The strange challenge of Tik Tok has taken a toll on Kia and Hyundai!

The strange challenge of the group nicknamed “Kia Boys” in Tik Tok has caused a strange and dramatic increase in the number of stolen cars manufactured by Hyundai and Kia.

Kia, the prominent Korean car manufacturer, is one of the most popular car brands in the United States. According to Korea Herald, this company has managed to sell 66,089 cars in this country during the last month. Also, its parent company, i.e., Hyundai, has recorded sales of 66,089 vehicles in the same month. Kia and Hyundai have combined to sell more than 1 million vehicles in the United States since 2011, according to Good Car Bad Car. These two prominent car manufacturers are also considered one of the best-selling brands of electric cars in America. So that even Elon Musk opened his mouth to admire. But now, a strange challenge in Tik Tok has taken the lives of these two Korean companies!

Hyundai and Kia sometimes experience problems with their vehicles that make it necessary to issue a recall to fix them. Earlier this year, for example, the two companies issued recalls in February and May for reported defects that included concerns about the cars’ seat belts exploding. It seems that the challenges of Kia and Hyundai are not over and now both brands, for completely different reasons, have opened up to a strange challenge in Tik Tok.

The strange challenge of Tik Tok has caused a sudden increase in the theft of Kia and Hyundai cars

In recent months, Kia and Hyundai vehicles have been targeted by opportunistic car thieves known as the ‘Kia Boys’ who appear to be involved in a strange challenge on Tik Tok. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, this process began last year after the release of several videos of teenagers being chased by police in stolen Hyundai and Kia cars and performing dangerous stunts.

According to WISN, this action led to a 2,500% increase in the number of stolen cars of two popular Korean brands in Milwaukee in one year. Notably, at least 16 Hyundai or Kia cars are stolen every day in Milwaukee alone, and the trend has spread to other states after the bizarre Tik Tok challenge with the hashtag #Kiaboys. In an interview with Kiaboyz posted on YouTube by Tommy J, one member of the group revealed how he can steal a Kia or Hyundai car. So they first get into the car, remove the ignition cover behind the steering wheel and start the engine using the USB plug.

How do the owners of two Korean car brands protect their vehicles?

Both Korean brands have acknowledged that they are aware of the problem. In a statement to CBS News, Hyundai said:

Unfortunately, our cars have been targeted for abuse in a concerted effort on social media. Criminals steal company cars that do not have engine anti-theft systems.

Car thieves who participate in the strange tic-tac challenge are usually looking for Kia and Hyundai cars that use a physical key to start the engine instead of a start button or switch.

Hyundai also added that immobilizer systems have been added as standard for all vehicles produced from November 1 (Aban 10) 2021. However, this issue has not made car owners in different states where their vehicles have been stolen to refrain from taking legal action against these car manufacturers. Kenneth McClaina lawyer for a group of plaintiffs against Korean automakers, told the Los Angeles Daily that Hyundai Group had been eliminating anti-theft systems for a decade to cut production costs by $200, while knowing that doing so would increase the risk of vehicle theft. will be.

If you own a Hyundai or Kia car that uses a physical key to start and does not have an immobilizer, it is better to use a steering wheel lock and install it, as recommended by the Korean automaker. Hyundai has also advised the owners to visit the company’s dealers to install a security kit to prevent their car from being stolen by Kia’s Tik Tok Boys group.