BUFFALO, N.Y. — Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was in Buffalo Monday to call on Kia and Hyundai to take action to provide support to car owners affected by a social media that shows how easy it is to steal the vehicles.
He was joined by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
"All you had to do is put something on TikTok on how to steal these cars, and they started getting stolen left and right," said Senator Schumer.
Senator Schumer says more than 350 Kias and Hyundais in Buffalo have been stolen in just 2023.
"This year alone, it is the end of February, and over 350 kias and Hyundais have been stolen in Buffalo," said Schumer. "Let me repeat, 350 cars stolen in Buffalo, in just the past two months."
Last October, 4 teens were killed in Buffalo when the stolen Kia they were riding in crashed. Their ages ranged in age from 14 to 17 years old. Two others were injured, including the driver who is facing charges.
Schumer wants the automakers to take action.
"I'm calling on the two car companies, Kia and Hyundai, to take action right now to provide support to owners of these cars," he said. "When people bought these cars, they had no idea that they were so prone."
Schumer wants the automakers to provide free, anti-theft kits, including steering wheel locks to all affected owners and to develop a universal software fix that solves this issue as soon as possible.
Both Kia and Hyundai said they were providing security updates to millions of vehicles.
About 3.8 million Hyundais and 4.5 million Kias are eligible for the software update, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said earlier this month.
Two weeks ago, Hyundai said updates began for nearly 4 million vehicles beginning with a million model year 2017-2020 Elantra, 2015-2019 Sonata and 2020-2021 Venue vehicles. The software upgrade is scheduled to be available for the remaining eligible vehicles by June.
“We have prioritized the upgrade’s availability for owners and lessees of our highest selling vehicles and those most targeted by thieves in order for dealers to service them first," said Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai Motor America.
Schumer is also asking the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency to investigate how predictable and avoidable this safety defect is and what can be done to fix the problem.
Lauren Washington's Kia Sportage was stolen in Buffalo this year.
"I was really sad that my car was stolen because just recently I was able to get it and get it in my own name, and now I have to continue to pay for the car and continue to pay for my insurance, and my rental agreement with my insurance is almost up for twenty days and now I have to figure out how I'm going to continue to get around, get to work," said Lauren Washington.
Jenna Haring's Kia Sportage was stolen in December. Haring broke her lease and is now paying about a hundred dollars more a month for a different car.
"Is it worth the hundred dollars more to pay for a different car that's not going to get stolen? But, you know, I've heard stories of people who got their Kias back and one or two days later it got stolen again, and you know, and these kids who are stealing the Kias, I don't think they care. They're not thinking about the Kia drivers as people. They just want to joy ride in your car," said Jenna Haring.
Kia America says the company is "rolling out a free enhanced security software upgrade to restrict the unauthorized operation of vehicle ignition systems and we are also providing steering wheel locks for impacted owners at no cost through local law enforcement agencies."
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