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Did your windshield crack unexpectedly? Read about our Carnival Windshield Cracking Investigation. Is your sliding door closing too forcefully? Read about our Carnival Power Sliding Door Investigation.
The 2022 Kia Carnival is part of the multi-purpose vehicle segment. It’s designed to carry the family and provide plenty of space, with Kia claiming the Carnival offers “beauty in capability.” Yet, customers are alerting the NHTSA about defective engines and fuel system problems, as well as serious electrical and structure-related issues.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2023
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2022 Kia Carnival
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Structure:body | |
| Structure:body:door | |
| Engine | |
| Electrical System | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Visibility:windshield | |
| Seats | |
| Vehicle Speed Control |
Most Common Problems with the 2022 Kia Carnival
A total of 57 consumer complaints were lodged with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) between May 12, 2021, and November 14, 2022. These relate to various components and systems including the engine, structure, latches, visibility, seats, brakes, airbags, vehicle speed control, forward collision avoidance, and the electrical and fuel/propulsion systems.
The largest volume of complaints relate to faulty power sliding doors, with 17 of these listed in the Structure category. There are also a lot of complaints about windshields cracking, with 10 of these listed under Visibility.
Lack of acceleration problems are listed under the Fuel/Propulsion System, Engine, Vehicle Speed Control, and the Electrical System.
Lemberg Law currently has class action investigations underway for both windshields cracking and power sliding door issues.
Problems with the Automatic Sliding Doors
There have been so many consumer complaints to the NHTSA about the auto-reverse failure of the power sliding doors (PSDs) in the 2022 Carnival minivans, they launched an investigation in April 2022. NHTSA Action Number PE22004 was opened to “evaluate the frequency, scope, severity, and contributing factors related to the alleged failure of the PSD auto-reverse function.”
According to the investigation report, the investigation was initiated because of injuries to users’ arms, hands, or shoulders. These resulted from the force of closing PSDs that trapped hands and so on against (or in) the door. The PSD auto-reverse function is designed to reverse the direction of the closing door if there is resistance or force from a person or object. But consumers are alleging that excessive force is needed to do this.
The second complaint sent to the NHTSA on July 1, 2021, states that the “sliding doors seem unsafe.” It requires “a tremendous amount of force to stop the automatic door from closing. There is no safety mechanism to prevent a child from getting stuck and/or extremely hurt due if caught in sliding doors while closing.”
One NHTSA complaint issued on November 19, 2021, states that while driving at approximately 10 mph, “the sliding door inadvertently opened without warning. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the latching mechanism replaced.” The manufacturer was informed of the failure and was awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 820 miles on the clock at the time.
Another owner states that the side sliding door keeps opening on its own while the vehicle is in motion. The “door ajar warning message” illuminates on the instrument panel. But, “despite multiple attempts to close the door, the door would not latch.” The dealer tried lubricating the latches, but the failure persisted. This Carnival had done only 500 miles.
Injuries Caused by Defective PSDs
Several owners warn that the 2022 Carnival’s defective power sliding doors are highly dangerous. Typical warnings are that “a child is going to get crushed in those sliding doors.”
There haven’t been any very serious accidents reported to the NHTSA, but there have been injuries. For example:
“The automatic doors are supposed to stop when they sense an interference but they don’t stop. My daughter got her hand smashed in ours.” In response, he tested the door with his own arm, ending up with “an awful bruise.”
“My 4-year-olds leg was sucked down into the door as it was opening and it pinned his leg. The door met resistance on his leg and did not stop opening. The door also doesn’t stop closing unless you push it open, but not if it meets resistance. The vehicle is brand new.”
Another owner asks, “How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?
“My child’s (arm) was being closed in the door and when I tried to stop it to save my daughter my arm was bruised. Yes, the dealer knows of the issue but plays it off as just a door that requires more force to stop. Yes, Kia inspected it, (and) found you need to apply more force than normal but has no solution but to make sure to keep it far away when it’s closing. They say nothing can be done, it’s just how the van comes.”
The owner of a Carnival that caused severe bruising to his daughter’s arm had the sensor replaced by a Kia dealership. But, the “safety problem still persists.” In a letter, Kia claims this is a “supplemental feature” that should never be relied upon as a primary safety feature.”
Windshield Cracking Problems
There are serious complaints about the auto glass installed in Carnival vehicles. From the windshield to the side windows, complaints abound – in total, 14 about the 2022 model. When they crack, they commonly cause visibility problems, which is why most of the complaints are listed under Visibility.
All the complaints describe similar issues, although some say the windshield cracked with nothing hitting it. For instance:
- “Driving down the road, nothing flew at the windshield, it just cracked.”
- “The front windshield has a crack that was not caused by anything. (The) Car is parked and covered in my driveway.”
- “The back window on the hatch spontaneously exploded.”
Additionally, some complaints say that they can’t get their badly damaged windshields replaced because dealers don’t have sufficient stock.
