Kia Will Install Additional Anti-Theft Ignitions After Thefts
Kia will install an “ignition cylinder protector” into vehicles deemed ineligible for a software update designed to combat methods of theft that have been popularized on social media over the last year. The reinforcement is designed to help prevent removing of the ignition cylinder, one of the steps in stealing Kia cars that have led to everything from bad press to lawsuits from angry customers.
While Kia has released software upgrades to more directly combat thefts, some models were ineligible, and this fix is designed to loop cars like the 2011-16 Sportage into the added protection the brand has given customers recently. Other eligible cars and SUVs include the 2011-16 Forte, 2010-22 Soul, 2011-21 Rio, and the 2014 Sedona. Kia will make the upgrade free to any owner of an eligible vehicle, with installations beginning on December 20. Any vehicles that receive the update will also get window decals advertising the new deterrent to would-be thieves. Just like a recall, Kia is notifying owners, and customers can check if their car is eligible via this link.
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Chase is an automotive journalist with years of experience in the industry. He writes for outlets like Edmunds and AutoGuide, among many others. When not writing, Chase is in front of the camera over at The Overrun, his YouTube channel run alongside his friend and co-host Jobe Teehan. If he's not writing reviews of the latest in cars or producing industry coverage, Chase is at home in the driver's seat of his own (usually German) sports cars.
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