LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Mayor Linda Gorton’s office announced Tuesday that the city of Lexington has filed a lawsuit against Hyundai USA and Kia Motors, alleging that vehicles from both manufacturers “lack anti-theft technology.”
“Hyundais and Kias are being stolen at an alarmingly high rate in Lexington and across the nation because they lack engine immobilizers and other proper anti-theft technology that other automakers have used for decades to prevent vehicle theft,” Gorton said. “Our number one priority is keeping our streets safe.”
The mayor’s office detailed that about 40 percent of the cars stolen in Lexington this winter and spring were Hyundais or Kias.
More Hyundais and Kias were stolen in Lexington in December 2023 than all other car brands combined, according to the mayor’s office.
According to the mayor’s office, engine immobilizers are the industry standard for preventing vehicle theft in the U.S. market, and neither company equipped their vehicles with this security device. Additionally, the mayor’s office claims that only 26 percent of 2015 model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles sold in the U.S. were equipped with immobilizers, compared with 96 percent of vehicles from other manufacturers.
According to the release, 100 percent of Hyundai and Kia vehicles in the European and Canadian markets are equipped with immobilizers.
“By neglecting safety, auto manufacturers are leaving American communities to deal with a problem they have created,” Gorton said. “These incidents drain law enforcement and emergency response resources. Car theft goes hand in hand with reckless driving, which results in injuries and deaths.”
According to the mayor’s office, the lawsuit “seeks monetary and injunctive relief, including compensation for Lexington Police Department time and resources, emergency services costs, and other damages to the community related to the vehicle thefts.”
Lexington is one of several cities that have sued both automakers for failing to equip vehicles with anti-theft technology, according to the announcement.
