So, my alarm system worked, to an extent. Have you heard of the Kia TikTok challenge? Until March of 2023 I hadn’t. There’s a design flaw on many Kia’s and Hyundai’s that allows them to be hotwired or started with a simple USB cable. Yep, and what’s worse there’s video all over TikTok showing how to do it and then thieves joy riding the stolen cars.

On the Way to a Meeting

On March 8th I went to my car at 6:00 am and found it unlocked. I thought that was weird because I never forget to lock my car. I hadn’t forgotten. It had been broken into. I found the steering column exposed and the ignition hanging freely. I thought about putting the key in the ignition and trying to start it but then thought better of it. I drove my wife’s car instead.

After conducting two leadership meetings I got back home about 10:00 am. That’s when I discovered the back window on my Kia Soul had been smashed in. It was dark at 6:00 and I hadn’t noticed.

I called the police and a friendly officer drove by the house to inspect the “Crime Scene.” Next, I contacted my insurance agent who connected me with an insurance adjuster. After that I called my Kia dealership service department and talked with Nick. I’d worked with Nick before. He is courteous, caring, and professional. And most important to me he has a sense of humor. When I told him what happened he was silent and then said, “It’s the Kia Challenge.” “The what?” I said.

The Bad News

Then he told me the bad news, there’d been so many it was difficult to get parts. Nick was right. My car was at the shop for a month. I got it back on April 8th.

So, why is this in a compilation of humor pieces? I haven’t got to the punch line. Every, law enforcement officer, insurance adjustor, and Kia mechanic I shared this with laughed. It also let me have a little fun and not focus on not having my car for a month.

A Clutch Situation

My Kia Souls had the rear window smashed, the steering column taken apart, and it looks like the thieves got it started. So, why was it still in my driveway and not taken for a joyride? Because it’s a manual transmission. The would-be car thief didn’t know how to drive a stick.

My wife and I have joked that our manual tranny cars, we have three, are theft proof because young car thieves don’t know what a clutch is. It’s an alarm system of sorts. It worked, because they didn’t steal the car, they just damaged it and put it out of service for a month. How I wish I could’ve seen their faces when they realized it had a clutch.

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