NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE22-004: Power Sliding Door Auto Reverse Failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22-004 on April 10, 2022 and closed it on June 13, 2023. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2022 Kia Carnival for it and links recall 23V-236 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE22-004 (also written PE22004)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed June 13, 2023
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Kia America, Inc.
- Component
- Structure — Body — Door
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 23V-236: Power Sliding Door May Close on Occupant, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2022 Kia Carnival
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE22-004.
On April 10, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) after receiving 5 consumer complaints alleging the Power Sliding Doors (PSD) auto-reverse function failed to work properly in the model year (MY) 2022 Kia Carnival minivan vehicles.
At that time, ODI was aware of 3 complaints alleging injuries to consumer?s arm, hand or shoulder caused by the closing PSD.Additionally, consumers alleged being trapped against the closing door while it was traversing in the closing direction.
The initial complaints also alleged excessive force is needed to reverse the direction of the closing door.
At this time, ODI is aware of 26 complaints and 11 injuries on the MY 2022 Carnival vehicles.
In its August 2022 responses to ODI's Information Request on the PE, Kia provided 36 customer complaints, 21 field reports, and 5 related warranty claims.
Kia also provided ODI with 21 reports of alleged injuries, however, Kia stated that it was able to confirm only 9 injuries.
Typically, these injuries are attributed to fingers and arms.
The Kia Carnival automatic stop and reversal system is designed to automatically reverse the direction of the closing PSD if it meets resistance from an object or person.
It relies on resistance sensing technology which requires a minimum input force or pressure to trigger activation.
The primary sensing components used to regulate the auto-reverse system activation are the anti-pinch sensor and the PSD motor torque systems.
Following several discussions with ODI during this investigation, on March 31, 2023, Kia filed a safety recall (NHTSA No. 23V-236) of 51,568 MY 2022 and 2023 Kia Carnival vehicles (produced through February 22, 2023) to reduce the risk of injury from the closing PSD.The remedy will be to reprogram the PSD control module with an updated software that provides two warning chimes when the door begins to close or open (to alert the vehicle users the door is about to move).
Also, the updated software will change the door speed to move more slowly as the door approaches its latching point.
In view of the recall action being taken by Kia, ODI is closing this PE.The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.
The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.NHTSA.gov under the following ODI identification numbers: 11423165, 11442133, 11447955, 11448290, 11450964, 11458125, 11461462, 11466619, 11466623, 11468938, 11469661, 11471224, 11471232, 11472272, 11487649, 11487671, 11489378, 11489577, 11491053, 11498214, 11501337, 11507176, 11507880, 11509037, 11512506, and 11516428.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE22-004. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Kia
Kia Carnival
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Kia VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE22-004
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.