2023 Kia Carnival Recalls & Complaints

Incident: August 1, 2025 · Filed: October 18, 2026

The seatbelt anchor for the second row seat immediately behind the driver's seat failed to latch properly sometimes and it would take several attempts to get it latched properly. The safety of me and others was put at risk because I could have been ejected in a crash or moved forward into the drivers seat, causing serious or fatal injury to me and/or the driver. The problem has not been reproduced, and the components have not been inspected, and there were no warnings issued by the vehicle.

Incident: September 22, 2026 · Filed: September 23, 2026

Fuel door actuator is electrically tied to cabin door locks with no manual release and frequently fails to open after repeatedly cycling cabin door locks. Issue is not due to bad batteries or other vehicle related electrical faults. Manufacturer has confirmed defect is present in all Kia models from 2020 until now with no after warranty support.

Incident: July 24, 2026 · Filed: August 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the vehicle, causing the contact’s six children to become dizzy from the odor. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V232000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the remedy failed to fix the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure occurred after the recall repair was performed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the dealer might offer a buyback of the vehicle. The manufacturer opened a case. The failure mileage was 58,425.

Incident: January 1, 2026 · Filed: July 24, 2026

Vehicle air conditioning sends off a vinegar like aroma. Likely condensation on coils.

Incident: July 23, 2026 · Filed: July 23, 2026

I am filing a comprehensive complaint against Kia America and its authorized dealership for a prolonged failure to remedy a safety defect, ongoing consumer deception, and gross mismanagement of a federally mandated safety recall involving a severe fire hazard. Vehicle: 2022-2026 Kia Carnival NHTSA Recall Number: 26V232 (High-Pressure Fuel Pipe Leak) [Chronology of Complete Events] June 29, 2026 (First Attempt): I brought my vehicle to Kia dealer shop to have Safety Recall 26V232 performed. The service department informed me that they did not have the necessary parts and the repair would take over a week. June 30, 2026 (Deceptive Release): The dealer contacted me to pick up the vehicle, stating they could not proceed with the recall due to a complete lack of parts. They only performed a standard engine oil change (unrelated to the recall) and promised they would contact me to reschedule as soon as the recall parts arrived. July 19, 2026 (Manufacturer Negligence): Nearly three weeks passed with zero follow-up from the dealer. I contacted Kia America Customer Care to lodge a formal complaint. Shockingly, Kia America responded by stating they do not assist with scheduling or coordinating parts availability, irresponsibly shifting the manufacturer's statutory obligation onto me to independently find another dealer. July 21, 2026 (False Assurances): Due to my persistent follow-ups, Kia Dealer finally called me. The dealership explicitly assured me over the phone that ALL necessary recall parts had physically arrived and were strictly secured for my vehicle. July 23, 2026 (Today - Repeated Deception): I dropped off my vehicle at 10:00 AM. I explicitly asked the service advisor to confirm if all recall work would be finished today. He promised it would be completed by the end of the day. However, at 5:50 PM—just ten minutes before closing—Dealer called to inform me that they could not finish the vehicle because they are "still waiting for a specific part."

Incident: May 31, 2026 · Filed: June 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the driver’s side roof molding ejected from the vehicle. The contact immediately stopped the vehicle but was unable to locate the molding. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V025000 (STRUCTURE). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 77,000.

Incident: April 10, 2026 · Filed: June 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 KIA Carnival. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V320000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Incident: January 13, 2026 · Filed: May 14, 2026

Our Carnival had the SC266 recall repair done on July 3rd, 2023, at 3074 miles. Then our [XXX] daughter was injured as a result of the safety function not working and the door closed without any chimes. [XXX] (my spouse) is a cardiac nurse at our local hospital, and I have combat medical training, so we took care of the minor injury. Her small hand was spared the devastation a larger one would suffer. The dealership is pretending it’s unreproducible (even though I supplied them with video evidence to the contrary), and Kia Corporate (case # XXX) doesn’t appear any more likely to help. I reported the injury when it occurred on January 13th, 2026, to the dealership. They said they were sorry and would look into it. Nothing happened. I call, and they say they can’t fix it. I call again after I see the XXX v. XXX, et al., case was allowed to proceed, and I produce videos confirming the safety issue with sticks. They bring it in and claim in their exact words in the paperwork, “Found Doors to chime when an “abstruction” was present in the doorway and vehicle doors to stop when detecting an object. Started T/L case for documentation purposes.” In private, they tell me, “We cannot stop the force of the closing or fix it” and do not allow me to reproduce the safety issue for them to witness. I file a complaint with Corporate, and they tell me the dealership is saying it’s fine. I send the videos, and they say they will look into it. No resolution. Today, I produced a second set of videos to show the devastation the safety issue causes and the lack of response from the sensor, chimes, or the reopening of the door from an obstruction using bananas after the dealership declared it not reproducible. My special needs [XXX] daughter was harmed as pictured. The van itself is unsafe for children, which is the only reason anyone (including me) would purchase it. My children could be harmed again, but we cannot afford the burden of another car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: June 6, 2025 · Filed: April 29, 2026

I am reporting a safety defect involving my 2023 Kia Carnival SX Prestige. On June 6, 2025, I brought the vehicle to Yonkers Kia Service Center because of a strong gasoline odor. The dealership told me the fuel tank was swollen and that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The vehicle remained at the dealership from June 6, 2025 through October 17, 2025. Kia later indicated that the fuel tank, canister, and vent valve had been replaced. When the vehicle was returned to me on October 17, 2025, it still smelled like gas. Within 24–48 hours, the same or related safety issues returned, including strong fuel odor, loss of engine power, check engine light, abnormal fuel consumption, and later a visible fuel leak, which I documented on video. Because the vehicle did not feel safe, I stopped driving it on October 19, 2025. In March 2026, the vehicle was towed back to Kia for renewed diagnosis. Kia later reported that one fuel injector was leaking and performed additional repairs. My VIN now shows open unrepaired Recall SC368 / NHTSA Recall 26V232. That recall states that the high-pressure cross-over fuel pipe nuts may loosen over time, resulting in a fuel leak and fire risk. The recall warning signs include fuel smell and/or check engine light, which directly overlap with the exact symptoms I repeatedly experienced and reported. I am reporting that this vehicle had repeat fuel-related safety failures, a prior extended repair attempt that did not resolve the issue, and was previously returned to me in what I believe was an unsafe condition.

Incident: January 1, 2026 · Filed: February 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormally strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to two separate dealers, where the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was given a diagnostic fee from the dealers, but declined to pay for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.