2024 Kia Carnival Problems & Owner Complaints

Unknown Or Other 21 3 injury

“We have a 2024 kia carnival lx trim. The power sliding door pose a serious safety risk. My [XXX] daughter was getting out of the vehicle and decided to try and climb back in as the door was closing. The door did not detect her body at all and continued to close her head in the door. She was left with a black eye and a smashed blood shot thumb from trying to get her head out of the door. A few days later I was strapping my children into their carseats and was getting ready to step out of the vehicle when my husband turned the vehicle on. The power sliding door stopped closing and started re-op…”
NHTSA complaint #11664731, 2025 · 2 injury(ies)

“Rear passenger side seat rails getting extremely hot after short time idling <15 minutes. Enough that I burned my foot tending to my infant in the middle row.”
NHTSA complaint #11609009, 2024 · 1 injury(ies)

“The fuel pipe in my 2024 Kia Carnival has been identified by Kia as part of Safety Recall SC368 due to a fire risk. The component is available for inspection at the dealership where the vehicle is currently located. My safety and the safety of my family — including young children in car seats — was put at risk because the vehicle carries a known fire hazard related to the fuel pipe, yet no remedy is available until June 2026 at the earliest, according to Kia Customer Care. Kia confirmed the recall and the fire risk but has not provided adequate alternative transportation, leaving a family wit…”
NHTSA complaint #11731536, 2026

Electrical System 16

“Incident description: While driving, the vehicle’s dashboard illuminated all warning lights (ABS, traction control, battery, check engine, forward safety system) and the engine revved to approximately 8,000 RPM with unintended rapid acceleration. Driver had to apply hard braking to maintain control and avoid a collision. A nearly identical event occurred approximately one month earlier while driving on the highway, at which point the vehicle suddenly braked hard on its own. The vehicle has been at the dealership for repair a combined 38 days across two visits. The dealer initially attributed t…”
NHTSA complaint #11752011, 2026

“Horns (high and low) have been replaced 5 times under a warranty. This is a serious safety hazard. Vehicle: Kia Carnival (Model Years 2022–2024) Issue: Repeated horn failure / electrical malfunction Owners of 2022–2024 Kia Carnival vehicles are experiencing repeated horn failures that present a safety concern. Reported symptoms include complete loss of horn function, intermittent operation, delayed response, and in some cases random horn or alarm activation without driver input. When the failure occurs, both the high-pitch and low-pitch horns are often found to be inoperative. Many owners…”
NHTSA complaint #11714079, 2026

“Driver side passenger back sliding door will not open or close properly. Door will jam and make a loud noise or will not open when trying to open. Took it the dealership 4 times they replaced the motor but the issue continues.”
NHTSA complaint #11724831, 2025

Engine 7

“Our 2024 Carnival has had a recurring engine oil leak that has required the vehicle to be left at the dealership 4 times for the same issue. Each time we get the van back the repair lasts about 1-3 weeks (depending on how often it's driven). Oil continues to leak from the engine area, creating risk of engine damage or a potential fire hazard if oil contacts hot components. The issue has not been resolved despite repeated repair attempts under warranty. The Carnival has 38,092 miles on it, and has been in the repair shop over 4 times. The 1st time it was put in the shop the van has 34,420 mile…”
NHTSA complaint #11734153, 2026

“My Kia vehicle has an ongoing engine oil leak that has not been properly repaired under warranty. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Kia dealership for diagnosis and repair of the oil leak. I was informed by the dealership that Kia engineers indicated that in similar situations the typical resolution is engine replacement. However, in my case, the dealership was instructed to attempt sealing the oil pan instead of replacing the engine. I was advised that if this repair did not resolve the issue, I could bring the vehicle back for further service. Unfortunately, the oil warning light has no…”
NHTSA complaint #11728723, 2026

“"Continuous engine oil leak for 12 months. After 4 failed repair attempts, the dealer used liquid sealer instead of a gasket. This is a deceptive repair that creates a severe fire hazard. The leak is still active today, March 2026."”
NHTSA complaint #11727626, 2026