Examples of Complaints
One of the earliest complaints states: “I bought a brand new 2022 Kia Carnival, (and on the) first family road trip something very small broke (the) front windshield causing visibility issues.” As if that wasn’t enough they had to wait 49 days for the right windshield components to come in. Then, when they took a second family trip, “the passenger quarter side glass popped and shattered.” This Carnival owner now has serious safety concerns for himself and his family, especially if something “bigger” hit the glass.
Another complaint states that they suddenly noticed an 8-inch long crack right in front of the driver. “We have no idea where it came from.”
“It seems to me that the windshield is made from weak materials. I have never had this many problems with a car. And keep in mind we’ve only owned this car for 7 months! I believe Kia needs to address this issue. The windshield is the only thing between the face of the driver and the outside elements. It should be durable and reliable. This type of situation makes me concerned about the quality of the windshield, especially over the life of the vehicle.”
Whether cracks are caused by impact or are spontaneous, complaints generally state that they spread very quickly.
Fuel/Propulsion System Problems
In any vehicle, the fuel system is responsible for providing the gas needed to run the engine. But there are major problems with the Fuel/Propulsion System of the 2022 Carnival. Most complaints listed in this category refer to acceleration issues. But there are also problems with the fuel pump that have resulted in a recall.
Acceleration Problems
There are 7 complaints that highlight various acceleration issues, although not all are posted as fuel/propulsion system problems. Some of these blame cold weather for the problem and several mention that the check engine warning light comes on.
Shaking and Shuddering Symptoms
An owner whose Carnival had about 1,750 miles on the clock tells how the check engine light came on immediately after starting the engine. At first, the vehicle had a slight vibration, but by the time they got to the dealer it was “shaking badly while accelerating and had (a) slight burning smell inside the cab.” The dealer said a cylinder was misfiring and replaced the fuel injector. This seems to have solved the problem.
A Carnival with 17,000 -18,000 miles on the clock “started to shudder like it wanted to die or wasn’t getting enough fuel. While driving, it feels like it’s trying to accelerate by itself even when cruise control is set. Even when it is just in neutral it does it.”
Another owner whose check engine light came on says the vehicle wouldn’t accelerate over 10 mph… then 20 mph. A few weeks later, it started shaking when he accelerated. The dealer diagnosed “a sensor error with the injectors” but said it was fine to drive. The scenario repeated itself a few days later, with the check engine light and shaking when accelerating. The dealer’s diagnosis was the same. This owner is less than impressed. “After 4 service visits I’m still having problems and Kia refuses to help or do a buyback.”
Problems Caused by Cold Weather
Three times, when the temperature was below -20° C (-4° F), a brand-new 2022 Carnival “stopped working due to ice in the throttle body.” The dealer service manager said “that the new design no longer heats the throttle body, and condensation jams the mechanism. In my mind this is a safety risk because (1) the car stops working while driving in traffic and (2) it’s a family vehicle, putting up to 8 passengers at severe risk of cold-related injuries when stranded. The dealer has confirmed that this has occurred for at least three other customers at this one dealership. Each time they have inspected and disassembled the assembly, cleared the ice buildup and applied a silicone lubricant. On the first and third occasions only, the “Check Engine” light came on. On the second occasion, the car simply died while driving, and I had to roll to the highway shoulder.”
Another owner says: “This morning was the coldest morning this year (7° F) and I could not accelerate the vehicle after turning it on. It won’t go faster than 15 mph or so and the engine warning sign popped up. The code said P211800.” Because the weather hadn’t been “that cold,” this owner didn’t think it would cause an issue. But, “I had to drive with the panic button on” and “I felt I was in danger while driving back home.”
Fuel Gauge and Pump Problems
The most recent complaint to the NHTSA states that the fuel gauge doesn’t provide an accurate reading of the amount of fuel available. It sometimes “reads empty when it’s still got 100 miles of fuel.
There is also a comment on Edmunds pointing out fuel-related issues. It states that the 2022 Kia Carnival is “brand new and already subject to two recalls. The outlets don’t work (minor issue) and there’s a faulty fuel pump which makes it a safety hazard to drive. It could have been a simple fix but there are no parts available. Kia blames the dealership. The dealership blames Kia. No one from Kia will call back after 9 days, and there has been no progress made whatsoever. No rental car or loaner vehicle is being provided. Buyer beware! If you do buy it, choose a local dealership you know and trust.”
There is a fuel system-related recall on the Carnival worth looking at. NHTSA Campaign Number 21V277000 states that affected models might contain a damaged plastic fuel rail tube. If this is the case, the tube could leak fuel, which, according to the recall, increases the risk of a car fire.
Your Lemon Law Legal Rights
When we talk about a vehicle being a lemon, we mean that it has problems that usually recur and affect its value and its use. If you think you have a lemon you are welcome to contact Lemberg Law so that we can assess your problems. We will do this free of charge because the law makes Kia pay lemon law legal fees.
Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of people who have found themselves with lemons. If you need help, all you have to do is call our Helpline or fill in the contact form.
Complaint Data
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Mar 18, 2023 |
| State | OH |
| Description | The powered sliding door sensor is inadequate. My son pressed the door closed button and I had to push the door off of my body as it started to crush me. |
| Category | Latches/locks/linkages:fueling/charging Door/hatch/port:latch/lock Release System |
| Date | Feb 25, 2023 |
| State | SC |
| Description | The sliding doors are dangerous for my children. The doors do not have sensors (or if they do they do not work) and continue to close if my children are in the doorway, have items or body parts there. |
| Category | Electrical System, Structure:body |
| Date | Feb 17, 2023 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | When helping my child into the car, she pressed the door close button and the sliding door closed on my body and did not stop. The door sensors on this vehicle do not work and it will close on anything in its path, including tiny fingers. I have not personally called the dealership regarding this issue but I will have them reproduce this issue at the dealership at my next service appointment. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone. There is no warning that the car sliding door sensors will not work and will close on anything in its path. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Structure:body |
| Date | Feb 14, 2023 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Both situations have happened numerous times. The sliding doors do not stop or back off unless an adult size person pushes body force against them to open. My daughter got stuck in the door and she is 2. 5. I have to push my entire body against the door to make it open back up. The second thing is the emergency braking system will automatically slam on the brakes after forcing for a long period of time, when I am on the highway. It happens on road trips after cruising for a while. And is not happening at an appropriate time. |
| Category | Air Bags |
| Date | Feb 03, 2023 |
| State | MO |
| Description | With very low miles on our carnival, I had just left a stop sign and someone ran their stop sign at high speed and tboned my vehicle in the driver's side. I woke up from being unconscious while still in driver seat and my car was still limping down the road not far from the intersection. Pretty serious head, back and other injuries and was taken via ambulance to the hospital. The problem is that despite a high speed impact into the side of my vehicle, not one of the airbags deployed! I am confident that my injuries, that now seem permanent, would have been much less if the airbags had deployed as designed. The car was totalled by insurance. I do have pictures of it. |
| Category | Latches/locks/linkages:doors:lock, Structure:body |
| Date | Jan 26, 2023 |
| State | NY |
| Description | The passenger sliding door continues to fail to lock intermittently which is obviously a safety hazard since the door is not completely closed. It is available for inspection upon request. It has not been seen by a dealer or inspected by police or insurance. My father is a mechanic and has looked at it. He is unsure how to fix the broken or why it keeps happening. The door ajar warning light is on indicating the door is not locked but even if the auto door is shut off I can't get it to close enough manually shutting it so the warning light will turn off. It happened about three months ago then stopped and now has begun again. Nothing that I know of caused this. I use both sliding doors equally and only one is having the problem. |
| Category | Structure:body:door |
| Date | Jan 11, 2023 |
| State | OH |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 kia carnival. The contact stated that the passenger's side rear power sliding door auto-reverse failed to engage. Additionally, the contact stated that while her husband was buckling a child in the car seat located in the rear driver's side seat, her daughter who was also inside the vehicle pressed the door switch button, and the driver's side rear power sliding door engaged. The door closed in on her husband instead of stopping and engaging the auto-reverse function. The contact's husband was able to release himself and advised the children that were inside the vehicle to not move for their safety. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced nhtsa action number: pe22004 (structure). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 500. |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Dec 30, 2022 |
| State | NE |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 kia carnival. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the horn and the sliding sensor for the doors on the vehicle failed to work as needed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,125. |
| Category | Engine, Power Train, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Dec 20, 2022 |
| State | MD |
| Description | 1. When accelerating (while driving on eco mode) the vehicle starts to shudder at times. When using normal mode, the vehicle will shudder while the brake pedal is being used at a red light. Front windshield cracks easily and paint easily chips with no sign of rocks hitting the vehicle. Called kia service to get the car looked at and they said they haven't heard of such issues. 2. Doors are supposed to retract when closing if motion is occurring. A family member almost got her leg pinned by the door and our child almost got hurt on the shoulder because the door kept moving in closing mode when she was trying to get inside the car. Whatever sensor it has, it doesn't work. 3. Roof mold on driver's side came off the roof while driving the speed limit on the highway never to be seen again. The passenger side almost went flying too. 4. Iphone xr does not work properly when synced to the car. It connects and disconnects out of nowhere. It becomes dangerous when using gps. Vehicle system kept saying it needed a new software to be downloaded. Went to the site and downloaded multiple rimes, called the customer service about 3-4 times and last person I spoken to told me to ho straight to the service dept at the kia dealership to get the software downloaded. No one at kia knew how to download the software. After multiple attempts and kia not “finding anythingâ€, decided to spend extra money and get a new phone to resolve this issue. I have to have a software downloaded to the vehicle. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Nov 14, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Fuel gauge does not provide accurate representation of fuel amount. The car will read empty with 100 miles . |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Nov 04, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The engine has shut off while driving multiple times. |
