Illinois AG Kwame Raoul calls on Kia, Hyundai to do more to protect drivers from theft

CHICAGO - Nearly two-dozen attorneys general nationwide, including Illinois’ Kwame Raoul, are calling on Kia and Hyundai to do more to protect drivers from theft.

Certain models of these cars (2010 to 2021) lack anti-theft immobilizers, making them easier to steal.

In Chicago, there were 7,000 thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles last year. Raoul says that accounts for 10 percent of all registered Kia’s and seven percent of all registered Hyundai’s in the city.

Last month, the automakers rolled out free anti-theft software upgrades to fix the security flaw. But attorneys general want them to speed up the process and provide a free option to owners whose vehicles cannot support the upgrade.

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"I urge Kia and Hyundai to accelerate a software upgrade to ensure consumers’ vehicles are properly equipped to guard against theft. Additionally, these companies need to provide free alternate protective measures to owners with vehicles that cannot support the software upgrade," Raoul said.

Hyundai and Kia owners also face the threat of not being able to insure their vehicles, as some major insurance companies are refusing to insure the models most susceptible to theft.