Steering 7 1 crash 1 injury

“Driver was approaching the end of [XXX] and attempted to turn left onto the ramp to [XXX] but without prior warning the brakes and the steering wheel failed and he couldn’t turn or stop the car which resulted in the vehicle hitting the guardrail. The driver endured injuries on his hand, and overall emotional trauma. My insurance company refused to check the cars computer to prove that the car indeed failed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
NHTSA complaint #11588543, 2023 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“Out of nowhere, we started our vehicle that was no more than a year old, and all of the emergency alert indicators on the dash came on. All of the warning lights in the dash. The power steering went out and would go from very stiff to very loose. the car would shutter and then drive normal for a few min and then slow way down without warning. Again, all dash warning lights and alarms would go off. This first appeared on [XXX], we took to the Kia service on Nov. 17, 2025, and it was been in the shop with no repair since that day and todays date is Jan, 12, 2026. As of today they still do not…”
NHTSA complaint #11710508, 2025

“Got in my vehicle one day and noticed fluid dripping from the steering column. I took it into JT's Kia in Rock Hill, SC. At first they told me they were going to wipe off the "grease" then told me they needed to order a whole new steering column. I asked if it was still safe to drive and the service technician said no. I have heard this is a common problem with 2024 Kia Carnivals. Hopefully if enough people report the problem, a recall will be issued.”
NHTSA complaint #11617123, 2024

Seats 6 3 injury

“On 11/12, my 2024 Kia Carnival was parked as my children were getting settled in the vehicle. My son lifted the second-row passenger seat on the passenger side using the handle provided to access the third row. As he did so, the seatback suddenly collapsed forward with unexpected speed and force and locked in the forward position. Nothing broke, and the mechanism did not appear to jam. The seat moved along its normal path, but it did so so aggressively that it crushed my [XXX] daughter’s left leg while she was strapped into her car seat directly next to it. She was asleep, the car was not m…”
NHTSA complaint #11704247, 2025 · 1 injury(ies)

“The rails/tracks that the seats slide forward and back on get extremely hot while the car is on. The seat rails/tracks are exposed so the seats can slide and passengers have to step on them to get in and out. The amount of heat coming from the seat rails/tracks poses a burn risk, especially to children’s delicate feet.”
NHTSA complaint #11605093, 2024 · 1 injury(ies)

“The contact owns a 2024 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that the vehicle was designed with a manual and an automatic control system that allowed the seats the move forward. The contact stated that he activated the automatic control button on the left side of the second-row driver's side seat to move the seat forward. The contact stated that the backrest of the seat lowered, and the seat moved forward abruptly within a second and struck the right side of his forehead. The contact sustained a bruise. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manu…”
NHTSA complaint #11558716, 2023 · 1 injury(ies)

Structure 6

“The contact owns a 2024 Kia Carnival. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V025000 (Structure). The contact stated that the driver's side roof molding was detaching, and the contact attempted to secure the molding in place several times. The dealer was contacted to schedule an appointment for the recall repair, but the dealer informed the contact that the recall repair had already been performed while the vehicle was at the dealer for an unrelated service, a month prior. The contact stated that the dealer had failed to perform the recall repair correctly because the fa…”
NHTSA complaint #11689092, 2025

“The passenger automatic sliding door closed on my arm and required a lot of effort to push it back open. I’d it was my child standing there he would have been seriously injured. The problem has been reproduced, but I’m terrified to actually leave my arm there to see if it will close on it again. Nothing was inspected and there were no warnings prior to this happening.”
NHTSA complaint #11656201, 2025

“Roof molding has either completely detactch or partial detached from top of vehicle 4 times now. They have attempted to glue it back on but it still fails! This is dangerous for other drivers and my family”
NHTSA complaint #11616889, 2024

Fuel/Propulsion System 4

“This specific van has 2 open recalls already: 1 on a rear seat issue and 1 on a fuel pipe issue which is why i submitted to KIA dealer in the first place after smelling gas inside the cabin of my car while driving for 3 days until the dealer opened. While at the dealer they found a manufacture defect of the gas tank expanding in the heat and releasing liquid fuel into the charcoal cannister meant to catch fumes. The fumes then go into the cabin of the car and smell and make passengers sick as well as create a fire safety hazard on the vehicle. After discovering this they have informed me that…”
NHTSA complaint #11753746, 2026

“The fuel pipe in my 2024 Kia Carnival has been identified by Kia as part of Safety Recall SC368 due to a fire risk. The component is available for inspection at the dealership where the vehicle is currently located. My safety and the safety of my family — including young children in car seats — was put at risk because the vehicle carries a known fire hazard related to the fuel pipe, yet no remedy is available until June 2026 at the earliest, according to Kia Customer Care. Kia confirmed the recall and the fire risk but has not provided adequate alternative transportation, leaving a family wit…”
NHTSA complaint #11731536, 2026

