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Kia and its parent company Hyundai are being sued by victims of the TikTok challenge, which showcases a method of stealing certain models of Kia and Hyundai cars. It caused a sharp rise in car thefts across the country, according to reports from several police departments.
A national class action suit has been filed against the car makers in connection with the defect, which was revealed during the inspection. According to the suit, Kia cars manufactured between 2011 and 2021 and Hyundai cars manufactured between 2015 and 2021 were "deliberately" manufactured without "engine immobilisers." Almost all carmakers use this device designed to prevent vehicles from being stolen. Kia and Hyundai said immobilisers became standard on their cars after 1 November 2021.
After Kia Challenge appeared on TikTok and YouTube, police in several cities reported an increase in car thefts. In St Petersburg, Florida, for example, more than a third of all car thefts can be attributed to this challenge, while in Chicago the number has reached 77%, meaning that the total number of Kia and Hyundai thefts has increased by 767%.
According to the lawsuit, Kia and Hyundai studied the effectiveness of equipping cars with engine immobilizers, but decided against it, "blatantly valuing profits over the safety and security of their customers," and also failed to warn customers about the risk of theft.
In addition, the rise in car thefts has led to problems with the supply of parts needed to repair cars. In order to break into a car TikTokers have to smash a window and unscrew the steering column, not to mention the collateral damage, which can exceed $10,000, according to the suit.
Hyundai has begun working with the police to begin selling and installing security kits to help protect against TikTokers.
The lawsuit was filed by MLG Attorneys at Law, which represents 35 people. The plaintiffs are seeking monetary compensation and relief on behalf of themselves and "all other persons and entities nationwide who purchased or leased 2011-21 Kia vehicles or 2015-21 Hyundai vehicles equipped with traditional key ignition systems."
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