This “Hack” Won’t Prevent Your Car From Being Stolen In New York

Unfortunately for New York Kia and Hyundai drivers, the viral “Kia Challenge” shows no signs of slowing down. 

Hundreds of Kias and Hyundais have been stolen across the state over the last two years thanks to the dangerous TikTok trend, and owners of these vehicles are desperate to prevent it from happening to them. 

Many pre-2021 Kia and Hyundai models are now known to have a vulnerability in their ignition system that makes it easy to start the vehicle without a key. A video demonstrating the hack began going viral on TikTok in late 2022, leading to thousands of vehicle thefts across the country.

A solution that’s gaining traction online here in New York State is for Kia and Hyundai owners to hide an Apple AirTag in their cars, the logic being that you’ll be able to track its location if it’s taken, and could potentially help police to find their car if it’s stolen. 

Unfortunately, many “Kia Challenge” victims discovered the hard way that this idea doesn’t work. 

If you’re considering buying an Apple AirTag to help prevent the theft of your vehicle, here’s what you need to know. 

Get our free mobile app

This Is Why Apple AirTags Won’t Prevent Your Kia Being Stolen

Apple AirTags, which came on the market in 2021, are great for helping to locate your keys, wallet, or other small items that are commonly misplaced. If you lose track of an item that’s attached to an AirTag, the popular tracking device sends out a Bluetooth signal that can be detected by another Apple phone, computer, or iPad nearby using their “Find My” network. 

Technically, you should be able to track any item you attach to an AirTag - whether it be something small like a purse or something large like a vehicle - even if it is far away from your current location, as long as it is in range of another Apple device (ex: the thief who took your car has an iPhone, or it’s driven to a public place with an iPhone nearby).

However, security features with AirTags may throw a wrench in your tracking plans. Apple equipped its AirTags with features that will recognize when the tracker is not near the main device it’s paired with, and after a while, when the item with an AirTag is far enough away from the main device, it’ll start to beep. 

This feature was meant to prevent dangerous incidents (ex: using an AirTag to follow a stranger’s location). But the downside, especially if you are attempting to use an AirTag to track your stolen vehicle, is that it’ll also alert whoever stole your car that there’s an AirTag hidden inside, so the thief can easily dispose of it and drive on their way - making it even tougher to find your missing car. 

For your own peace of mind, you could buy an Apple AirTag to track your car– but it could end up being a waste of money. 

The only real steps you can take to help prevent your car from being stolen in a “Kia Challenge” is to invest in a steering wheel lock or security system - or, sadly, trade in your Kia or Hyundai for another brand of vehicle.