Kia Carnival Complaints (2026)

55 consumer complaints on file.

#11773840October 26, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, POWER TRAIN
I have taken my car 3 times to 3 different Kia dealerships for this issue. First on 9/13/2026, then 10/13/2026 and on 10/26/2026. While driving at highway speed my vehicle suddenly begins to loose power and the check engine light comes on. This is dangerous for myself as well as other drivers.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11773340October 23, 2026
SEATS
Subject: Formal Consumer Complaint: Alleged False Representation of Completed Vehicle Safety Repair I am filing a formal consumer protection complaint regarding a XXX Kia dealership's representation that a safety-related repair was completed on my vehicle. Vehicle: 2026 Kia Carnival SX VIN: [XXX] The dealership represented that a safety-related repair had been completed. However, information subsequently obtained from another dealership raised concerns that the original repair was not actually performed as represented. I believe this discrepancy warrants investigation because it involves the accuracy of dealership service records, potentially misleading representations to a consumer, and possible vehicle safety implications. I request that the XXX Attorney General's Office investigate whether the dealership engaged in deceptive or unfair business practices, including whether service documentation inaccurately represented work as completed. I can provide supporting repair orders, dealership communications, and documentation of the conflicting repair information. I am also pursuing a separate XXX Lemon Law matter involving this vehicle. This complaint specifically concerns the dealership's representations about the safety repair. I request written acknowledgment of this complaint and referral to the appropriate enforcement agency if necessary. 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
#11772300October 20, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While I was driving, the car's engine shut off, and I could no longer accelerate. The car went into neutral and the brakes felt harder to press; the steering wheel did, too. Luckily, it happened after I turned into a mall parking lot. Since the car came to a stop and I couldn't accelerate, I turned it off and back on. Then I parked the car and turned it off. After 30 mins I started the car again and drove back home. The instrument cluster showed all types of warnings and failures when the issue happened. Since I panicked when it happened, I did not think about taking photos. Tomorrow I plan on taking the car to the dealer. This is a new car, driven only around 3500 miles. I am afraid this will happen again, and in a worse situation, like on the freeway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770886October 13, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Child's arm was crushed in the sliding door when it failed to properly stop due to the sensor failing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11770497October 12, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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. The car was towed to a dealer. The dealer was able to reproduce the condition. The dealer replaced 24356 2M000-solenoid-cvvt (valve timing control solenoid). On the way home from this dealer the problem reoccurred. First incident on 9/13/26. Vehicle retrieved from dealer and reoccurring problem on 10/9/2026.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770376October 11, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
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]. The fire originated in the engine compartment, where components of the hybrid electrical system, including the Hybrid Power Control Unit (HPCU)/inverter assembly, were subsequently found severely damaged. The incident occurred unexpectedly during normal vehicle operation and created an extremely dangerous situation. A vehicle fire while driving presents a serious risk of injury or death to the driver, passengers, and other road users. Following the incident, I sought emergency medical attention due to smoke inhalation. I was evaluated at an emergency department, including blood testing for carbon monoxide exposure. The vehicle was subsequently transported to an authorized Kia dealership. Kia America was notified of the incident and subsequently offered to repurchase the vehicle under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. However, the manufacturer has not provided me with a definitive technical explanation of what caused the fire. I am extremely concerned that this incident may involve a potentially serious defect in the hybrid electrical or power management system that could affect other Kia Carnival Hybrid vehicles. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this incident, evaluate whether similar fires or electrical failures have been reported, and determine whether further investigation into a potential vehicle safety defect is warranted. I have photographs documenting the fire and resulting damage, medical records from my emergency department visit, and correspondence with Kia America. These materials can be provided upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11769991October 8, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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. First the right front tire blows and it is completly bald with steel cables showing after two hours a tire store comes and fixes the tire. We get on the road and drive 20 miles and the left front tire blowes and after two more hours the same tire store replaces the other tire. We had to pay out of pocket and have not recieved anything back from Budget rental. This is the car information. XXX Plate: [XXX], Budget Car No: XXX, Rental Agreement: XXX Blue Kia Carnival, Rental Date: Sept.XXX Tires: Solaris 235/65R17 103H 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
#11767908September 29, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2026 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX. The digital instrument cluster intermittently flickers, goes blank, and displays “NO SIGNAL” while driving, potentially causing loss of access to speed, gauges, warning indicators, and other safety information. The failures occur unpredictably. I initially noticed the issue after the vehicle had been parked in the sun and the dashboard was very hot, but I do not know whether temperature is related. I first brought the vehicle to an authorized Kia dealer in August 2026. The dealer documented and verified my complaint. The repair order states that moving the monitor caused it to flicker and display “No Signal.” The dealer identified Kia campaign SC361R1 as having an update for this concern and performed the update. The display flickered again while the technician was re-securing it. I was told to return if the problem persisted. It did. The instrument cluster screen goes blank for several minutes at a time while the car is running or it flickers on & off for extended time (up to minutes) and resets to normal randomly. I returned the vehicle for further diagnosis. The dealer again verified the blank/flashing/“NO SIGNAL” condition. Kia Techline directed diagnostic testing and then advised replacement of the instrument cluster. The dealer installed a replacement cluster, but it also went blank and displayed “NO SIGNAL.” Techline then approved replacement of the main dashboard wiring harness. During teardown, the dealer discovered an aftermarket amplifier had previously been spliced into the OEM harness. The dealer now states it is “likely” the amplifier was disrupting the cluster signal and is denying warranty coverage. The exact cause remains UNKNOWN. The vehicle is currently disassembled at the Kia dealer, and the original harness/splice is presently available for inspection. The replacement harness has not yet been installed. Kia America has been notified under Customer Care Case #26389879.