| Category | Engine, Fuel/propulsion System, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Nov 02, 2022 |
| State | OH |
| Description | Around 17,000 -18,000 miles, the engine started to shutter like it wanted to die or wasn't getting enough fuel. While driving, it feels like it's trying to accelerate by itself even when cruise control is set. Even when it is just in nurtural it does it.. Still waiting to get the car into dealership to figure out the cause. |
| Category | Electrical System, Structure:body |
| Date | Oct 26, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The safety feature on the sliding back doors is not safe for children. Previous vans I have owned had a sensor that would trigger the door to open back up if it were closing and ran into something, like a child getting caught in the sliding door. I am a grown adult and the door closing on the kia carnival is too strong for me to even stop with my entire body weight. A child is going to get crushed in those sliding doors. |
| Category | Visibility:windshield |
| Date | Oct 18, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | I have owned this 2022 kia carnival for about a year and half. Since owning this vehicle the front windshield glass has mysteriously gotten two separate cracks causing me to have to replace this glass twice. Initially when the cracks appear they are already 3-5 inches in length and continue to spread across the entire length of the glass without provocation. The glass seems to be pretty susceptible to these cracks because I have never owned a vehicle that this has occurred to so often and/or owned a vehicle where there would at least be a small crack that could be repaired without replacing the entire windshield. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 17, 2022 |
| State | HI |
| Description | There needs to be sensors on the sliding doors if an object is in the way of closing. These doors do not stop with even full adult resistance and child's had was closed in the sliding doors. This is a common complaint for this vehicle. |
| Category | Structure:body:door |
| Date | Oct 15, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | My toddler, 3 years old climbed into my 2022 kia carnival to get into his car seat. I was standing outside the door waiting to buckle him when the sliding door started to close on its own and my toddlers leg got trapped under the track of the door and he started screaming. I then had to put my whole body between the door with force to prevent it from closing all the way. I was then able to pull his leg out. There has been no inspection to the vehicle yet as it happened last night. There were no warning or messages about the problem prior and we have had no issues like this before. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Oct 14, 2022 |
| State | WV |
| Description | The windshield appears to be made of soft material. Windshield scratches easily when the slightest debris is on windshield and wipers are being used. Multiple scratches become present on windshield through simply wiper use. This is resulting in distraction and makes visibility through windshield poor. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Oct 03, 2022 |
| State | OH |
| Description | Sliding door closed on a child's arm and bruised it. We have had multiple situations where the door does not stop if it hits something, it just continues to close. |
| Category | Structure:body:door |
| Date | Oct 03, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | Sliding doors do not stop closing if something is in the way. Have closed myself and children in the door and it doesn't stop. |
| Category | Seats |
| Date | Oct 01, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The handle to release the back of the middle passenger seats is on the front inside lower part of the seat. This requires the passenger to lean in to pull and release. The seat then comes forward with such force that it slams the passenger in the head or face. This has happened several times in my vehicle leaving adults and teens in tears. It happened to me today striking me just under the nose. The impact caused me to black out for a second. I have a slightly swollen lip and am concerned that the root of my front tooth may be damaged. I'm convinced that the rate at which the seat comes forward could easily cause concussion, break someone's nose or possibly a jaw. Please consider adjusting the rate at which the seats come forward. This malfunction could easily be inspected and reproduced, but I have not brought it in for inspection. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Sep 29, 2022 |
| State | OK |
| Description | Windshield crack without major incident. No debris or rocks noted hitting. Cracked all the way across the windshield within a week. Adaptive cruise control keeps failing. Says radar is being blocked, usually when attempting to start cruise but sometimes when cruise control is already set. When this happens, no cruise control is available until it seemingly randomly starts working again. Inspected all cameras and sensors for dirt/bugs and they are not blocked. |
| Category | Visibility:windshield |
| Date | Sep 08, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | A very small pebble hit the windshield causing a very large chip. We had the chip repaired to prevent further damage, but that did not help and it continued to crack in several different directions across the windshield. This made it very difficult to drive as it was hard to see especially when the sun would hit the cracks and almost blind you. |
| Category | Visibility:windshield |
| Date | Aug 27, 2022 |
| State | OK |