“I reported a fuel smell in the cabin of my vehicle in June 2024. It was dismissed because they could not recreate the smell. I reported it again and they said that is just how the vehicle purges fuel. I reported it again and drove it right to the dealer when it smelled and multiple mechanics at KIA confirmed they smelled it. Reported it again in September 2024, then tried to deal with it, and reported it again in June and July 2025. In July they confirmed I had raw fuel in my evaporator canister. I also had misfire notifications on my dashboard which were dismissed as they could not determine…”
NHTSA complaint #11731411, 2024

Visibility/Wiper 3

“Windshield spontaneously cracked while sitting still. Vehicle was parked on a hot day with AC running and windshield burst as if it were shot and cracks streaked across entire windshield by next day causing visibility issues. We are not aware of vehicle being hit by anything at the time it burst.”
NHTSA complaint #11595342, 2024

“On Monday 07/24/2023 (a clear sunny day) our less than 1 month old Kia Carnival spontaneously developed a crack in the middle of the drivers side of the windshield and over the course of a few hours this crack grew to over half the windshield. outdoor temperature was around 82 degrees. There was no impact that I know of and when you look at the windshield there is no evidence of an impact. No chip, no star, nothing. It looks like the crack started from the literal edge and spread to the middle. Having a brand new vehicle PLUS having bought all the extended warranties I thought, ok we are cover…”
NHTSA complaint #11534568, 2023

“While driving at low speed (35mph or less), we heard a dull “pop”. We then noticed a large crack on the passenger side of the windshield beginning at the edge of the glass. After parking in our garage, I inspected the crack, which was at least 8 inches in length. As suspected, there was no sign of any sort of impact. The windshield spontaneously cracked. After approximately 2 hours of the car parked and off in the garage, I checked the windshield again. The crack had grown by another 3 inches in that short amount of time. It is important to note that we have only had this brand new 2024 Kia…”
NHTSA complaint #11528624, 2023

Air Bags 2 1 crash 1 injury

“Car hit a ditch at over 40MPH and rolled over on its side and no airbags deployed”
NHTSA complaint #11599345, 2024 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“The steering wheel was clicking at low speeds (turns after stops, turns in reverse and while parking). The Kia dealer initially said it was an improperly routed air bag harness and said they fixed it. The noise returned within a day. When I brought it back, they identified cables from the air bag were slipping from the hold down clip causing the air bag wires to rub on the steering wheel. Service advisor noted the airbag and clock spring harness were not being held down by the wire hold clip. The technician put two zip ties to attach the wire harness to the hold down clip.”
NHTSA complaint #11549082, 2023

Power Train 2

“I purchased this 2024 Kia Carnival on 2/7/2026 with less than 10K miles. The vehicle has died while I was driving 4 different times. Twice each day that it happened. The first time was on 4/7/26. My car died on the way home from getting my kids from school after fixing a flat tire. The check engine light came on after getting a jump and when I took it to Auto Zone the battery was fully charged and the codes were for the Power Train, which didn't make sense for a brand new car. Miracle Mart told me that Kia needed to be utilized for any issues because I purchased the vehicle as is. Their soluti…”
NHTSA complaint #11734099, 2026

“"Continuous engine oil leak for 12 months. After 4 failed repair attempts, the dealer used liquid sealer instead of a gasket. This is a deceptive repair that creates a severe fire hazard. The leak is still active today, March 2026."”
NHTSA complaint #11727626, 2026

Seat Belts 2

“Almost all cars next to me are unable to interpret my signal lights due to I) rear signal lights being so low and not at brake lint level, and ii) from signal lights being near the grill and not the corners. This is a huge problem when changing lanes. Same with the reverse light being only on the rear bumper level - it is common for pedestrians and cars to not notice that the car is about to reverse. This is very dangerous and should not have been passed. Kia must remedy this issue at once considering how many lives are at risk.”
NHTSA complaint #11619456, 2024

Service Brakes 2 1 crash 1 injury

“Driver was approaching the end of [XXX] and attempted to turn left onto the ramp to [XXX] but without prior warning the brakes and the steering wheel failed and he couldn’t turn or stop the car which resulted in the vehicle hitting the guardrail. The driver endured injuries on his hand, and overall emotional trauma. My insurance company refused to check the cars computer to prove that the car indeed failed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
NHTSA complaint #11588543, 2023 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“While stopped, the brake pedal drops to the floor and the vehicle begins to roll forward. I went to the dealership and told them what happened, they told me there is no recall on this, and it is a "normal part of driving". This is not a normal part of any braking system. The pedal should not drop to the floor while stopped with your foot on the pedal. No warning system lights that came on. This happens frequently. You have to start pumping the brake repeatedly to get the vehicle to stop. It will eventually raise off the floor.”
NHTSA complaint #11749099, 2026

