Kia Carnival problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 5 model years (2022–2026), NHTSA has logged 507 owner complaints and 7 safety recalls for the Kia Carnival. That averages 45.8 complaints per year on the road — a typical number of complaints (index 1.13 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Minivans segment it ranks #2 of 4 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 52.0.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2024 models run 39% below the 2022 models (50 early complaints per model year versus 86).
The 2025 model year has the highest rate (108.0 complaints per year) and the 2023 model year the lowest (13.5). The 2025 model year runs at least 50% above this model's average of 45.8 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. Model years 2023 and 2024 run at least 40% below this model's average of 45.8 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Electrical (27.8% of complaints), followed by Unspecified or other (17.0%) and Body & structure (16.0%). Electrical complaints are 1.8 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 15 complaints (3.0%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 72 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 184 complaints versus 116 in the previous 12 months — up 59%. The 2025 model year generated the most recent reports (72). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 7 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 7 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2021 (2), 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 1 NHTSA investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Power Sliding Door Auto Reverse Failure” (preliminary evaluation, opened 2022-04-10, closed 2023-06-13).
Within its segment it has more complaints per year than Toyota Sienna, but fewer than Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 136 | 28.4 | 0.7 | 20 | 6 ⚠ | Body & structure | View › |
| 2023 Fewest complaints | 51 | 13.5 | 0.33 | 14 | 4 ⚠ | Unspecified or other | View › |
| 2024 | 75 | 26.9 | 0.67 | 28 | 2 | Electrical | View › |
| 2025 ▲50%+ | 193 | 108.0 | 2.68 | 72 | 1 | Electrical | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 52 | 52.0 | 1.29 | 50 | 2 | Electrical | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 184 · Previous 12 months: 116 Rising
Problem areas
Electrical ›
141 · 27.8% · 1.77 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Unspecified or other ›
86 · 17.0% · 1.89 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Body & structure ›
81 · 16.0% · 1.75 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Engine ›
74 · 14.6% · 0.65 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Other
29 · 5.7% · 3.1 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Fuel system
27 · 5.3% · 1.23 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Transmission / powertrain
26 · 5.1% · 0.44 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Driver-assist systems
12 · 2.4% · 0.41 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Airbags & seat belts
12 · 2.4% · 0.62 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
9 · 1.8% · 0.28 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Brakes
6 · 1.2% · 0.2 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
2 · 0.4% · 0.25 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Wheels, tires & suspension
2 · 0.4% · 0.16 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 7 months
What owners report
Child's arm was crushed in the sliding door when it failed to properly stop due to the sensor failing.
On XXX my nearly new 2026 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige, with approximately 5,650 miles on the odometer, caught fire while I was driving in [XXX].
Driving ar 75mph my car began to decelerate. Depressing the accelerator only made the engine rev loudly but speed continued to drop. This is a significant safety risk. There was a check engine light and message to take the car to a Kia dealer.
We rented a Kia from Budget in [XXX], they rented us a car with 19,000 miles on it. After driving it for a week and over 1000 miles we headed back to the airport.
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that her child screamed when the rear passenger’s side sliding door failed to detect the child's hand and closed on the child’s hand on four separate occasions.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Minivans
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota Sienna | 615 | 27.6 | 0.68 | Worsening | Rising | 17 | Other |
| 2 | Kia Carnival | 507 | 45.8 | 1.13 | Improving | Rising | 7 | Electrical |
| 3 | Chrysler Pacifica | 2,728 | 49.8 | 1.23 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 36 | Engine |
| 4 | Honda Odyssey | 3,433 | 79.4 | 1.97 | Improving | Rising | 27 | Electrical |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 7
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 1
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2022 (6) · 2023 (4) · 2024 (2) · 2025 (1) · 2026 (2)
Investigations
- Power Sliding Door Auto Reverse Failure Closed
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 closin…