Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has launched a civil investigation into Kia and Hyundai’s sale of vehicles to Minnesotans that lacked “industry-standard” technology which would prevent them from being stolen.
“Thousands of Minnesotans have returned from shopping, school, and work only to find that their car has been stolen,” Ellison shared at a press conference on Tuesday.
Ellison’s office claims the automaker’s vehicles were missing anti-theft technology, which has made the specific models of the cars susceptible to theft, resulting in the increase in stolen vehicles last year.
In Minneapolis the reported number of Kia and Hyundai vehicles stolen increased by 836% last year, while in St. Paul, that number jumped 611%, Ellison’s office shared.
Ellison’s office served Kia and Hyundai with civil investigative demands on Tuesday, and they are now required to produce documents and answer questions under oath.
Through the investigation into the automakers’ practices, Ellison will look to determine whether or not the companies violated the state’s consumer protection and public nuisance laws, either knowingly or unknowingly.
“The drastic increase in Kia and Hyundai vehicle thefts is continuing to threaten public safety and do serious harm to our communities,” Ellison said in a statement. “With this investigation, we will follow where the facts lead us and will continue to use all the tools of the law to help keep Minnesotans safe.”
According to a press release from the attorney general’s office, several Kia and Hyundai vehicle models lacked anti-theft “engine-immobilizer” technology. The vehicles, despite not being up to industry standard, were sold in Minnesota and across the U.S. despite this flaw, the release said.
The engine immobilizer makes it impossible to start a vehicle’s engine without the use of its smart key, the release shared.
“By failing to equip their vehicles with this anti-theft technology, Kia and Hyundai lagged behind industry standards,” the release noted, adding that reports have shown only 26% of Kia and Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. had engine immobilizer technology installed.
“In comparison, 96% of the vehicles sold by all other competitors were equipped with this anti-theft technology,” the release said.
Throughout the last year stealing Kia and Hyundai vehicles has become a trend on social media, with one group dubbed the “Kia Boys” going viral for their videos on how to steal the car types.
However, the crime goes beyond just vehicle theft, as Ellison’s office shared that they have been used for the “furtherance of violent crimes in Minnesota.”
For example, 2022 Kia and Hyundai vehicle thefts have been linked to five homicides, 13 shootings, 36 robberies, and 265 motor vehicle accidents.
The announcement of the lawsuit comes after Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter pressed the automakers to announce an immediate safety recall to stop the rise of thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
“These are not just numbers; they are public safety incidents that have caused substantial and serious harm to our neighbors and communities,” Ellison’s office shared.
Anyone who would like to report concerns about theft or risk of theft for their Kia and Hyundai vehicles have been asked to submit a complaint online or call the attorney general’s office.
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