Vehicle Speed Control 2

“Incident description: While driving, the vehicle’s dashboard illuminated all warning lights (ABS, traction control, battery, check engine, forward safety system) and the engine revved to approximately 8,000 RPM with unintended rapid acceleration. Driver had to apply hard braking to maintain control and avoid a collision. A nearly identical event occurred approximately one month earlier while driving on the highway, at which point the vehicle suddenly braked hard on its own. The vehicle has been at the dealership for repair a combined 38 days across two visits. The dealer initially attributed t…”
NHTSA complaint #11752011, 2026

“The contact owns a 2024 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was shuddering and vibrating while attempting to accelerate with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer on several occasions, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 3,500.”
NHTSA complaint #11568435, 2023

Back Over Prevention 1

“Rearview camera not available and car is operational when car is processing an over the air update.”
NHTSA complaint #11693553, 2025

Chest Clip 1

“My child’s seat buckles are still not locking into place. I’ve contacted Nuna and their response was they needed 24-48 hours to find a solution as I’ve already don’t the seat recall solution. But they told me I can’t use this seat for my child. So I’m stuck without a car seat until they find some solution for me. I found this issue because my child was able to move the seat straps on his own, while I was driving down the highway.”
NHTSA complaint #11673327, 2025

Engine And Engine Cooling 1 1 injury

“The contact owns a 2024 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal gas odor would emit through the vehicle's ventilation system. The contact notified a local dealer, and an appointment was made to have the vehicle serviced. The vehicle was inspected, and the contact was informed that there was likely bacteria growing inside the vehicle, which caused the odor. The contact disputed this claim and recommended that the air filters be replaced; the contact paid for the repair. Despite the repair, the contact stated that the fuel odor had become a chemical odo…”
NHTSA complaint #11700277, 2025 · 1 injury(ies)

Exterior Lighting 1

“Almost all cars next to me are unable to interpret my signal lights due to I) rear signal lights being so low and not at brake lint level, and ii) from signal lights being near the grill and not the corners. This is a huge problem when changing lanes. Same with the reverse light being only on the rear bumper level - it is common for pedestrians and cars to not notice that the car is about to reverse. This is very dangerous and should not have been passed. Kia must remedy this issue at once considering how many lives are at risk.”
NHTSA complaint #11619456, 2024

Forward Collision Avoidance 1

“1 - Electrical systems, All Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Blinker, Analog Speedometer, Digital Speedometer, RPM gauge, Climate Control Systems, were all showing as failed or malfunctioning while driving. Driver's unsure if other systems were affected. Driver distractibility was drastically increased and driver and passenger safety was at risk. Unknown component at fault, still in service at dealership. 2 - Very distracted driving, all dashboard lights blinking erratically and beeping noises constantly filling the cabin. Blinker would not work and other gauges were not functioning so dri…”
NHTSA complaint #11590755, 2024

Fuel System 1 1 injury

“The contact owns a 2024 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal gas odor would emit through the vehicle's ventilation system. The contact notified a local dealer, and an appointment was made to have the vehicle serviced. The vehicle was inspected, and the contact was informed that there was likely bacteria growing inside the vehicle, which caused the odor. The contact disputed this claim and recommended that the air filters be replaced; the contact paid for the repair. Despite the repair, the contact stated that the fuel odor had become a chemical odo…”
NHTSA complaint #11700277, 2025 · 1 injury(ies)

Latches/Locks/Linkages 1 1 injury

“The contact owns a 2024 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while her husband was loading the child into the car seat. The rear button for the door was depressed by the child. The husband became stuck in between the sliding doors. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact sustained injuries to his previously injured rotary cuff, but medical attention was not provided. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 35,815.”
NHTSA complaint #11736945, 2026 · 1 injury(ies)

Wheels 1

“I hit a piece of 4X4 in the road that fell off of the vehicle in front of me. In doing so, I thought I busted my front driver’s side tire, but later found out at the dealership that my rim is completely split. I'm baffled at the fact that the wheel failed as severely as it did, so were the technicians who witnessed the damage. I was driving 50mph when it happened & I'm worried about major safety issues & the integrity of the other wheels. I was told by the service advisor that a new wheel could be ordered for $1,100.00 however, the delivery is backdated with no delivery date in sight. I'm curr…”
NHTSA complaint #11564122, 2023