Hyundai's War on TikTok Thefts Continues With Software Install Pop-Up Clinics
Starting this weekend, Hyundai is opening clinics in five US cities where drivers can take their vehicles for a software update it says will prevent the type of vehicle theft made popular on TikTok.
These "social-media driven thefts" affect vehicles "not equipped with push-button ignitions and engine immobilizers," Hyundai says. (All Hyundai vehicles made since November 2021 have engine immobilizers.) These cars can be started without the keys using only a screwdriver and USB cable, and thieves have been recording themselves pulling off the hack and posting it to TikTok.
A fix rolled out in February, and after piloting mobile service centers in Washington D.C., Missouri, Arizona, and Maryland, Hyundai will expand its mobile service centers to the following cities:
New York City, NY: Saturday, October 28 – Sunday, October 29
Chicago, IL: Friday, November 3 – Sunday, November 5
Minneapolis, MN: Friday, November 10 – Saturday, November 11
Saint Paul, MN: Sunday, November 12 – Monday, November 13
Rochester, NY: Friday, November 17 – Saturday, November 18
The New York event this weekend will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at GNYADA’s Center for Automotive Education & Training at 15-30 Petracca Place in Whitestone. Check hyundaiantitheft.com ahead of upcoming events in other cities for location details.
"The software upgrade modifies certain vehicle control modules on Hyundai vehicles equipped with standard 'turn-key-to-start' ignition systems," Hyundai says. "As a result, locking the doors with the key fob will set the factory alarm and activate an 'ignition kill' feature so the vehicles cannot be started when subjected to the popularized theft mode."
The issue affects a big chunk of Hyundai's lineup, including the following
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