In a bid to slow down a rampant wave of vehicle thefts, Kia is rolling out free security upgrades for Memphis car owners. The South Korean car manufacturer has partnered with local dealerships Gossett Kia and Gossett Kia South to set up a free software upgrade event at Wolfchase Mall, slated to run this weekend starting Friday.
MPD has been advised that Kia owners can get a free security upgrade to their Kia on April 5-7, 2024. Kia will be at Wolfchase Galleria at 2760 N Germantown Pkwy from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. All Kia owners are encouraged to visit to protect their vehicles. pic.twitter.com/iuhjbbxcvO
— Memphis Police Dept (@MEM_PoliceDept) April 1, 2024
According to Action News 5, this initiative comes as an effort to give car owners a fighting chance against the spate of auto thefts that have plagued the area. The event, which is to last for three days, aims to not only upgrade but also to educate owners about their vehicle security. Customers are invited to visit from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. from Friday through Sunday to have their vehicle's software updated.
Kia has become particularly attentive to the issue after it became clear that models dating from 2011 to 2021 lacked engine immobilizers, making them a prime target for car thieves. Local Memphis reported that the absence of this critical anti-theft feature has contributed to the high incidence of thefts in the area.
James Bell of Kia America expressed the company's stance in an interview with FOX13 Memphis: "We want to bring to KIA owners here in the Memphis area the opportunity to give them peace of mind and comfort because we know this social media-fed crime wave, which has been in place now for the better part of two years across the country, has hit Memphis very hard."
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