| Description | We have owned this vehicle for about 15 months. With this replacement, we will be on our third windshield. The first windshield needed to be replaced after a crack started across the windshield following a pebble that hit the edge of the glass. We went through our insurance as there was an impact—however minor. We waited over three months for an oem replacement windshield, and had it professionally installed. Now, two months later, we come out to our parked car and there is a crack in the middle of our windshield! There was no impact with anything, or a chip to be found anywhere. This crack is spreading through the driver's line of sight and raises serious concerns as to the integrity of this glass and its ability to protect us on the highway. Of all the vehicles we've owned over the last twenty years of driving, we have never had to replace cracked windshields like this. At this point we are looking at the kia oem glass as being defective. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 10, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | My 2022 kia carnival' s windshield cracked for no reason. No visible sign of damage from external forces. Attempted to rectify with kia, but sadly given the run around. It's a brand new car ( 8000 miles) . |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Jul 29, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | 1st incident may 2022: driving in the highway when a small rock hit the windshield. At that time there was a crack (3-4 cm wide) on the windshield. A technician came out to repair the area of injury. 2nd incident july 2022: driving in the highway when I heard something hit the windshield. At that time, I did not notice any obvious damage. When I first noticed there was a crack, my car was stationary in my garage. The crack was about 10 inches long. The windshield has quickly began to crack. That same day it went from 10 inches to 24 inches at minimum. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jul 25, 2022 |
| State | MI |
| Description | I left the car while it was still running to check that my trailer lights were working. I had the key fob in my pocket, but when I got to the car the doors were locked. I tried unlocking it with the key fob but nothing would happen. My 2 year old son and 3 year old daughter were locked in the car! Luckily, my daughter was able to get to the door and open it from the inside. This should never be something that can happen. The door locking from the inside and the key not working, especially while it is running! |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jul 04, 2022 |
| State | MD |
| Description | Side sliding doors fail to automatically retract open when they encounter something in the way. Both doors present the same problem. Door failed to retract when child was in way, resulting in an injury. |
| Category | Structure:body, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jun 27, 2022 |
| State | IN |
| Description | There is either no sensor, or one that is too weak/defective, in the sliding doors to stop it if a person's (particularly a child's) fingers, hands, arms, or other body parts were in the way. Anything in the way would just get crushed by the door! This is not just my vehicle. All carnivals seem to have a very weak or defective sensor and it's a serious safety hazard, particularly considering it's supposed to be a family vehicle! I have prevented injuries so far (thankfully) but have tested the door and it in fact will not stop if something is in the way. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Jun 27, 2022 |
| State | TN |
| Description | Child got hand smashed in rear sliding door. There is no pressure sensor to avoid the door closing on hands or fingers. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Jun 21, 2022 |
| State | WA |
| Description | We purchased our carnival in november of 2021. A few months ago a rock hit our windshield. I could tell that the small rock chip was quickly making crack lines. We called a windshield repair company who suggested that we put a piece of tape over it until we could get it fixed. Luckily we followed his advice and put tape on it until we could get in a few days later for a chip repair. If we would not have followed his advice I have no doubt the cracks would have spread. Fast foward to last saturday, june 18th. We were driving down the freeway and suddenly we notice that there is a large crack in the windshield, directly in front of the driver's view. It's maybe 8 inches long and we have no idea where it came from. We thought for sure we would have a few days to take care of it before it spread. It has already doubled in size. There have been no extreme temperatures to explain the quickly spreading crack. When we looked to see the source of the large crack, we noticed a very very small chip in the very edge of the windshield. The chip is not even visible from the inside of the car. It seems to me that the windshield is make from weak materials. I have never had this many problems with a car. And keep in mind we've only owned this car for 7 months! I believe kia needs to address this issue. The windshield is the only thing between the face of the driver and the outside elements. It should be durable and reliable. This type of situation makes me concerned about the quality of the windshield, especially over the life of the vehicle. Thank you. |
| Category | Structure:body:door |
| Date | Jun 16, 2022 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | The power sliding doors fail to stop closing unless excessive force is used. If an arm or hand is in the way it gets hurt and the door will try to close on it. The dealership inspected it and said it's a known issue that extra force is needed. There's nothing they can do. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My child's was being closed in the door and when I tried to stop it to save my daughter my arm was bruised. Yes, the dealer knows of the issue but plays it off as just a door that requires more force to stop. Yes, kia inspected it, found you need to apply more force then normal but has no solution but to make sure to keep far away when it's closing. They however said nothing can be done, it's just how the van comes. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Jun 13, 2022 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | The doors sensors do not work. I am 200+ lbs and have to push with force to get it to stop closing. My 2 year old last minute stuck her hand into the car while the door was closing to get a blanket and it crushed her fingers. These doors are extremely unsafe. Then we took it to kia and they said “just keep the kids away from the doors†which is insane when you're talking about little kids. |
| Category | Structure:body:door |
| Date | May 29, 2022 |
| State | TN |
| Description | The automatic doors will close even if a child or something is in the way. Kia has acknowledged that the sensor may not work, but this is a huge safety issue when dealing with small children. I was loading the car and pressed the button to close the door. Then, I realized I forgot something and placed my hand in front of the sensor to stop the doors from closing, but the sensor failed. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | May 29, 2022 |
