Call for Recall: Leaders Blame Kia, Hyundai for Spike in Car Thefts

A coalition of elected leaders from across the country is attributing the recent surge in vehicle thefts to car manufacturers Kia and Hyundai, renewing calls for a federal recall. Seattle City Council member Tammy Morales (D) joined a virtual press conference with other members of the Councilmembers Against Car Thefts coalition, urging the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall the automobile manufacturers’ 2011-2021 models, as per KIRO-TV.

Morales cited Seattle police statistics, revealing that Kia thefts surged by 363% from 2021 to 2022, and Hyundai thefts by 503%. “The resolution and the lawsuit are really about corporate responsibility, corporate accountability for not just the theft but for the extravagant resources cities across the country have spent,” Morales stated, emphasizing concerns about youth involvement in car thefts.

Philadelphia City Council member Kendra Brooks, the first Working Families Party member elected to the Philadelphia City Council, also backed the coalition, noting that Kia and Hyundai vehicles accounted for over 60% of car thefts in Philadelphia. “Working families should not be the ones bearing the burden for mistakes made by manufacturers of these cars,” Brooks remarked.

Baltimore City Council member Zeke Cohen remarked that their group represents cities “that are among the hardest hit by Kia and Hyundai thefts.” Cohen criticized the manufacturers for not installing industry-standard theft-prevention technology, burdening local law enforcement. “Cleaning up this mess cannot be left to city governments alone. We need federal oversight to solve the national nightmare created by these manufacturers,” Cohen stated.

New York City Council member Tiffany Cabán (D) criticized the auto manufacturers for producing “sub-standard merchandise” despite earning “tens of billions in profits every year.”

In a joint statement, Minneapolis Council president Elliot Payne and councilmember Jeremiah Ellison highlighted the “drastic increase” in car thefts, emphasizing the need for companies like Kia and Hyundai to uphold the highest standards of due diligence and protection.

In April, California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) urged the NHTSA to issue a recall, arguing that the vehicles pose “an unreasonable risk to public safety.” Seventeen other state attorneys general from across the country also supported Bonta’s letter.

Multiple cities are currently suing the car manufacturers, alleging that they “fail[ed] to equip their vehicles with industry-standard vehicle immobilization technology,” as reported by Blaze News.