Should Texas Hyundai Owners Rebadge Their Cars To Stop Theft?

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• Hyundai and Kia paid a $200 million settlement to the owners of their easy-to-steal cars.
• The cars do not have immobilizers so if you can crank it, you can steal it.
• Stealing the cars became a TikTok trend.

It has to be hard owning a car with hundreds of how-to videos floating around the internet outlining how easy it is to dismantle their steering columns and steal. That's what Hyundai and Kia owners across Texas are currently dealing with.

Many 2011-2022 cars do not have an immobilizer, a standard theft deterrent system that has been on most U.S.-manufactured vehicles for years. It is the main reason that getting a new key for your car is so expensive.

There is a chip built into the key that keeps the car from starting, even with a key, if the chip is not present. According to thedrive.com, the manufacturers are currently in the process of fixing more than a million easily boosted vehicles.

Some Kia And Hyundai Models Can Be Stolen With Just A USB Cable

If your vehicle uses a physical key and does not have a push-to-start button you could be worried that your vehicle could also be stolen. One Hyundai driver took matters into their own hands and just rebadged the vehicle.

Because of safety standards in the automotive industry, most modern sedans have a similar look. Just getting a set of Ford badges and putting them over the logo with tape, should confuse a thief enough to keep looking for a Kia or Hyundai in the parking garage.

Did your car make the Texas most stolen vehicle list?