| State | PA |
| Description | My daughter was closing the left sliding door with her right hand using the button and her left hand was in the doorway. There is no worthwhile sensor in the car to detect her hand and thus the door crushed her hand. She now has a fractured left thumb due to the kia carnival. I have tried to see if the sensor would detect my entire hand and it didn't! I am appalled that a car could be sold that has zero sensor |
| Category | Seats |
| Date | May 23, 2022 |
| State | PA |
| Description | The middle seats seem to be spring loaded, when pushing them back into position the spring back with significant force if not "clicked" in. This resulted in a significant bruise after hitting me in the head. |
| Category | Structure:body:door |
| Date | Apr 20, 2022 |
| State | KS |
| Description | 'auto reopen' feature of power sliding side door fails to reopen by not 'sensing' a soft item obstruction (I. E. Arm, leg, hand, pet) when closing. Daughter had severe bruising to arm (I. E. Sliding door significantly squeezed arm). Sensor replaced by kia dealership, safety problem still persists. Continued talks with kia eventually resulted in kia stating (in written letter) that "the auto-reverse feature is supplemental feature and should never be relied upon as a primary safety feature". |
| Category | Engine, Structure:body:door |
| Date | Mar 24, 2022 |
| State | NE |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 kia carnival. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the rear driver's side automatic sliding door sensor malfunctioned, causing injury to the contact's daughter's shoulder when it closed while she was exiting the vehicle. No medical attention was received. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an unknown failure. The dealer informed the contact that an unknown part needed to be replaced and deactivated the rear-powered sliding doors. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 1,020. |
| Category | Engine, Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Mar 24, 2022 |
| State | IN |
| Description | Beginning of january, when I went to drive home from work my check engine light was on and my kia carnival wouldn't accelerate over 10 mph. I let it run longer and tried to drive again and it wouldn't go over 20 mph. Let it sit a while longer and it finally drove normally but the check engine light stayed on. I called and made an appt with kia in fort wayne immediately after it happened but they couldn't get me in for almost 2 weeks. The day I took it in (jan. 22) the vehicle/engine shook anytime I accelerated. It did this the entire drive from my home to the kia dealership. They ran diagnostics and found there was a sensor error with the injectors. They test drove it and said everything was fine. I got it back on jan. 25 or 26th and it was fine. Then on the 29th I went to drive my vehicle and it had the acceleration problem again. I immediately called kia and they couldn't get my vehicle in until feb. 7th. I didn't drive it that day after the acceleration problem, but the check engine light was on again. I've driven it all last week because I need a vehicle. The check engine light will come on sometimes and sometimes be off. On friday feb. 4th the shaking happened again. It would shake when I accelerate. The check engine light was on all weekend. They looked at my car on feb. 7th and the check engine light isn't on and it's driving fine for them at kia. They ran the diagnostic and said it was the sensor error again. They said it was fine to drive because it wasn't happening right at that moment. I drove it home and it started to have the same issues again multiple times. I called the first time it happened again after service and they couldn't get it in until march 7th. It won't do it everyday, usually just cold mornings on the first start. It wasn't having the issue when I took it in for service. They looked at it and said it was fine. I get it back and it's doing it again. After 4 service visits I'm still having problems and kia refuses to help or do a buyback. |
| Category | Engine, Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Mar 17, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | On three separate occasions when the temperature was below -20c, this brand-new vehicle stopped working due to ice in the throttle body. Vehicle had to be towed each time. The dealer service manager informed me that the new design no longer heats the throttle body, and condensation jams the mechanism. In my mind this is a safety risk because (1) the car stops working while driving in traffic and (2) it's a family vehicle, putting up to 8 passengers at severe risk of cold-related injuries when stranded. The dealer has confirmed that this has occurred for at least three other customers at this one dealership. Each time they have inspected and disassembled the assembly, cleared the ice buildup, and applied a silicone lubricant. On the first and third occasion only, the "check engine" light came on. On the second occasion, the car simply died while driving, and I had to roll to the highway shoulder. Note: on the "address" page, your form does not take a canadian address, however this vehicle is also sold in america. My correct postal code is j7v 8p4 and province is quebec. |
| Category | Electrical System, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Mar 14, 2022 |
| State | OH |
| Description | Car will not accelerate. Error code p211800. Engine control system. Throttle control. Temp outside was 19degrees f. Check engine light is on. |
| Category | Air Bags |
| Date | Mar 12, 2022 |
| State | MO |
| Description | I was tboned on 3/10/2022 at high speed in the back driver's side 1/3 of the car by another who ran stop sign at high speed (I am guessing 50 or 60 mph). I have some amnesia about the impact now.... But with large hematoma on left side of my head & concussion, my head must have hit the left side body/frame of the vehicle without the benefit of side curtain airbags that sure would have made this accident less traumatic to my body and brain. Currently the vehicle is being moved from an impound lot to state farm' lot. We have not seen any warning lights or had any problems with this car up til now. It has not been inspected by any mechanics yet either. |
| Category | Electrical System:ignition |
| Date | Mar 04, 2022 |
| State | PA |
