Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

124 total

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

Minor
19

Most reports here involve fluid leaks.

fluid leaks 5software faults 4transmission slipping 4
A recent report: The contact owns a 2025 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a strong fuel odor inside the vehicle. The contact's minor children were unable to ride…
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The contact owns a 2025 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a strong fuel odor inside the vehicle. The contact's minor children were unable to ride in the vehicle due to the odor. Several dealers were contacted and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was contacted by the dealer and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11763722 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
80

Most reports here involve electrical shorts.

electrical shorts 22software faults 12
A recent report: **Vehicle:** 2025 Kia Carnival **Current Mileage:** Approximately 18,000 miles I am reporting a serious and ongoing safety defect involving the center LCD display in my 2025 Kia Carnival. The problem…
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**Vehicle:** 2025 Kia Carnival **Current Mileage:** Approximately 18,000 miles I am reporting a serious and ongoing safety defect involving the center LCD display in my 2025 Kia Carnival. The problem began immediately after the vehicle's first scheduled service at an authorized Kia dealership and has continued ever since. The center LCD screen intermittently flickers and then goes completely blank while I am driving. When this happens, the rearview camera image is also lost while the vehicle is in Reverse, leaving the display completely black and preventing me from seeing behind the vehicle during backing. This creates a significant safety hazard and increases the risk of striking a pedestrian, child, vehicle, or other object. The display failure while driving is also extremely distracting because critical vehicle information and functions become unavailable. I have taken the vehicle to authorized Kia dealerships multiple times for warranty repairs, but the defect remains unresolved. The LCD display has been replaced, yet the problem continues to occur. The dealerships have kept my vehicle for extended periods during several repair attempts without permanently correcting the issue. Service dates include: * September 9, 2025 * March 10, 2026 * March 18, 2026 * June 1, 2026 The issue is intermittent but repeatedly occurs without warning. I transport my family, including infants, in this vehicle, and I am extremely concerned about their safety and the safety of others. Losing the backup camera and display while reversing or driving creates an unacceptable safety risk. I believe this may be a safety-related defect affecting the vehicle's display system. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this issue because multiple warranty repair attempts, including replacement of the display, have failed to resolve the defect.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11747231 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: On August 31, 2026, while traveling eastbound on I-14/US-190 in Killeen, Texas toward Temple, an original factory-installed Continental CrossContact RX 235/55 R19 101H tire on a 2025 Kia Carnival…
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On August 31, 2026, while traveling eastbound on I-14/US-190 in Killeen, Texas toward Temple, an original factory-installed Continental CrossContact RX 235/55 R19 101H tire on a 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid suffered a major failure at approximately 28,975 vehicle miles. A toddler was a passenger in the vehicle. Prior to the failure, there was an unusual tire noise, followed by a much louder noise and the smell of burning rubber as the tire came apart. There were no known tire-pressure warnings or other warning messages before the failure. Fortunately, the driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle and safely pull off the highway. There was no crash, fire, or injury. Kia Roadside Assistance towed the vehicle to a Kia dealership. The failed tire was replaced. A service advisor at the dealership who personally observed the failed tire subsequently stated that what he observed was tread separation and not road-hazard damage. Approximately 7,091 miles before the failure, at 21,884 vehicle miles, a Kia multipoint inspection documented all four factory-installed Continental tires at 7/32-inch tread depth with “NO DAMAGE.” The tires had also received documented rotations during the vehicle's service history. The failed tire is no longer available for inspection. I contacted the servicing dealership the morning after the incident specifically regarding retaining the failed tire. When I later returned to the dealership to follow up, I learned that the tire had been disposed of. Continental was notified of the incident but has not physically inspected the failed tire because it was disposed of by the dealership. Three other factory-installed Continental CrossContact RX tires remain on the vehicle. I am submitting this complaint because of the serious safety concern associated with a reported tread separation occurring at highway speed and because three tires from the original factory-installed set remain in service.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11763549 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
5

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 2 mention an injury.

software faults 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2025 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while parked in a bank drive-thru, the contact's son mentioned that his seat belt was stuck. The contact parked the vehicle in a parking…
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The contact owns a 2025 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while parked in a bank drive-thru, the contact's son mentioned that his seat belt was stuck. The contact parked the vehicle in a parking spot and attempted to remove the seat belt; however, the seat belt retracted tightly around his abdomen as the lower half of his body was turning blue, requiring the contact's husband to cut the seat belt. The contact mentioned that it was discovered that all seat belts located in the rear row seats failed. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were flickering on and off back in April. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that all the third-row rear seat belts had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired by replacing the seat belts. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the seat belts were replaced and that the vehicle was ready to be picked up. The approximate failure mileage was 46,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11748893 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Worth reading
10

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 3 mention an injury.

software faults 3fluid leaks 1
A recent report: The rear sliding door on the driver's side was not locking. I took it to the dealership and they have replaced the actuator, the wiring harness, and the IPM power module. None of this has fixed it…
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The rear sliding door on the driver's side was not locking. I took it to the dealership and they have replaced the actuator, the wiring harness, and the IPM power module. None of this has fixed it. We now have a Kia special mechanic coming to [XXX] to take a look at it. I was told there are 19 other vehicles in [XXX] with the same issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11749274 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
9

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 4electrical shorts 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2025 Kia Carnival with an external Harmar Swing Away Lift, Model Number: AL100, with a mobility scooter attached. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65-70 MPH…
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The contact owns a 2025 Kia Carnival with an external Harmar Swing Away Lift, Model Number: AL100, with a mobility scooter attached. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, after driving for two hours on [XXX] approaching Grand Rapids, Michigan, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle, and the driver became aware that the scooter had detached. The driver was able to pull over and became aware that the scooter was in the left bound lane. Other vehicles had to swerve to avoid a crash. Another driver was able to assist with securing the scooter on the vehicle. After the failure, the contact noticed there was a four-inch gap on the lift while lying on a flat surface. The lift was taken to the installer, who confirmed that the lift was working as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to another local dealer for further inspection. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11759487 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 124 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2024 and 2026, roughly 58 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.