ST. LOUIS — The number of Hyundais and Kias disappearing from streets across the St. Louis region is higher than ever despite a free fix the automakers started rolling out earlier this year to make them harder to steal.
Now, Carfax is hoping to help drive Hyundai and Kia owners to their local dealerships by including whether a car has the anti-theft technology on vehicle history reports.
An estimated 8.3 million makes and models of Hyundais and Kias built between 2010 and 2022 lack what’s called engine immobilizers – devices that prevent a car from starting without recognizing a computer chip in the key.
The automakers announced car owners could go to any dealership starting in February to get an immobilizer installed. So far, Carfax estimates about 5 million car owners have yet to get the fix.
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That breaks down to about 85,000 cars in Missouri – more than 63,000 in the St. Louis Metro area – and 189,000 cars in Illinois that still need the fix, according to the vehicle history reporting company.
“So for any consumers who are searching and thinking about buying a used Hyundai or Kia, the warning on the vehicle history report is very prominent that says this car has or has not gotten the fix,” Olsen said. “That doesn't mean you shouldn't necessarily buy that car, but it means that your first stop should probably be your local Hyundai or Kia dealership.”
Olsen said any dealership can install the technology and it takes about an hour.
Olsen said including the information on vehicle history reports can help car owners trying to sell their vehicles ask for a higher price point, and, conversely, can help car buyers negotiate for a lower price if it’s not there.
“Cars with a with a track history of service and maintenance and registration and repairs typically are worth about $2,000 more than cars that lack that documentation,” Olsen said. “So a detail like this, I think, would be a value to any future buyer.”
Hyundai issued a statement regarding the partnership with Carfax.
It read: “The safety of our customers is our top priority and our focus is on reaching and helping affected vehicle owners to provide them with the tools to secure their vehicles. Chief among these measures is the development and validation of a software upgrade, at no cost to the owners of these vehicles, to prevent the theft mode popularized on social media. We are pleased Carfax is supporting our efforts to get the affected vehicles updated as quickly as possible. Hyundai has also initiated a program to reimburse affected customers for their purchase of steering wheel locks and is providing free steering wheel locks to law enforcement agencies for distribution to local residents who own or lease affected models. In addition, Hyundai has collaborated with AAA insurers on a program to offer insurance options for affected owners and lessees.”
Nationwide, the surge in vehicle thefts is driving crime rates in the wrong direction, too, according to a new study of crime trends in 37 cities released this month by the Council on Criminal Justice.
Motor vehicle thefts, which began to rise at the onset of the pandemic, continued an upward trend. Considered a “keystone crime” that facilitates the commission of homicide and other offenses, motor vehicle theft rose by 33.5% in the first half of the year, representing 23,974 more stolen vehicles in the 32 cities that reported data, according to the report.
“While it’s likely that much of the increase is the result of thefts of Kia and Hyundai models, the authors said, rates were rising before the cars became popular targets,” according to the report.
Here’s how the numbers break down locally:
St. Louis police
2022 YTD 2023 YTD Percent change
Hyundai 411 909 +121%
Kia 527 833 +58%
St. Louis County police
2022 YTD 2023 YTD Percent change
Hyundai 187 339 +81%
Kia 235 303 +29%
Many area police departments are giving Hyundai and Kia owners steering wheel locks for free.
Here is a list of vehicles affected:
Hyundai models
- 2011-2019 Sonata
- 2011-2022 Tucson
- 2011-2022 Elantra
- 2013-2014 Genesis Coupe
- 2013-2018 Santa Fe Sport
- 2013-2020 Elantra GT
- 2013-2022 Santa Fe
- 2018-2021 Veloster
- 2018-2022 Accent
- 2018-2022 Kona
- 2019 Santa Fe XL
- 2020-2021 Venue
- 2020-2021 Palisade
Kia models
- 2010-2022 Soul
- 2011-2020 Optima
- 2011-2021 Forte
- 2011-2021 Rio
- 2011-2021 Sedona
- 2021-2022 Seltos
- 2011-2022 Sorento
- 2011-2022 Sportage
- 2021-2022 K5
July 25, 2023: An earlier version of this report incorrectly stated the year-to-date number of Hyundai and Kia vehicle thefts in St. Louis County through July 2022 and July 2023.