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2026 Kia Carnival

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 25 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

25 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2026
Structure

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…

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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?

NHTSA ODI #11764627

Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2026
Electrical System

Battery shuts down overnight. To get the car to start you need to pop the hood the night before use a jump start and keep your manual key handy. All electronics shut down completely

NHTSA ODI #11764623

Mileage unknown · Sep 1, 2026
Electrical SystemStructureUnknown Or Other

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 inst…

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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

NHTSA ODI #11761186

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2026
Unknown Or Other

Distracting feature which is dangerous to the operator: The control for the radio volume is the same knob as the control for the air and heating. As a result when you go to turn down the radio or change the volume you often change the fan and temperature... and likewise when you go to change the temperature you inadvertantly c…

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Distracting feature which is dangerous to the operator: The control for the radio volume is the same knob as the control for the air and heating. As a result when you go to turn down the radio or change the volume you often change the fan and temperature... and likewise when you go to change the temperature you inadvertantly change the volume on the radio which is difficult to change back. The constant switching between the Radio control and the temperature/fan control for the car is a huge distraction for a driver who needs to stay focused on the road Thankfully we have not been in an accident at this time, but the distraction is a concern with this vehicle and we felt should be reported for review.

NHTSA ODI #11754532

Mileage unknown · Jul 29, 2026
Unknown Or Other

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 …

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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)

NHTSA ODI #11753576

29,272 miles · Jun 25, 2026
SteeringCrashInjury

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…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11746424

Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 2026
StructureInjury

Subject: Safety Complaint – Power Sliding Door Failure Injuring Child (2026 Kia Carnival) I am submitting a safety complaint regarding a 2026 Kia Carnival. During normal use, the vehicle’s automatic power sliding door closed while my [XXX] child was partially outside the vehicle near the door track area. The door continued to …

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Subject: Safety Complaint – Power Sliding Door Failure Injuring Child (2026 Kia Carnival) I am submitting a safety complaint regarding a 2026 Kia Carnival. During normal use, the vehicle’s automatic power sliding door closed while my [XXX] child was partially outside the vehicle near the door track area. The door continued to close and did not stop or reverse when it encountered my child, resulting in the child being pinned between the sliding door and the vehicle body. I physically intervened by placing my body in the path of the door to stop it and remove my child. The child sustained bruising to the legs and torso. The concern is a potential failure of the anti-pinch / obstruction detection system on the power sliding door, which is intended to prevent this type of injury. I am requesting that this incident be documented and reviewed as a potential safety defect. Vehicle: 2026 Kia Carnival Incident involved: automatic power sliding door failure to reverse upon obstruction Injury: bruising to a [XXX] child (legs and torso) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11743596

2,379 miles · May 27, 2026
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrash

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 col…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11740309

2,200 miles · May 22, 2026
Electrical SystemPower Train

The contact owns a . The contact stated that while parked when the brake was depressed, press start button, when put in reverse, it says gear is selected, the vehicle stayed in neutral. This happens intermittently. The stop button was pressed, all of the instrument panel warning indicators would not illuminate. When pressi…

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The contact owns a . The contact stated that while parked when the brake was depressed, press start button, when put in reverse, it says gear is selected, the vehicle stayed in neutral. This happens intermittently. The stop button was pressed, all of the instrument panel warning indicators would not illuminate. When pressing p for parking to engage parking, it appeared as if it was in park; however the vehicle unexpectedly reversed. The vehicle was able to be stopped. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the issue could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approximate mileage was 2,200.

NHTSA ODI #11739601

Mileage unknown · May 19, 2026
Electrical System

Battery died at under 3,300 miles. After roadside came and jumped the batter, it died again after two days. Jumped again for the second time, when driving the car around it would randomly shut off even when the car is moving at higher speeds on freeway. The shut off would be for just one second and comes back on - everything s…

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Battery died at under 3,300 miles. After roadside came and jumped the batter, it died again after two days. Jumped again for the second time, when driving the car around it would randomly shut off even when the car is moving at higher speeds on freeway. The shut off would be for just one second and comes back on - everything starts resetting. And goes to user authoriztions notifications. Car shut off three times while driving around.

NHTSA ODI #11738682

Official recalls

2

26V232000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Apr 10, 2026

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Carnival vehicles. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the fuel pipe and fuel rail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

26V046000 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel

Jan 26, 2026

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.