For the past two years, KIRO 7 has been reporting on how easy it is to steal some Kia and Hyundai cars. Wednesday marks a year since the company started pushing out software to stop these thefts. KIRO 7 wanted to know if it was working.

Kia says yes. It says more than a million upgrades have been rolled out and it’s proven very effective.

“The vehicles being upgraded – we’re just seeing a fantastic result,” said Head of Corporate Communication with Kia America, James Bell. “We know the software does its job as intended.”

But KIRO 7 has heard from two drivers who say not so much.

Nick Lyday, a North Seattle resident, said he got the software upgrade about a month ago. But woke up Sunday morning to find his car gone. Instead in his parking spot were just pieces of his ignition.

“Frustration and vulnerability is definitely coming to mind,” Lyday said.

This latest case is actually the second time someone stole his 2014 Hyundai Elantra. The first incident happened last year in May. Lyday shared photos that show all the typical damage – a smashed-out window and ripped-out steering column.

Thieves also came to his neighborhood on Christmas Eve. This time, Lyday said he interrupted the theft and the criminals sped off.

“My adrenaline was pumping,” Lyday said.

So he got the software upgrade with Hyundai.

“I had a false sense of security,” Lyday said.

His car was stolen about a month after getting the upgrade.

But how did his car get stolen even with the fix?

“That’s what’s been the most perplexing,” Lyday said.

Another car theft victim out of Puyallup dealt with a similar situation last fall. Her Kia was also stolen after the software upgrade.

KIRO 7′s Deedee Sun took these concerns right to the manufacturers.

Kia and Hyundai said here’s how the upgrade works: thieves breaking into a locked car trigger an extended alarm and shut the car down.

“And the ignition system will basically go into default mode and will not operate the car for an extended period of time,” Bell said.

Bell said after more than a million Kias upgraded (about 35% of vulnerable cars) they know it’s working. But as for Lyday’s case, Bell said it’s hard to say what might’ve gone wrong.

“We’ve heard of these very isolated incidents,” he said. “If the owner would like to contact us and make sure we have the VIN number so we can do some investigation on it – because candidly – it doesn’t add up for us.”

Bell is also encouraging owners of vulnerable Kia and Hyundais to use the club locks to further deter thieves.

Lyday said even if he gets answers on what went wrong with his security upgrade – he’s done with his paid-off Hyundai and done and feeling like a target.

“After this point, I don’t want to deal with this at all,” Lyday said. “Even if they don’t steal the car, the broken windows, and having a thief lurk around our house is just not welcome,” Lyday said. “I don’t want my girlfriend to come home and there’s someone stealing my car.”

Lyday said he’s certain he locked his car. But Kia does warn – if your car is not locked, the security upgrade that de-activates your vehicle during a theft will not trigger. That means thieves will still be able to exploit the ignition vulnerably, and possibly start your car with just a USB.

Bell acknowledged owners are still dealing with things like broken windows even if thieves can’t get away with the car – and they’re working with both social media companies and local law enforcement to tackle the ongoing problems.