| Description | The contact owns 2022 kia carnival lx. The contact stated that while driving at 55 mph, the engine misfired, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. In addition, the vehicle would shudder when warming up. The vehicle was driven to local repair and diagnosed several times with the same failure, but not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 9,000 |
| Category | Structure:body:door , Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Feb 08, 2022 |
| State | OK |
| Description | My passenger doors do not appear to have a sensor and do not stop when someone or something is in the way. Could be very dangerous. My arm almost got stuck in it. Had it been a child, they may not have had the reflexes to get out in time. Also. If the door is accidentally opened when pumping gas, will it stop? Likely not. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Jan 22, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | The throttle body froze up and the van went into "limp mode". I was driving on a semi-busy road and I could not go above 10mph. It would not let me shift either. Like it was not getting any gas to let me accelerate. The check engine light was on, I used a scan reader and the code came as p2118. Also when it went to the dealership the check engine light was still on. It was inspected by the dealership, but only deleted it and it was given back to us. Yes, the first symptom was the idle was rough and the exhaust was making a deep noise. *dealership wrote that it had high rpms*, which I never said that to them, I told them( dealership) that it was low rpms with the rough idle. I had it idle for 5 minutes so it could warm up since it was 15 degrees that night. This issue is not safe because I could get hit from behind because the van can not go faster or drive at the marked speed limit on city/highway roads. Also, having issues like this is not safe for my kids or other passengers in the carnival. The dealership said it is from condensation getting into the throttle body. But I have never had this issue with any other car/truck I have owned. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Jan 22, 2022 |
| State | DE |
| Description | My check engine light keeps coming on due the throttle freezing in the winter and the car won't go over 14mph when light is on |
| Category | Electrical System, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Jan 21, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | Will not accelerate over 10 mph in cold temp even after warming up vehicle. Will lose acceleration at a intersection and dangerous while taking a left turn. Check engine light goes on. Throttle bottle issue. Believe it is moisture/water in the throttle body causing it to freeze in colder temps. Needs to be recalled. Many many other kia carnivals having same issue. Model is brand new and should not be having these issues. Family car. |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Jan 21, 2022 |
| State | PA |
| Description | This morning was the coldest morning this year (7f) and I could not accelerate the vehicle after turning it on. It won't go faster than 15mph or so and the engine warning sign popped up. The code said p211800. I have heard that there were many people complaining this issue and I had felt mine was safe from this issue, but the weather hasn't been that cold to cause the issue. I had to drive with the panic button on and all the other cars passed me and I felt I was in danger while driving back home. |
| Category | Structure:body:door , Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 20, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | The automatic doors are supposed to stop when they sense an interference but they don't stop. My daughter got her hand smashed in ours. I thought maybe it was just where her hand ones but I used my own arm to test the door and it smashed by arm before re-opening. Left an awful bruise. I have heard many other carnival owners have had little hands smashed in their doors |
| Category | Structure:body:door |
| Date | Jan 18, 2022 |
| State | TN |
| Description | Power sliding doors are way to powerful. They take a lot of force to be stopped. |
| Category | Electrical System, Exterior Lighting |
| Date | Jan 12, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | At roughly 9,000 miles we noticed that the lights illuminating the climate control buttons stopped working. We also noticed the gear shift indicators (p, r, n, d) were not lighting up either, and neither was the light that told you what gear you were in. At night it is impossible to see what gear you are in or what button to push to change anything on the climate control. My wife took the car to a car wash and when she tried to put the car in neutral, she put it in reverse because there was no indication as to what gear she was in and she couldn't see, putting her and others around her at risk of an accident. The vehicle was brought into our local kia dealership where it was purchased and they ran various tests, all of which showed nothing was wrong even though everyone could clearly see that the lights were not displaying properly. It is still in the dealerships hands with no timetable or even an idea on how to fix it. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Dec 21, 2021 |
| State | PA |
| Description | The back window on the hatch spontaneously exploded. |
| Category | Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch |
| Date | Dec 06, 2021 |
| State | IL |
| Description | The contact's husband owns a 2022 kia carnival. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rear passenger's side sliding door would independently open while the vehicle was in motion. The door ajar warning message would illuminate on the instrument panel. Despite multiple attempts to close the door, the door would not latch, and the contact could not lock her vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they performed an ecu software update and lubricated the latches; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 500. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Dec 01, 2021 |
| State | ND |
| Description | Rear passenger sliding door shows that it is still open, even when closed. Rear passenger sliding door will open while driving even if the automatic doors are turned off. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Nov 30, 2021 |
| State | CO |
| Description | The sliding doors on the mpv do not have a sensor to stop the door from opening when it hits resistance. My 4 year olds leg was sucked down into the door as it was opening and it pinned his leg. The door met resistance on his leg and did not stop opening. The door also doesn't stop closing unless you push it open, but not if it meets resistance. The vehicle is brand new. It has not been inspected but I called kia and they haven't called back. I was able to recreate the problem. |
