The software updates the theft alarm software logic to extend the length of the alarm sound from 30 seconds to one minute and requires the key to be in the ignition switch to turn the vehicle on.
The companies' affected cars, many of them lower-cost models from the 2011 to early 2022 model years, were not equipped with a theft immobilizer. Such a device contains a computer chip in the key that must be recognized by another chip in the steering column before the engines will start.
In response to the thefts, Kia and Hyundai have rolled out a free software upgrades for their vehicles not equipped with immobilizers. The automakers have also been distributing steering wheel locks for local law enforcement to give to drivers.
Step 1: Insert the key into the door lock. Use the side door on the driver's side and the physical key even if there is a keyless entry system on the car. Step 2: Turn the vehicle key to unlock the car door without releasing it. Hold the key for 30 seconds in the position.
If your vehicle has been damaged, during an attempted break-in or theft or otherwise, the anti-theft system might have been triggered. Check to see if the lock cylinder is damaged, and also check underneath the door handle – thieves have been known to use screwdrivers in an attempt to jimmy the door open.
Method 3: Turn the ignition to “On”
Leave the key there for 15 minutes; it doesn't always take that long, but it can. After that time, check to see if the anti-theft light has gone out, if one was lit up. Turn the key backward two places to the Lock position, then wait three more minutes.
With the immobilizer system, whenever you insert your ignition key into the ignition switch and turn it to ON, it checks and determines and verifies if the ignition key is valid or not. If the key is valid, the engine will start. If the key is invalid, the engine will not start.
Keyless theft (otherwise known as relay theft) is relatively simple; all it requires is two small boxes of electronics, which thieves can use to open your car in as little as 60 seconds. Crooks will typically work in pairs to commit relay theft, with one holding a relay amplifier, and the other a relay transmitter.
In addition to the free software, customers will be given a sticker alerting would-be thieves that the vehicle is equipped with anti-theft protection. The stickers will be sent out as the software updates are rolled out.
Kia says it began adding immobilizers in the factory in 2021, so few 2022 model year vehicles were built without them.
Check the battery
The first thing you should take a look into when the anti theft system car wont start is the car battery. It could be dead or low and needs charging. In that case, the car's system won't be able to read the security code off the key fob. Check the battery connections.
Teens' desire to go viral is just one of the factors that has led to an exponential increase in Kia and Hyundai thefts across the country. Starting with model year 2011, Hyundai Motors, which makes Kias and Hyundais, decided not to install a theft prevention mechanism called an immobilizer in certain makes and models.
All of Kia's 2022 models have an immobilizer. NHTSA urges owners of these vehicles to contact Hyundai (toll-free at 800-633-5151) or Kia (toll-free at 800-333-4542) for information on the free update.
If the pin code in the key fob meets the one in the immobilizer system, the vehicle will start. Otherwise, your automobile will not start. Most immobilizers will sound an alarm if the wrong code is used to turn the ignition.
An immobilizer bypass module allows the user to remotely start the car. As it is essential for the cars to start. The cars after 1998 cannot remotely start if the immobilizer module is not in place. So for any remote starter to work, it must have it to think that the key is in the ignition.
Spikes in car thefts of certain Hyundai and Kia models, a trend that began in the American midwest and was spread by how-to videos on social media, has reached America's biggest city.
Some U.S. cities have reported that 60% or more of their auto theft reports now involve Hyundais or Kias. Videos on TikTok and other sites that illustrate how to start and steal Kia and Hyundai models ‒ using only a screwdriver and a USB cable ‒ have allowed the thefts to spread across the nation since late 2021.
These were the 2000 Honda Civic, the 1997 Honda Accord, and the 2007 Toyota Camry. According to the NICB, the number of stolen vehicles in 2021 reached almost a million. That's an 8% increase from 2020 numbers. 14% of all stolen vehicles in 2021 were full-sized pick-ups.
If your ECU controls the anti-theft system, disconnecting the battery may lock you out of your car. Like desktop computers and most other electronics, disconnecting the battery cable for a short period will not fully reset your ECU due to the residual power remaining in the circuits.
The anti-theft system may lock the wheel and prevent the key from turning in its slot. It occurs most often when you turn off the car and attempt to move the steering wheel. The next time you turn the key in the ignition, the car will start with the wheel fixed in that position.
An immobilizer is an anti-theft mechanism that prevents the engine from starting due to an improper ignition key. This system works by utilizing variations of radio waves as a key identity on the vehicle. By using this system, there is only one ignition key that can be used to start the vehicle engine.
So you know, an active system, known as a manually disabling device, is one that the driver must manually arm. This is typically done by pushing some kind of lock button or another button on your keys. A passive system, known as an automatic disabling device, is one that is automatically armed by the car.