ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Hyundais and Kias are still disappearing from streets across the St. Louis region.
In March, the City of St. Louis filed a lawsuit against the automakers after the theft epidemic.
Car thefts were worse than ever this summer, with hundreds of St. Louis-area drivers left without vehicles. From the first half of 2022 to the first half of 2023, St. Louis and St. Louis County police reported a 58% and 29% increase in Kia thefts, respectively.
Although the automakers rolled out an anti-theft software upgrade earlier this year, about 85,000 cars in Missouri and more than 63,000 in the St. Louis Metro area still need the fix, Carfax reported in July.
Kia owners will have the opportunity to get the fix this weekend when technicians set up a mobile clinic at the St. Louis Galleria, according to a release from Kia America. The upgrade restricts the operation of the car's ignition system when someone attempts to steal the car without the key, preventing theft by methods popularized on TikTok.
Technicians will be set up from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Oct. 27-29 at the Galleria, located at 1155 St. Louis Galleria St. The software upgrade takes about 30 minutes to complete, and no appointments are required.
The following Kia models are vulnerable due to their lack of engine immobilizers:
- 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
Not all models qualify for the software upgrade. To confirm your eligibility for the anti-theft upgrade and claim a free steering wheel lock, click here.
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