AG Ellison calls for national recall of Kia and Hyundai vehicles over theft exploit

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - In a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison along with 17 other attorneys general from across the country, are calling for a national recall of Kia and Hyundai vehicles.

The letter cites the enormous increase in thefts of Kias and Hyundais across the country over the past couple of years. Many of the stolen vehicles have been used by thieves to commit other crimes, including acts of violence.

The attorneys general want the government to step in after the car manufacturers have failed to act.

"The massive increase in thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles have Kia and Hyundai have more than enough time to fix this problem voluntarily. It’s now time for the federal government to step in and mandate recall of these vehicles," Attorney General Ellison said. "In the meantime, I’m continuing my civil investigation of Kia and Hyundai and the ongoing threat to public safety they have failed to fix. I’m using the tools of civil law to help keep Minnesotans safe."  

The new letter follows another message that Ellison and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul sent Kia and Hyundai last month, urging an immediate recall.

Kia and Hyundai have rolled out a phased approach for dealerships to install anti-theft software, free of charge. Hyundai moved up the process last week to get more vehicles fixed, while some Kia drivers will be waiting months for a fix.