Metro Nashville Police announced the arrests of five teenagers who are accused of driving a stolen 2012 Kia Optima and breaking into multiple cars in West Nashville.
The arrests come just two days after Metro Nashville Council announced a $1.2 million settlement with Kia and Hyundai, both owned by the Hyundai Motor Group, following a 2024 lawsuit that accused the manufacturers of "gross negligence" for failing to put standard anti-theft features in their cars. On Sept. 14, a federal court in California allowed insurance companies to sue Kia and Hyundai, opening the two manufacturers to more than $1 billion in claims, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Certain Kia and Hyundai models, ranging from 2011 to 2021, initially lacked an engine immobilizer,
a device thst prevents a car from starting unless the correct key is used. This vulnerability sparked the viral "Kia Challenge" in 2021, in which car thieves filmed themselves accessing and activating ignition switches with tools like screwdrivers and USB cables.
Kia made engine immobilizers standard in all cars starting in 2022, and in 2023 announced a software patch to fix the vulnerability in older cars, as well as providing deterrent devices for cars not eligible for the patch.
Kia and Hyundai models made up six of the 10 most stolen cars in America in 2023, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. In Nashville, 1,504 Kia and Hyundai vehicles were stolen that year, marking a 555% increase in thefts of those cars compared to 2022. In Nashville, over 32% of vehicles stolen in 2023 were Kia and Hyundai models, according to the council's lawsuit.
In 2024, the number of auto thefts in Nashville was at its highest since 1998, according to WKRN.
Efforts by the manufacturers have led to a significant decline in thefts, but vulnerable vehicles are still on Nashville roads. The Kia Optima was the sixth most stolen vehicle in America in 2025, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
The teenagers arrested range from 17 to 19 years old and are from Memphis. They face vehicle-related charges. Four of the five were charged with motor vehicle burglary, possession of burglary tools, and vehicle theft. A 17-year-old was also charged in juvenile court with vehicle theft and possession of burglary tools.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville arrests highlight ongoing risks in vulnerable Kia models