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764959September 17, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The alert “consider taking a break” with the coffee cup symbol won’t stop going off. It goes off when I first start driving, it goes off every other minute sometimes, it does off for no reason all the time. It is so distracting. Today it was rainy and I’m sure is one reason it kept going off. It was also garbage day and someone put their garbage can on the road right on the line. The alert had gone off 15 times within my 20 minute drive after school drop off. It was making me angry and was super distracting. I was looking at the screen instead of the road as it started beeping again and didn’t see the garbage can. It smacked my side view mirror into the passenger window and shattered it completely. A minor thing, but is going to cost a ton. It’s frustrating to feel trapped into constantly being annoyed whenever I need to drive because there is no way to shut it off, but it literally goes off for no reason. It goes off so much I don’t take it seriously at all. It’s literally useless. And it’s not a little warning. The beeping is loud, the image covers a big portion of the screen, and it turns off my music and my gps prompts. It aggressively demands attention. It can’t keep doing this. I can’t be this distracted with my kids in the car. Every seat is full and I have to drive 30 minutes to one school and 10 minutes to the next school for drop off and pick up every single weekday twice a day. I need them to be safe, but that’s less possible when this alert is constantly going off and demanding attention the way it does. It’s a serious risk. It is reckless to put something so distracting in a vehicle that can cause death from an accident. I could understand if it went off after 4 hours of driving, but that’s not what’s happening. Multiple people have complained about it in social media. Something needs to be done to get this off of or vehicles. It’s unnecessary to suggest someone take a break. Especially after 5 min. That’s not a sensor warning about an actual problem.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764623September 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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764627September 16, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
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?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11761186September 1, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11759505August 25, 2026
SEATS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Ac compressor has now failed twice and this will be the third compressor they are going to install. The car was completely shutting off at lights and having other electrical errors that they said was all related to the ac system. The part is now on back order with the company
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758111August 19, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
While driving approximately 70 mph on the highway returning from Door County, 20 miles north of Manitowoc, on a clear day with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70s and no other vehicles nearby, the panoramic sunroof glass spontaneously shattered with a loud noise. The middle portion of the glass was sucked outward/up and away from the vehicle. The sunroof had not been used (or we are unsure if it was ever opened more than once or twice since acquiring the vehicle). Immediately afterward we heard significantly increased wind noise. We pulled over, went to a car wash, vacuumed all small glass pieces from the vehicle, and duct-taped around the inside seam to prevent any remaining shards from entering the cabin. The vehicle is only a few months old. No impact, debris, or external object was involved. Photos of the damaged roof and remaining frame have been uploaded.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11757763August 18, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2027 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while initiating vehicle operation, the messages "Check Hybrid System" and "Stop Vehicle and Check Power Supply" was displayed. The failure was a recurring failure. The dealer was contacted and received the same messages. The dealer stated that the failure was associated with the 12-Volt battery in the vehicle that was low due to being in port for a while; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted and stated that the corporate office was working on the remedy, but there was no estimated date when the remedy would become available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756899August 14, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car will not start after being parked in my garage for 24 to 48 hours. The battery is drained and needs to be jumped. This has happened three times. I am sure that no fob is left in the car, no interior lights are on, no door is ajar, and nothing is plugged into any USB ports.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755434August 7, 2026
POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Detailed information is in the attached pdf file, but in a nutshell, Kia is covering a safety defect in their vehicles by claiming the process is “proprietary”. On several occasions we have lost propulsion, which means we had no control over our vehicle, and Kia’s explanation is simply, “the vehicle is performing as intended “! These incidents always happened at low speeds, just accelerating from a stop, but left us in a precarious situation as we were left in the middle of a busy intersection with no control over our vehicle! Propulsion would eventually return. After surviving several of these failures, I learned the proper thing was to let both pedals return to their idle position and then the vehicle would recover. This is a most difficult thing to accomplish when surrounded by angry drivers! The failures were identified by Google AI as a Brake Override System, also known as Brake Throttle Override. However, Kia already has a very functional Brake Over Accelerator process, so why would they have two similar functions? Kia knows the answer but is refusing to divulge any information regarding the intention or purpose of this mysterious process which makes our vehicle unsafe!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755491August 7, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I am writing to formally express my serious concern and disappointment regarding my Kia Carnival Hybrid. Shortly after purchasing the vehicle, with only approximately 6,000 miles on the odometer, the vehicle suddenly stopped operating while I was driving on the freeway. This created a dangerous situation for my family and other motorists. The vehicle had to be towed to an authorized Kia dealership for diagnosis and repair. No warning or message had appeared before the issue. The dealership retained the vehicle for approximately one week and informed us that a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) component had failed and needed to be replaced. After the repair was completed, we were assured that the issue had been resolved and that the vehicle was safe to drive. Unfortunately, after driving only about 50 additional miles, the exact same issue occurred again. The vehicle once again became inoperable, leaving us stranded and raising significant concerns about the reliability, safety, and quality of this vehicle. We towed the vehicle on 6/22/26 and Kia dealership had it till today 8/7/26 and corporate keep saying they working on it but unresponsive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754532August 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 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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754290August 2, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The floor railings above the battery, that allow the second row seats to slide, get hot. Extremely hot to the touch. Burning my children’s feet. Not sure if it’s related but the a/c does not stay cold when driving long distance and the HV battery just died last month for no reason. Brand new car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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