Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 21, 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

26 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
6

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 2fluid leaks 1transmission slipping 1
A recent report: Grill on bumper allows large objects to fly through hitting condenser. This is an issue, it happened to my vehicle and the identical loaner car we were given while our car was in the shop for…
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Grill on bumper allows large objects to fly through hitting condenser. This is an issue, it happened to my vehicle and the identical loaner car we were given while our car was in the shop for repairs. I was told by the dealership to solve this problem carnival owners should follow other cars at a greater distance. Because I have children I already set my cruise control to follow other vehicles at a 4 car distance…. How much further should a carnival owner allow?

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11764627 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Worth reading
11

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

software faults 6sudden stalling 2
A recent report: The alert “consider taking a break” with the coffee cup symbol won’t stop going off. It goes off when I first start driving, it goes off every other minute sometimes, it does off for no reason all…
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The alert “consider taking a break” with the coffee cup symbol won’t stop going off. It goes off when I first start driving, it goes off every other minute sometimes, it does off for no reason all the time. It is so distracting. Today it was rainy and I’m sure is one reason it kept going off. It was also garbage day and someone put their garbage can on the road right on the line. The alert had gone off 15 times within my 20 minute drive after school drop off. It was making me angry and was super distracting. I was looking at the screen instead of the road as it started beeping again and didn’t see the garbage can. It smacked my side view mirror into the passenger window and shattered it completely. A minor thing, but is going to cost a ton. It’s frustrating to feel trapped into constantly being annoyed whenever I need to drive because there is no way to shut it off, but it literally goes off for no reason. It goes off so much I don’t take it seriously at all. It’s literally useless. And it’s not a little warning. The beeping is loud, the image covers a big portion of the screen, and it turns off my music and my gps prompts. It aggressively demands attention. It can’t keep doing this. I can’t be this distracted with my kids in the car. Every seat is full and I have to drive 30 minutes to one school and 10 minutes to the next school for drop off and pick up every single weekday twice a day. I need them to be safe, but that’s less possible when this alert is constantly going off and demanding attention the way it does. It’s a serious risk. It is reckless to put something so distracting in a vehicle that can cause death from an accident. I could understand if it went off after 4 hours of driving, but that’s not what’s happening. Multiple people have complained about it in social media. Something needs to be done to get this off of or vehicles. It’s unnecessary to suggest someone take a break. Especially after 5 min. That’s not a sensor warning about an actual problem.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11764959 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Minor
1

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 1
A recent report: I am submitting a safety complaint regarding unexpected and inappropriate automatic braking behavior at low speeds involving the parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert, and/or automatic emergency…
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I am submitting a safety complaint regarding unexpected and inappropriate automatic braking behavior at low speeds involving the parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert, and/or automatic emergency braking system. While performing normal, low-speed maneuvers such as backing out of street parking spaces or parking in tight urban environments, the vehicle abruptly applies the brakes even when no imminent collision exists and when obstacles or traffic are clearly visible to the driver. In one frequent scenario, while exiting a parallel out of a parking spot into traffic, the vehicle suddenly stops itself while partially in the roadway due to a car approaching in the rear. This occurs despite sufficient clearance and approaching vehicles slowing to yield or even happens AFTER the approaching vehicle has passed already! This creates a dangerous situation where my vehicle is immobilized in active traffic, increasing the risk of rear-end or side collisions. The driver behind me sees me stopped in middle thinks that I'm waiting for him, when really my intention was to come out of the spot and then finally it releases the emergency brake and then my vehicle juts out into the roadway. Also, during parking maneuvers, the vehicle applies emergency braking despite having enough space, SLOW speed, & the driver having full visual awareness via the backup camera. This removes the driver’s ability to make precise low-speed adjustments. The override behavior is also unsafe. Regaining control requires a firm brake press, after which releasing the pedal causes the vehicle to move abruptly, eliminating precise control and increasing collision risk. This behavior is unpredictable, inappropriate for dense urban driving, & creates hazardous situations rather than preventing them. I believe this constitutes a safety defect in the vehicle’s braking and driver-assist systems. Concerned this could lead to serious accidents, particularly in urban environments. Friends have same problems!

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11706687 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Worth reading
1

Most reports here involve loss of steering. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

loss of steering 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2026 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, while avoiding another vehicle that almost crashed into the vehicle, the contact attempted to turn…
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The contact owns a 2026 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, while avoiding another vehicle that almost crashed into the vehicle, the contact attempted to turn the steering wheel, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver, and the front passenger side of the vehicle crashed into a guard rail and the front bumper detached. No warning lights were illuminated. The air bags had not deployed. A Police report was filed. The contact sustained back, neck, and head pain from the impact in the crash. Medical attention was sought, and the contact was diagnosed with a whiplash. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,272.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11746424 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
1

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

airbags not deploying 1
A recent report: The contact owned a 2026 Kia Carnival. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently hit a deer. The check engine warning light illuminated after the collision. The contact's…
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The contact owned a 2026 Kia Carnival. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently hit a deer. The check engine warning light illuminated after the collision. The contact's wife was occupying the front passenger's side seat and the contact's daughter was occupying the rear driver's side seat during the collision. The air bags failed to deploy, and the seat belts failed to retract as needed. There was no reported injury. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle was then towed to an autobody, where it was totaled by the insurance company after further investigation. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle operated as designed upon reviewing pictures of the damaged vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 2,379.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11740309 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Worth reading
3

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention an injury.

software faults 1
A recent report: We were driving down [XXX] south towards home and out of nowhere, it sounded like something clapped against our passenger driver's side window. the window completely shattered and then proceeded to…
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We were driving down [XXX] south towards home and out of nowhere, it sounded like something clapped against our passenger driver's side window. the window completely shattered and then proceeded to fall inwards onto my [XXX] old. It was absolutely traumatizing. Nothing hit us. It just exploded. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11753576 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
3

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 3
A recent report: I purchased a new 2026 Kia Carnival EX and noticed an unusually intense amount of heat coming from underneath the vehicle on the passenger side, particularly around the rear passenger door/second-row…
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I purchased a new 2026 Kia Carnival EX and noticed an unusually intense amount of heat coming from underneath the vehicle on the passenger side, particularly around the rear passenger door/second-row seating area. I first noticed the issue while the vehicle was parked and I was standing outside the open rear passenger door installing car seats and floor mats. The heat radiating from underneath the vehicle was intense enough that my feet and lower legs became extremely hot while standing next to the vehicle I also noticed that the seat/floor rails and other exposed metal components in and around the second-row passenger area became extremely hot to the touch. I could only keep my hand on some of these metal components briefly before the heat became too uncomfortable and I had to remove my hand. I am concerned about the safety of this condition because these hot surfaces are in an area routinely accessed by passengers, including children entering and exiting the second row. I am concerned about the potential for contact burns as well as whether the amount of heat being transferred into the floor, rails, and surrounding components could indicate an exhaust, emissions, heat-shielding, or other mechanical problem. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. At this time, the exact component or system responsible for the excessive heat has not been identified. The issue has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a Kia dealer or independent service center. I have contacted Kia service personnel regarding having the vehicle inspected. I was informed that if the vehicle is inspected and the dealership cannot reproduce or identify a problem, I may be responsible for an approximately 210 diagnostic charge. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or another independent party regarding this issue. There were no warning lights or dashboard messages indicating a problem before or when I noticed the heat

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11761186 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 26 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2025 and 2026, roughly 24 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.