Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
The Kia Challenge started in 2021 when a video posted on social media went viral and taught teenagers how to steal Hyundai and Kia cars without an immobilizer.
It didn't take long before youths started putting into practice what they learned online. Thousands of Kia and Hyundai cars were stolen using nothing but a USB cable, with these teens filming their stunts and posting them online for views.
It's crazy, but teenagers did it for fun, and despite sometimes being caught by the police, they were released without getting charged due to law issues that we're not going to discuss today.
Hyundai and Kia tried to put an end to this awful trend with a software update. The anti-theft patch prevents the engine from starting without the original key, so the Kia Boys would no longer be able to drive away in cars without an immobilizer. It doesn't prevent them from breaking into cars – though Kia and Hyundai also gave away stickers to inform thieves the vehicle has been patched – but at least they don't steal them.
You'd expect hordes of Kia and Hyundai owners heading to dealerships to install the software update, given how many cars were stolen using this infamous trick. However, this is so not what happened, with the carmakers revealing some worrying statistics about the patch efforts.
30% of the Hyundais on the road are still not patched, which means that 3 in 10 cars built by the South Korean carmaker and sold in the United States could still be stolen if it doesn't have a factory immobilizer. The numbers are concerning and ridiculous, and Hyundai keeps encouraging everybody to install the software update.
There are several ways to do it, but the most convenient is to call your local dealership and ask for more information to set up an appointment. Kia and Hyundai also worked with authorities across the United States to set up so-called software clinics, which allow you to install the software update at popular locations, such as shopping centers, even during weekends. It means you can go shopping, and while you're picking out your groceries, the Kia and Hyundai engineers will install the patch, so you won't lose any time waiting for the update to be completed.
Meanwhile, the Kia Boys keep having fun with all these cars. Owners claim the thieves have found another way to break into cars, no longer smashing the driver's window but removing the door handle. Some customers also claim that thieves sometimes manage to get around the anti-theft update.
Until you get the patch, the best recommendation is to install a steering wheel lock to prevent the thieves from driving away in your car. Hyundai and Kia are also giving away such hardware for vehicles that can't be patched.
It's crazy, but teenagers did it for fun, and despite sometimes being caught by the police, they were released without getting charged due to law issues that we're not going to discuss today.
Hyundai and Kia tried to put an end to this awful trend with a software update. The anti-theft patch prevents the engine from starting without the original key, so the Kia Boys would no longer be able to drive away in cars without an immobilizer. It doesn't prevent them from breaking into cars – though Kia and Hyundai also gave away stickers to inform thieves the vehicle has been patched – but at least they don't steal them.
You'd expect hordes of Kia and Hyundai owners heading to dealerships to install the software update, given how many cars were stolen using this infamous trick. However, this is so not what happened, with the carmakers revealing some worrying statistics about the patch efforts.
30% of the Hyundais on the road are still not patched, which means that 3 in 10 cars built by the South Korean carmaker and sold in the United States could still be stolen if it doesn't have a factory immobilizer. The numbers are concerning and ridiculous, and Hyundai keeps encouraging everybody to install the software update.
There are several ways to do it, but the most convenient is to call your local dealership and ask for more information to set up an appointment. Kia and Hyundai also worked with authorities across the United States to set up so-called software clinics, which allow you to install the software update at popular locations, such as shopping centers, even during weekends. It means you can go shopping, and while you're picking out your groceries, the Kia and Hyundai engineers will install the patch, so you won't lose any time waiting for the update to be completed.
Meanwhile, the Kia Boys keep having fun with all these cars. Owners claim the thieves have found another way to break into cars, no longer smashing the driver's window but removing the door handle. Some customers also claim that thieves sometimes manage to get around the anti-theft update.
Until you get the patch, the best recommendation is to install a steering wheel lock to prevent the thieves from driving away in your car. Hyundai and Kia are also giving away such hardware for vehicles that can't be patched.
Google News