| Category | Structure:body:door |
| Date | Nov 19, 2021 |
| State | VA |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 kia carnival. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 mph, the sliding door inadvertently opened without warning. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the latching mechanism replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and was awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 820. The vin was not available. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Service Brakes, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Nov 04, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Auto hold engaged on car and failed to hold car. Resulted in a crash to my front gate and damage to the car as well as gate. Would not brake when pumping on brake upon collision to front gate. Sensor is now malfunctioning and kia is not taking responsibility. Most recently the front windshield has a crack that was not caused by anything. Car is parked and covered in my driveway. |
| Category | Visibility:glass, Side/rear, Visibility:windshield |
| Date | Oct 15, 2021 |
| State | KY |
| Description | Bought brand new 2022 kia carnival first family road trip something very small broke front windshield causing visibility issues. Waited 49 days for windshield components to come in. Took a second family trip on the way home passenger quarter side glass popped and shattered. Feeling a safety concern for me and my family if something bigger hit the glass of it would even attempt to slow it down. |
| Category | Visibility:windshield |
| Date | Sep 30, 2021 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Since we purchased the car in march 2021, none of the 12v or 115v outlets work in the car. It has been months since our dealership, city kia, said they ordered the parts but we still have no eta and on this site it says our vehicle has no outstanding recalls.... Which it does... The outlets. Dealership has been notified but no warning lights have gone off on the dash board. The outlets simply do not work. Our front windshield also developed a small chip near the bottom of the windshield under the wiper blades and the crack has expended rapidly while sitting still in our driveway. The crack now has splintered off into multiple cracks and expands our entire windshield. The quality and integrity of the windshield glass seems to be of poor quality and I do not feel safe to continue to drive it in fear that it will shatter. Our windshield has also been ordered through greenway kia through our car insurance and has no eta on when it will be replaced either! |
| Category | Unknown Or Other, Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Sep 29, 2021 |
| State | FL |
| Description | A small rock barely hit my windshield and cracked it completely across. It started as a small crack from a small pebble that progressed significantly overnight. What's worse is that the windshield is on back order so I been waiting over a month for it to get fixed. This seems like a common occurrence as multiple kia carnival owners had the same thing occurred. Kia needs to acknowledge the windshield is defective and cover it I should not have to go through my insurance for a defective windshield. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Sep 23, 2021 |
| State | OH |
| Description | Vehicle mileage was about 1,750. Check engine light came on immediately after starting the engine and vehicle had a slight vibration. Drove to dealer and vehicle started shaking badly while accelerating and had slight burning smell inside the cab. Was told #6 cylinder was miss firing and fuel injector needed to be replaced. Dealer has fixed the issue and seems to be ok as of now. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Sep 21, 2021 |
| State | DE |
| Description | Windshield cracked while driving with nothing even hitting it . |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Sep 20, 2021 |
| State | CO |
| Description | Driving down the road, nothing flew at the windshield, it just cracked. Currently can't replace it either as there is no stock. |
| Category | Visibility:glass, Side/rear |
| Date | Sep 20, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The contact owned a 2022 kia carnival. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 mph, the passenger's side rear window shattered. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they informed the contact that an object had struck the window. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 3,000. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Jul 22, 2021 |
| State | MO |
| Description | We have had 3 instances where the forward collision warning system kicked in without another car in front of our van causing the breaks to engage, then disengage within a second or two. We have noticed that if stopped at a red light with another car in front of us, if the other car has rear sensors in their bumper, it will set off our system as well and it will make the warning sounds. More recently, our cluster warning light has come on and the message "check rear cross traffic safety system" has appeared. After shutting the car off and on multiple times, this warning has not gone away. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Jul 01, 2021 |
| State | OH |
| Description | Sliding doors seem unsafe. They take a tremendous amount of force to stop the automatic door from closing. There is no safety mechanism to prevent a child from getting stuck and/or extremely hurt due if caught in sliding doors while closing. Seems like there should be a lesser resistance necessary to cause doors to open back up if encountering an object to prevent injury. |
| Category | Seats |
| Date | May 12, 2021 |
| State | NV |
| Description | 2022 kia carnival. The outer middle seats in the 8 passenger model. I have accidentally used the lever to fold the seat foward when I meant to use the one that pulls it foward on the track. When the seat came foward it hit me in the head such force I though I was going have a concussion. I was left with a minor headache afterward. The second time I thought it broke my nose. I can still feel it as I type this. This in my opinion would cause sever injury to a small child or elderly person if they were to do the same. To me those seats are dangerous if not prepared when folding the seats foward. |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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