Hyundai, Kia owners frustrated by customer call center wait times to get security update

DAYTON — Both Kia and Hyundai have informed customers they are offering software upgrades to protect vehicles against theft.

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News Center 7′s Mike Campbell spoke with vehicle owners who tell him the program is not user friendly.

Both Kia and Hyundai have each sent letters to owners of vehicles telling them they can offer computer upgrades to protect them against theft. But owners tell News Center 7 they are having a difficulty time getting through.

“Thank you for calling Kia Customer Care Center,” the phone recording said when Campbell tried to reach the company Thursday about what customers should do to get the anti-theft upgrade after hearing hold-time horror stories.

“Your call is very important to us and will be answered in the order it was received,” the recording continued before going to music.

It then said, “Your wait time is greater than five minutes,” and then went back to music.

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Campbell discovered the same thing Dayton Kia Owners told us about.

He was on hold for more than six minutes after being told the wait time is more than five minutes.

He spoke with one woman who said she was on hold for more than 40 minutes before getting through to a representative who could not help her.

The woman was told, “Right now, they are only providing the fixes for Kia’s and shortages. Once they get to the other models of Kia, they would reach out to the owners’ of those vehicles”

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The frustration has been building since last summer when social media posts, especially on TikTok, showed how easy it was to use a USB cord to steal Kia and Hyundais made in 2021 and before.

Campbell said thefts across the country and Dayton immediately skyrocket.

“He said it is undriveable,” said Jennifer Hunter. “I was so disgusted.”

Hunter said in January she had her car stolen and the thieves crashed it and left her vehicle badly damaged and her with no way to work, the store or doctor.

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Campbell reports cities began devoting huge amounts of police resources to fight the car theft problem, including Montgomery County forming an Autotheft Suppression Task Force.

Cities like Milwaukee and Columbus have not filed lawsuits declaring the companies’ vehicles a public nuisance.

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Campbell asked City of Dayton leaders if they would to the same and was told, “As of right now, the city of Dayton has no plans to join the lawsuit.”

The city has decided not to join the lawsuit right now but that does not mean they have not spent any money they would not have otherwise.

They are part of an Autotheft Suppression Task Force, make up of agencies across the county.

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