The Hyundai theft craze might be coming soon to an end, as the automaker announced a free anti-theft software upgrade for U.S. customers. More than one million units of the Elantra (2017-2020), Sonata (2015-2019), and Venue (2020-2021) will get the upgrade first, with a very large number of the remaining affected vehicles following by June 2023.
According to Hyundai, the anti-theft software upgrade is designed to “prevent the vehicles from starting during a method of theft popularized on TikTok and other social media channels”. This represents the first major response from the company to fix the problem that affects vehicles without push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices produced before November 2021. Hyundai previously prompted owners of impacted models to purchase a third-party security kit from dealerships which cost $170 plus more than $500 for installation. Thankfully, the software upgrade is free of charge and can be installed by Hyundai dealers within less than an hour.
Read: Kia And Hyundai Owners Getting Rejected For Insurance Coverage Over Theft Risk
As explained by Hyundai, the upgrade “modifies certain vehicle control modules”, activating an “ignition kill” feature when the owner locks the doors using the key fob. This feature can only be deactivated when the key fob is used to unlock the vehicle, meaning that whoever breaks in won’t be able to start it. Owners of the eligible Hyundai models will also get a fancy window decal, notifying potential thieves about the presence of “enhanced anti-theft technology” so they don’t bother causing damage to the vehicle.
Unfortunately, there are some 2011-2022 model-year Hyundai vehicles without engine immobilizers that are not compatible with the aforementioned upgrade. The owners of those models will be able to get reimbursed by Hyundai for the purchase of steering wheel locks. The company is finalizing the program and will announce more information soon but it is already giving away free steering wheel locks to law enforcement agencies for distribution to local residents who own or lease affected models.
Owners will be notified by Hyundai, while whoever is interested can visit the dedicated website with all the information. Below you can find a list of the Hyundai models eligible for the free anti-theft software upgrade.
Phase 1
2017-2020 Elantra
2015-2019 Sonata
2020-2021 Venue
Phase 2
2018-2022 Accent
2011-2016 Elantra
2021-2022 Elantra
2018-2020 Elantra GT
2011-2014 Genesis Coupe
2018-2022 Kona
2020-2021 Palisade
2013-2018 Santa Fe Sport
2013-2022 Santa Fe
2019 Santa Fe XL
2011-2014 Sonata
2011-2022 Tucson
2012-2017 and 2019-2021 Veloster
