At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. Confirm by VIN that the repair was completed before driving or buying this car. The fix is free at a dealer.
Recalls
Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.
Safety recall
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and verify whether the vehicle is equipped with a Genuine Kia accessory trailer tow hitch assembly. If equipped, dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC265.
- Status
- Park outside and away from buildings until repaired. Dealer fixes it free.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Fuel system recall
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC368. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 24, 2026.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Structure recall
A detached roof molding can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the roof molding and replace or secure it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC292.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Structure recall
A power sliding door that does not auto-reverse can close on an occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the power sliding door control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC266.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Safety recall
A power sliding door that fails to latch may open while moving, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the passenger-side power sliding door release actuator's drum and holder inside the remote controller assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC221.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Fuel system recall
A damaged fuel rail tube may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the multi-port injection fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began April 30, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC211.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Owner complaints by system
Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.
Engine & powertrain
31
Most reports here involve sudden stalling. Of these, 1 mention an injury.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11748281 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Electrical & infotainment
11
Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
I am submitting this complaint regarding the failure of the Kia Connect telematics system and the cessation of critical navigation support for my vehicle. Despite opening a formal support case with Kia (Ticket #25923650), the following issues remain unresolved: Loss of Trip History (Since January 2026): The Trip History feature within the Kia Connect suite has been completely non-functional since January 2026. This prevents the tracking of vehicle usage, mileage, and driving behavior data, which are core features of the paid subscription service. Failure of Connected Routing & Software Obsolescence: The "Connected Routing" feature is no longer operational. Kia support has stated this is due to the vehicle requiring a navigation update; however, Kia has ceased providing all navigation and software updates for this model as of April 2025. Safety Concern: The lack of software support and the failure of "Connected Routing" forces the vehicle to rely on navigation data that is nearly a year out of date. This creates a safety risk when the vehicle provides incorrect guidance on one-way streets, closed roads, or altered traffic patterns. Furthermore, the persistent failure of these telematics services raises serious concerns about the reliability of the vehicle's emergency communication systems, such as Automatic Collision Notification and the SOS Emergency Assistance button, which utilize the same underlying cellular module and software framework. Corrective Action Requested: I am seeking a mandatory software update from Kia that restores full functionality to the Kia Connect suite (specifically Trip History and Connected Routing) or a final navigation map update to ensure the vehicle’s guidance systems remain safe and accurate for the remainder of the service's lifecycle.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11723950 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Brakes
3
Most reports here involve rollaway. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
My 2022 Kia Carnival, approximately 80,000 miles, had intermittent dashboard warning lights and grinding brake noise for a few weeks. I brought the vehicle to Tasca Kia White Plains first time on 4/14/26 then again on 5/8/26. The dealership initially could not reproduce the issue, then later suspected an ABS sensor issue and ordered the part. On 5/12/26, before the repair was completed, I was driving downhill with my children in the vehicle when the brakes failed to respond properly. I had to steer off the roadway and go over rocks/boulders to stop the vehicle. At that time, the brakes would not respond normally, and I could not immediately shift the vehicle into Park. Police and towing services were involved. The dealership later replaced an ABS sensor. However, when I reviewed the codes with the service manager, I was told the ABS sensor code did not appear on the date of the brake incident. I was also told that an ABS sensor failure itself would not typically cause hydraulic brake failure. I am concerned that the sensor replacement does not explain the brake failure and that this may involve a brake/ABS/electronic stability control safety issue.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11738446 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Steering, suspension & tires
3
Most reports here involve premature wear.
Read full complaint
While driving spare tired became detached causing vehicle to have major damage to undercarriage. If speed was higher it would have caused a major accident with injury to passengers in vehicle and other vehicles.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11644271 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Airbags & seat belts
2
Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 4 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
With very low miles on our Carnival, I had just left a stop sign and someone ran their stop sign at high speed and tboned my vehicle in the driver's side. I woke up from being unconscious while still in driver seat and my car was still limping down the road not far from the intersection. Pretty serious head, back and other injuries and was taken via ambulance to the hospital. The problem is that despite a high speed impact into the side of my vehicle, NOT ONE of the airbags deployed! I am confident that my injuries, that now seem permanent, would have been MUCH less if the airbags had deployed as designed. The car was totalled by Insurance. I do have pictures of it.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11505365 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Structure & body
77
Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 22 mention an injury.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11764494 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Other systems
7
Most reports here involve fluid leaks. Of these, 5 mention an injury.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11698724 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
How does it compare with other years? The 2022 has 134 complaints on file, more than the 2023 (50). That is the most of the 5 model years of the Kia Carnival we cover. Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.