Car owners in Memphis, get ready for a tech boost to your vehicles as Kia steps in with a solution to a notorious theft problem. From April 5 through April 7, Kia is setting up shop at the Wolfchase Galleria to offer free vehicle software updates for their owners. This comes after reports revealed that certain Kia models, marketed between 2011 and 2021, lack engine immobilizers, making them an easy target for car thieves.
The upgrades, which aim to thwart the ease of hotwiring locked cars, will be dispensed between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., as mentioned in the reports from FOX13 and Action News 5. For drivers who might find their Kia models cannot accommodate the software fix, the company will provide an alternative, in a statement obtained by Local Memphis, Kia has committed to hand out free steering wheel locks.
The security patch is part of Kia's larger effort to curb the dramatic rise in car thefts seen in the recent past. Data from the Memphis Police Department shows a 51% jump in vehicle thefts in 2023, tallying the count at nearly 14,800 stolen cars. Efforts last year, including steering wheel lock giveaways, did lead to a decline in thefts by the year's end, further supporting the need for these proactive measures.
Gathering at the popular shopping center located at 2760 North Germantown Parkway, representatives from Kia will be assisting owners three days in a row, reiterated by both FOX13 and Action News 5. Despite the decline in thefts since the steering wheel lock distributions by MPD, the top four brands stolen in Memphis were Kia, Hyundai, Nissan, and Infiniti, reporting Local Memphis.
Kia's proactive approach signals a deeper acknowledgment of the vulnerabilities within their vehicles and a commitment to their customer base. By providing not only the software updates but also the steering wheel locks, Kia takes a stand to bolster the thief-proofing of their cars, aiming to restore a sense of security to car owners in the Memphis area.
