Kia offering free anti-theft software to Southern California drivers 

Kia drivers in SoCal looking to ensure their vehicle has the latest anti-theft technology can do so for free at a Los Angeles County mall this weekend. 

Beginning on Friday, Kia technicians will be stationed at the Lakewood Center Mall to provide complimentary updates to affected cars, which includes all 2011-2021 Kias and 2016-2021 Hyundais that use a steel key and not a fob and push-button start. 

Once the new software is installed, the technicians will also apply window decal updates to discourage future criminal activity, a Kia spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. 

The services will be offered on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

A TikTok challenge started by thieves who dubbed themselves “Kia Boys” led to a rapid increase in both Kia and Hyundai thefts locally and nationally over the last couple of years; the two car brands comprised almost 13% of L.A.’s vehicle thefts in 2022, but that jumped to 20% in 2023, police said. 

According to technology publication The Verge, the affected vehicles lack electronic key immobilizers that prevent would-be thieves from breaking in and bypassing the car’s security system by using something as simple as a USB cable or flathead screwdriver to start the engine.

Immobilizers are standard equipment on nearly all vehicles of that vintage made by other manufacturers, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) noted. 

Key immobilizers are still not required in the U.S., but they have been required in all vehicles built in Canada since 2007. 

The car brands agreed to a $200 million settlement stemming from a class-action lawsuit related to the viral social media trend in May of 2023. The settlement covered about 9 million car owners and included up to $145 million for out-of-pocket losses for consumers who had cars stolen, lawyers for the car owners told Reuters last May.