Kia Carnival Complaints (2026)

22 consumer complaints on file.

• #11687484September 15, 2025
  POWER TRAIN

  URGENT SAFETY CONCERN/ISSUE On [XXX], while driving my 2026 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige, it lost all power without warning, leaving me unable to accelerate or control the vehicle. This created an unsafe situation as I was traveling at 40 mph when all power was lost. What happened to me was a serious safety hazard. The vehicle was brand new with only 1351 miles at the time. Several warning lights came on including the hybrid system warning light. The vehicle was not drivable; there was no power at all. I had to tow the vehicle to a Kia dealer where it took 17 days to repair with a new power module. On [XXX], (after the vehicle was repaired), I was driving the vehicle when the POWER alert flashed on the dashboard. I did not lose total power yet, but the literature advises that I take the vehicle into the dealership asap to have them look into the Power warning light coming on. I have an appointment on September 18, 2025. I have reported my issue to Kia customer service, and the dealership is aware of what is going on. I believe what is happening, (the abrupt loss of total power while driving) may be a widespread defect affecting the Carnival hybrid system in 2025 and 2026 model years. This is a serious safety issue that need corrected before someone is killed or seriously injured. Total loss of power at 40 mph or more cannot be permitted to happen. There should be some sort of safety bypass whereby the gas engine totally engages to the exclusion of the hybrid system, so total power is NOT lost at High speeds. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #11679632August 10, 2025
  UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Driver assistance system. This system monitors vehicle variables and unnecessarily SOUNDS A WARNING to take a COFFEE BREAK!! Here is the issue. When driving I need critical warning information. It is distracting while driving to be alerted to a COFFEE BREAK warning. PLEASE direct KIA to enable drivers to TURN OFF this feature. Every 10 minutes I am getting a warning and the warning is completely unrelated to driver status or restfullness. Driver assistance systems should be able to have HUMAN control. This is an assistance system, not a safety system. Please direct KIA issue as system update to allow human control of driver assistance.

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0