First time posting here. This morning, I got a notification from the KIA app saying my doors were unlocked around 12:26 AM. I thought it was strange, but I just locked it again through the app. When I went out to leave for work an hour later, I opened the trunk and realized my whole car was turned upside down. I’m a service engineer and have a lot of specific, expensive gear, but there’s no real market for it. Anyway, I went to the police to report my tools stolen, and they found it odd that there were no signs of forced entry.
After I got home, I did some research and saw there were security issues reported earlier this year where hackers could access the car through some software exploit. My question: Has anyone else experienced something like this? Do I need a specific security update that maybe didn’t come through with my last software update (which was sometime in October via USB)? Or is there just an open vulnerability for now that we have to live with?
I’m a bit shaken and definitely want to avoid this happening again – any advice would be appreciated.
diallo said:
Could they have used a signal repeater to capture your fob signal? It might be that straightforward.
Probably not. The key fob has an accelerometer that puts it to sleep when it’s not moving for a few minutes.
I’m not sure how long it takes exactly, but it’s a short time, a few minutes at most.
It’s a hard lesson for a lot of us, but best to avoid leaving valuables in the car, even if they’re specialized tools. A thief doesn’t know that right away – they just see a chance to grab something valuable and sort it out later.
@Thomas
Wow, really? Where’d you find that info? That sounds like a great feature, makes me feel better about the fob prices if they’re putting tech like that into them.
diallo said: @Thomas
Wow, really? Where’d you find that info? That sounds like a great feature, makes me feel better about the fob prices if they’re putting tech like that into them.
Try this: put your key fob near the driver’s door, like on a table inside. Make sure it’s in range by testing the lock/unlock button on the door handle.
Then leave it there for about 10 minutes without moving it. When you try again, the door won’t unlock because the fob should be asleep.
diallo said:
Could they have used a signal repeater to capture your fob signal? It might be that straightforward.
Hmm, my keys are on a metal plate upstairs, about 10 meters from the front door where the car’s parked. I’m not sure how far a signal hijack could reach, but maybe I should get a metal box.
Kia patched some of the main security issues in early 2023. If you got the car in late 2022, it might not have had the patch yet. One flaw was related to the fob, which let hackers drive off with the car. Another is with the Kia Connect app – if your VIN or plate is visible, it could let someone hack the app and unlock your car. I’d suggest checking with your dealer.
@Randy
It’s a lease from a former colleague, so I don’t know exactly when it was ordered or if any updates were done. I should check if my VIN is visible outside. Quick search says it could be in the door or near the windshield.
And nope, no teenagers – just a cat, haha. No offense, but the teenager question threw me off a bit!
@zendaya
Haha, fair point! Just thought I’d ask – back in the day, I got into all kinds of mischief.
Definitely check with the dealer though. If you have the premium Kia Connect app, it should alert you if your doors are unlocked or if they were locked/unlocked using the app.
@Randy
Yeah, I do get notifications, and the app shows that my car was unlocked in the middle of the night. But it doesn’t say what key or method was used (if that’s even possible). So the police weren’t too convinced – they even hinted that I could’ve just unlocked it myself by accident or something and then filed a report…
@zendaya
Yeah, unfortunately, I think the app only logs when doors are locked/unlocked directly through the app. It might not track physical button locks or fob actions. Still, if it’s an issue, that info could help KIA figure out a solution. And if your insurance allows it, you could file a claim since you have a police report at least.