thefts in Illinois and around the nation,” Raoul said. “I am calling for a federal recall of unsafe Kia and Hyundai vehicles because I stand committed to protecting consumers and our communities from crime. Because these car companies have not done their part to prevent thefts, I am urging the federal government to help us protect our residents.”
The impact of these thefts has been felt by drivers nationwide, especially those in Illinois.
In 2022 there were over 7,000 Hyundai and Kia thefts in Chicago, which account for 10% of all registered Kia vehicles and 7% of all registered Hyundai vehicles in the city, Raoul announced in a March 2023 statement.
Joining Raoul in requesting the recall of Hyundai and Kia vehicles are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
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