City Council considers pushing auto recall over rise in Kia, Hyundai thefts
City Council proposal over rise in Kia, Hyundai thefts
Easy-to-steal autos continue to drive an explosion in thefts, injuries, and property damage.
SEATTLE - Easy-to-steal autos continue to drive an explosion in thefts, injuries, and property damage.
The cars in question are almost always Kias or Hyundais. From January this year through October, more than 1,000 Hyundai cars were stolen along with almost 900 Kia cars.
Now, the Seattle City Council is considering a drastic new idea to hold those companies accountable: a mandatory recall.
The rate that Kia and Hyundai cars are getting stolen in Seattle is skyrocketing. The difference between this summer and last is exponentially higher.
Comparing the numbers from 2021 to 2022, there were five times as many carjackings for Hyundais and almost four times as many for Kias.
Kia and Hyundai cars made between 2011 and 2021 are the most problematic, because they lack an anti-theft device called an immobilizer.
Now, Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold is proposing a resolution that would recall these cars and require the manufacturers to install new anti-theft technology.
"We're one of 17 cities engaged in a lawsuit, we're thus far, one of three cities that is seeking a council resolution of their respective cities to call for a recall," Herbold said.
Herbold said this approach is a bit different, but she feels confident in this proposal because it's a joint effort.
"Sometimes, it's really good to pursue these from multiple efforts and multiple angles," Herbold said. "I think this is one of those times."
The most common cars getting stolen are often ones that are entry-level, Herbold said, leaving drivers with generally fewer funds a large burden once a theft happens.
"The extra impact this has on folks is the inability to get vehicles insured," Herbold said. "There are a lot of companies that are rightfully identifying that the liability of these vehicles is too high-risk."
Herbold said she's presenting this resolution in an effort to also curb other crimes connected to other crimes, like smash-and-grabs at local convenience stores, sometimes even smash-and-grabs where criminals use the car to gain entry into a business.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Stolen Kia ditched after used in Everett tobacco shop smash-and-grab burglary
- 3 arrested in connection to Edmonds pot shop robbery, sped off in stolen Kias
The councilmember said this resolution is important if we want to assure Seattle car theft numbers don't spike in the new year.
Getting the companies to go along with even a limited recall would be a very tough sell.
Bringing vehicles back for a recall is extremely pricey, typically costing automakers millions, sometimes billions, of dollars.
Seattle City Council is scheduled to make a vote on the resolution at 2 p.m. Saturday.