KIAs Theft Magnets

[DonD]

Older KIAs are being stolen at an amazing rate and many insurance companies will no longer write new policies for them.

It's my understanding that newer KIAs, with push button starting systems, have current technology that makes them far harder to steal. Correct? Don

 

[JSolo]

The kids will still break your window before they realize there's no ign lock cylinder to crack open.

 

[Transmetal]

Older KIAs are being stolen at an amazing rate and many insurance companies will no longer write new policies for them.

It's my understanding that newer KIAs, with push button starting systems, have current technology that makes them far harder to steal. Correct? Don

I've stated this before, I work at a police impound. We are still seeing a lot of 2019-2021 Kia/Hyundai stolen. Nothing with a push button start though, have yet to see a Stinger or Telluride stolen. Seen plenty of new Forte, Seltos, Optima, Accent, Sonata, Elantra, Sante Fe, Tuscan.

Interesting enough, I ran into a guy who was checking out my Stinger at the post office. He was driving a 2015 Kia Forte 2dr. His car is a push button start, which I didn't even know they made back then. Maybe some of those models offer the push start but they are the more affordable options so if somebody is buying a new one, maybe they don't care about that, don't wanna pay the premium or don't know that they are easy to steal? I know I didn't care about the push button start feature when I was buying the Stinger. Glad they only come that way.

 

[DonD]

The kids will still break your window before they realize there's no ign lock cylinder to crack open.

Broken window sure beats a stolen car. Don

 

[GT Elite]

Yeah…..well…..given current supply chain issues you could probably replace the entire car quicker than it would take to get a replacement window and have it installed.

 

[Kamauxx]

I've stated this before, I work at a police impound. We are still seeing a lot of 2019-2021 Kia/Hyundai stolen. Nothing with a push button start though, have yet to see a Stinger or Telluride stolen. Seen plenty of new Forte, Seltos, Optima, Accent, Sonata, Elantra, Sante Fe, Tuscan.

Interesting enough, I ran into a guy who was checking out my Stinger at the post office. He was driving a 2015 Kia Forte 2dr. His car is a push button start, which I didn't even know they made back then. Maybe some of those models offer the push start but they are the more affordable options so if somebody is buying a new one, maybe they don't care about that, don't wanna pay the premium or don't know that they are easy to steal? I know I didn't care about the push button start feature when I was buying the Stinger. Glad they only come that way.

I had a 2012 and 2016 Optima. Both had push button start. Current gen Fortes have it as well. Not sure about the rest of those but I'd assume they all mirror each other.

 

[stoopid]

The kids will still break your window before they realize there's no ign lock cylinder to crack open.

Exactly why I put badges over anything visible that was Kia branded. Anyone low life enough to steal cars for a living/fun isn't going to be bright enough or care enough to determine if rando "Kia" has a keyed ignition. They're also unlikely to recognize our 'sporty' cars as a Kia without badging.

Getting windows fixed/replaced isn't a casual affair, so anything I can do to thwart stupid is a win IMO.

 

[Transmetal]

I had a 2012 and 2016 Optima. Both had push button start. Current gen Fortes have it as well. Not sure about the rest of those but I'd assume they all mirror each other.

So it's an option and people buying newer models just don't choose from it then. Good to know.

 

[vipeboy2000]

even keyed models, on some trims had the immobilizer on them so they couldn't just be stolen with a screwdriver/usb connector...

 

[Maljey]

Hopefully insurance companies don't pass on the increased insurance cost to ALL Kias. Someone on another forum said their Stinger insurance went from $130 to $200 per month. They blamed it on the thefts and their company apparently isn't differentiating between Kias with push button starts and normal key ignition.

My insurance has been the same thus far, but if I see an astronomically increase I may think hard about keeping the car.

 

[JSolo]

^^Gieco?

 

[D.J.]

Older KIAs are being stolen at an amazing rate and many insurance companies will no longer write new policies for them.

It's my understanding that newer KIAs, with push button starting systems, have current technology that makes them far harder to steal. Correct? Don

Older???

The problem exists in the USA even for 2021 Kia's that use a physical key to start. Only in the USA though.

 

[DonD]

Older???

The problem exists in the USA even for 2021 Kia's that use a physical key to start. Only in the USA though.

Older as in pre 2022 is my understanding at least it seems with the Stinger. Don

 

[D.J.]

Older as in pre 2022 is my understanding at least it seems with the Stinger. Don

Stingers are fortunately not affected,

 

[rpoffen]

Stingers are fortunately not affected,

The problem though is that some short-sighted insurance companies will lump ALL Kia's and Hyundai's regardless of year or model into the high-risk category and at best, jack up their rates, and at worst refuse to insure them all together.

 

[D.J.]

The problem though is that some short-sighted insurance companies will lump ALL Kia's and Hyundai's regardless of year or model into the high-risk category and at best, jack up their rates, and at worst refuse to insure them all together.

I think that will only apply if the have a key.

They are surely smart enough to realize this issue only affect cars in the USA, and cars with a physical key to start.

 

[stoopid]

The problem though is that some short-sighted insurance companies will lump ALL Kia's and Hyundai's regardless of year or model into the high-risk category and at best, jack up their rates, and at worst refuse to insure them all together.

That's not true at all, I mean they CAN do that but everything in their system is specific to make, model, and year of car. This is because they offer discounts on safety tech, and need detailed data on each car to validate whether or not to provide the discount for the safety feature. They also trackl driving/incident trends back to specific models (aggressive drivers tend to have cars they can drive aggressively, and as a percentage of owners have more claims). Their entire industry is based on very detailed metrics, and those metrics are assigned specifically not broadly.

Until there's an increase in Stinger breakins and/or thefts, the needle on our insurance rates will not be moving as a result of the 'Kai' badge. The only way this hits our wallets will be when dumbasses bust out windows thinking they can steal our cars, as previously explained/discussed. I'm not yet aware of widespread "Kia"/Hyundai issues with broken windows on cars that can't be easily stolen, but that could be happening and certainly warranted the action I took to debadge. Not sure how we would ever hear of broken window issues unless Stinger owners and members of this forum reported it to us.

 

[GenesisG70]

Kia should sue these stupid insurers it's not Kia's fault of a stupid trend in tik tok by stupid kids.

 

[Transmetal]

Kia should sue these.insurers it's not koas fault of a stupid trend I'm tik tok by stupid kids.

I would say first off Kia shouldn't be making their cars so easy to steal.

 

[GenesisG70]

I would say first off Kia shouldn't be making their cars so easy to steal.

As a mechanic I can tell you any car is easy to steal its the stupid tiktok and YouTube telling kids how to steal kias inform better yourself