Not only is your Kia or Hyundai surprisingly easy to steal — it might also catch fire
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
- Kia and Hyundai are recalling 3.3 million cars and telling drivers to park outside due to fire risks.
- However, drivers have warned that this will make their cars easier to steal.
- Kia and Hyundai thefts have soared after videos exposing security flaws in some models went viral.
Kia and Hyundai drivers have had a rough run in recent years.
First, their cars became the target of a viral TikTok challenge that led to a spike in thefts. Now, they're facing a recall over fears that these vehicles could suddenly catch fire.
The two car companies, which are both headquartered in South Korea and are connected but operate independently in the US, are recalling more than 3.3 million vehicles due to a faulty brake component that could spark an engine fire. While the cars are still safe to drive, the automakers have told owners to park them outside and away from their homes.
However, drivers have pointed out that this may make the cars, which have been at the center of a viral TikTok-driven crime spree, easier to steal.
"Park outside the garage and risk the car being stolen or broken into," commented one Reddit user. "This is quite a conundrum."
Rates of theft for Kia and Hyundai vehicles have surged in the past few years after viral TikTok videos posted by self-described "Kia Boys" exposed a security flaw that allowed them to be hot-wired with relative ease.
This isn't the first "park outside" recall these two companies have issued. Last year, a similar alert was sent out to car owners.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that in this instance, the issue stems from a faulty brake system module, which could leak brake fluid and cause an electrical short that may spark an engine fire.
The recall extends over a range of different Kia and Hyundai models, released between 2010 and 2017.
Hyundai has received reports of 21 vehicle fires in the US as well as 22 instances of visible smoke, burning, and melting. Kia reported one engine fire, with three smaller fires, and six cases of melting components.
Hyundai plans to tell drivers to bring their cars to their nearest dealership to get the faulty module replaced, while Kia is still working on a fix for the issue.
According to nonprofit Consumer Reports, the two car companies have recalled more than 10 million vehicles in the past 12 years. Per the NHTSA, more than 3,000 Hyundai and Kia vehicles have caught fire in that time, injuring 103 people, and killing one.
"This sucks and is so damn time consuming to take care of," one Redditor posted in response to the news.
"On one hand, my car isn't on the list (of affected models). On the other, mine was stolen last month and totaled," read another Reddit post. "So glad to be done with Kia."
Kia and Hyundai did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.