GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Hyundai wants to reduce theft of its vehicles by offering a three-day automotive clinic in Grand Rapids to install updated anti-theft software.
Thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles have soared in recent years due to social media-inspired challenges where people showed how to start the cars without a key and with relative ease.
Hyundai is now setting up clinics in major metropolitan areas across the country to offer a 15-minute software update to resolve the problem.
The Grand Rapids clinic is open at 555 Monroe Ave. on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. NW, a vacant lot near the Grand River used for various events, temporary art installations and other purposes.
Opening hours are Sunday, April 28 from 12:00 noon to 6:00 PM and Monday, April 29 and Tuesday, April 30 from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. No appointment or registration is required and there is no charge.
The fix applies to Hyundai vehicles built between 2011 and 2021 that have an ignition key that can be turned.
Hyundai is setting up large tent-like structures at 555 Monroe Ave. to protect workers and vehicle owners from bad weather. The structure will have a lounge with refreshments where vehicle owners can wait.
All Hyundai car owners also receive a free steering lock.
David VandeLinde, vice president of aftersales at Hyundai, said the entire process typically takes no more than 20-30 minutes.
Related: Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids car thefts are rising fastest in the state, report shows
He said there are about 3,100 Hyundai vehicles in need of repairs within a 50-mile radius of Grand Rapids.
“Our focus is of course on supporting customers,” says VandeLinde. “But we recognize that these thefts also have a huge impact on communities and police resources.”
VandeLinde was part of a press conference Friday, April 26, at the Grand Rapids Police Department to announce the clinic. Others in attendance included Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom and personnel from the Michigan State Police, Kentwood Police and the Wyoming Department of Public Safety.
Winstrom has previously described the problem of car thefts as a “crisis” typically perpetrated by young people.
In 2022, he said, about 1,400 vehicles were stolen in Grand Rapids. Of those, more than half were Hyundai or Kia models.
Winstrom said cars stolen in recent years have been used in burglaries and even shootings.
But for the vast majority, the reason has more to do with status.
“Generally speaking, we’re talking about young kids stealing cars for a social media presence,” he said. “So it was a new challenge for (the police).”
Related: A rise in car thefts is hitting Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, where nearly two cars are stolen per day
VandeLinde said the software update was intended to improve safety for 3.7 million vehicles built over the past decade. About 57% of those vehicles have already received the update.
Essentially, the new software immobilizes a vehicle, preventing it from starting if someone tries to break into it. In order for the system to work as intended, it is important that people lock their vehicles when left unattended.
Hyundai owners can always get the update at a dealer, VandeLinde said, but the clinics are intended to provide flexibility for people who may not have time to make an appointment.
Grand Rapids is the twentieth city for the mobile software clinic since Hyundai began the mobile operation in July 2023.
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