Kia Carnival reliability and problems by year
Owners have filed 414 complaints about the Kia Carnival with NHTSA since 2022, most often about electrical system and other or unspecified. Kia has filed 1 warranty extension and 8 service campaigns for it, and there are 7 safety recalls on file.
From NHTSA's public data files, downloaded 2026-10-10.
How reliable is the Kia Carnival? What NHTSA's records show
We don't give the Carnival a reliability score. NHTSA publishes complaint counts but no sales figures, so complaints can't be turned into a rate or compared between models. Here is what's on file for model years 2022 on.
- Owner complaints
- 414
- Filed with NHTSA, all model years
- Warranty extensions
- 1
- Filed by Kia
- Service campaigns
- 8
- Filed by Kia
- Safety recalls
- 7
- Each covers part of the model
Every model year compared
Complaints rise with how many were sold and how long they've been on the road, so a newer or rarer year will show fewer. Compare years of the Carnival with each other.
| Year | Complaints | Most named | Recalls | Warranty / campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 26 | Other or unspecified (42%) | 2 | 3 |
| 2025 | 126 | Electrical system (67%) | 1 | 4 |
| 2024 | 75 | Other or unspecified (35%) | 2 | 6 |
| 2023 | 51 | Other or unspecified (43%) | 4 | 5 |
| 2022 | 136 | Other or unspecified (26%) | 6 | 5 |
Look up one model year, or a VIN
See the complaints, recalls and warranty extensions for a single Carnival model year, with the typical mileage when owners reported each problem.
Acknowledged by Kia
Warranty extensions and service campaigns Kia filed with NHTSA for the Carnival, in its own words. A warranty extension means Kia pays for the repair beyond the normal warranty.
- Warranty extensionAug 2026· Electrical system· model years 2022–2024
OWNER NOTIFICATION (WTY048) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage, to all owners, for repairs related to the horn assembly in certain 2022-2024 MY Carnival vehicles from 5 years / 60,000 miles to 10…
- Service campaignJun 2026· Seats· model years 2022–2026
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (PI2602) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign on certain 2022-2026 MY Carnival and certain 2025-2026 MY Carnival Hybrid (HEV) vehicles, equipped with manual…
- Service campaignApr 2026· Transmission and drivetrain· model years 2025–2026
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC363) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign on certain 2025-2026 MY Carnival vehicles to inspect the oil level plug and automatic transmission fluid (ATF) for signs…
- Service campaignFeb 2026· Engine· model years 2026
DATA COLLECTION: EXTRACT CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS DATA FROM ECU (DC26) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information.
- Service campaignNov 2025· Engine· model years 2024
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: EGR VALVE ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT (SC320) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information.
- Service campaignJun 2025· Engine· model years 2025
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: ENGINE CONTROL MODULE LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SC333) - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the ‘Engine Control Module’ (ECM) system software on certain 2025MY Carnival (KA4) vehicles equipped with 3.5L GDI Lambda Ⅲ engines produced from…
- Service campaignMar 2025· Seats· model years 2022–2025
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (PI2501) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia conducting an important Product Improvement Campaign to install covers onto the 2nd row seat rails in all 2022-2024 MY Kia Carnival vehicles and certain 2025 MY…
- Service campaignOct 2023· Body and structure· model years 2022–2024
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign to install steel reinforcement plates on the second-row seat outer rails in certain 2022-2024 MY Kia Carnival vehicles…
- Service campaignSep 2023· Seats· model years 2022–2024
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner notification advising that that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign to install steel reinforcement plates on the second-row seat outer rails in certain 2022-2024 MY Kia Carnival vehicles…
What owners report most
The parts of the car owners named in their complaints, across every Carnival model year. Unverified, and not a failure rate.
- Electrical system137 (33%)
- Other or unspecified114 (28%)
- Body and structure59 (14%)
- Engine44 (11%)
- Fuel and propulsion31 (7%)
- Visibility and wipers14 (3%)
- Seats10 (2%)
- Doors, latches and locks9 (2%)
Safety recalls
7 recalls cover at least one Carnival model year. Each covers a range of VINs, not every car. Check one car at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the fuel pipe and fuel rail.
Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail.
The roof molding may loosen and detach.
The auto-reverse feature for the power sliding doors (PSD) may not activate in all situations.
Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
The remote controller assembly for the passenger-side power sliding door may malfunction, preventing the passenger-side sliding door from securely latching.
The plastic fuel rail tube may have been damaged.
NHTSA investigations
Defect investigations NHTSA opened. Many close without a recall.
- PE22004Preliminary evaluation· opened Apr 2022, closed Jun 2023· Body and structure· model years 2022
Power Sliding Door Auto Reverse Failure
Led to recall 23V236000.
NHTSA's own page for the 2026 Kia Carnival has the complaint text and every document.
Was the work actually done on the car you're looking at?
Model-year records can't tell you about one car. A Kia service history check returns that vehicle's own dealer records by VIN.
Check a Kia's service historyCommon questions
Is the Kia Carnival reliable?
We don't score reliability: NHTSA publishes complaint counts but no sales figures, so complaints can't be turned into a rate or compared between models. What's on file for model years 2022 on: 414 owner complaints, 1 warranty extension and 8 service campaigns Kia filed, and 7 safety recalls. The model years with the most complaints are 2022 (136), 2025 (126), 2024 (75). Whether a known problem was fixed on one car is what its service records show.
What are the most common problems with the Kia Carnival?
Across every model year since 2022, owners' complaints to NHTSA most often name electrical system (33%), other or unspecified (28%), body and structure (14%). Kia has filed 1 warranty extension covering the Carnival, listed on this page.
Which Carnival model years have the most complaints?
2022 (136), 2025 (126), 2024 (75). Complaint counts rise with how many were sold and how long they've been on the road, so compare years of the Carnival with each other rather than with other models.
Has Kia extended the warranty on the Carnival?
Yes: electrical system (model years 2022–2024). A dealer does a covered repair for free within the extended time or mileage.
How do I check recalls on a Carnival?
Enter the car's 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. That answers for one vehicle; the 7 recalls listed here are for the model, and each covers only part of it.