DENVER — At least 17 states are calling on the federal government to demand a recall of some Hyundai and Kia models that are lacking technology that helps prevent theft.
The companies offered free software updates to fix the problem on more than 8 million cars, but the attorneys general in many states said that's not enough and they want a recall of all the affected models.
Such a move would come too late for some owners.
Earlier this month, Patricia Owens and her husband Arthur Owens drove from their home in Nebraska to Denver International Airport to fly out for a trip. They paid to leave their car at a nearby hotel. They came back to a surprise.
"I told my husband, our van is not sitting where we set it. It's gone," Patricia said. "He's like, what? Yeah, our van is gone!"
The Owens were given surveillance video they say shows someone getting into their gold 2015 Kia Sedona.
Within three minutes, someone left them stranded three hours from home.
"It was just, how are we going to get home and how are we going to get out stuff that was in it? Didn't know what to do," Patricia said as she choked back tears.
Last week, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser joined more than a dozen other states urging the federal government to recall millions of Kia and Hyundai cars because they are too easy to steal.
"It's time these companies go all in and take every effort to protect consumers and give them the technology they deserve," Weiser told 9NEWS in March, when he pushed for the car manufacturers to better promote the software updates they offered.
But for some, the damage is done.
"Even with the recall, what are they going to do for the people that had their vehicle stolen and don't get them back?" Patricia's daughter Michelle Owens asked.
That's a question the Owens family and plenty of others want answered. Until they know, they plan to avoid staying overnight in Denver.
"Next time we fly to Florida to see our daughter, we're just going to get somebody to take us over and just leave our vehicles at home," Arthur Owens said.
The family said Arthur is battling stage 3 lung cancer and four of his extra oxygen tanks were in the van when it was stolen. The family said their insurance company is working with them, but it may be a bit until they have a reliable car to take Arthur to and from his doctor's appointments.
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