The 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid was, says the automaker, “built to inspire.” They invite purchasers to “lead with passion,” stating that with a 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid, “the road is yours.” However, owners of vehicles that cannot accelerate or experience battery drain aren’t inspired or passionate. They are frustrated and angry.
Most Common Problems with the 2023 Kia Carnival
Complaints about the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) are almost exclusively about a lack of acceleration. While most are posted as a vehicle speed control problem, they are sometimes labeled as engine, electrical system, and unknown or other issues.
Although not on the same scale, there are also complaints about serious battery drain that affect the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid. This is a problem that Lemberg Law has been investigating since October 2024, though not specifically focusing on the Hybrid. The NHTSA has a section for complaints about the 2025 model, that includes (but is not limited to) complaints about the Hybrid, as well as a dedicated section for 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid complaints. There are considerably more battery drain complaints in the more general section and some are duplicated.
Remarkably, there are only three manufacturer communications on file with the NHTSA about the Hybrid model and none of them deal with acceleration or battery drain problems.
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid Complaint Summary
Complaint Category
Number of Complaints
Vehicle Speed Control
16
16
Engine
9
9
Power Train
8
8
Electrical System
6
6
Fuel/propulsion System
4
4
Unknown Or Other
2
2
Seats
1
1
Lack of Acceleration
Complaints by Hybrid owners about lack of acceleration are reported in both 2025 Kia Carnival sections on the NHTSA website.
While some complaints state that the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid won’t accelerate, most specify that that cannot go any faster than 30-35 mph. Some owners state that they reboot their cars or restart them manually to get them moving again. For example, an owner from Pennsylvania states that the car won’t accelerate. “This has happened multiple times. The fix is to turn the car off and on again.”
Many more complain that dealerships are unable to recreate the problem and therefore cannot provide a fix.
A substantial number of complaints draw attention to the fact that the problem is evident when the weather is cold. For example, an owner from Iowa states that the Carnival Hybrid cannot accelerate over 31 mph when it is cold outside. “This is unsafe, especially on highways. (The) dealership was not able to reproduce the issue.” An owner from Nebraska states that the car won’t accelerate past 30-35 mph. “We’ve experienced multiple instances now, and all have been in cold weather (<10° F).”
An owner of a 2025 Kia Carnival SX Prestige Hybrid from Illinois states “the vehicle intermittently fails to exceed 31 mph when the outside temperature is cold, typically in the single digits or low teens. This issue occurs when I use the remote start system and get into the car to leave for work around 6:50 to 7 am. I have not attempted to replicate this without using the remote start. I have taken the vehicle to the dealership, and they are aware of the problem. They have attempted to recreate the issue but were unable to do so.”
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More Examples of Complaints
An owner from Utah received an alert to check the driver assistance system. Turning onto the freeway, “My car lost all power, not letting me drive faster than 30 mph.” He got off the freeway and onto a side street when another alert, accompanied by loud beeps — Check Hybrid System. Stop Safely — displayed. “The dealership was unable to replicate the problem and the car didn’t register errors, but the problem recurred the next day. “The dealership is still saying they can’t fix what they don’t know is wrong. Which I get, but it’s weird that these major events aren’t being recorded by the car. And it is terrifying to suddenly lose power on the freeway.”
An owner from Alabama warmed the car up because the temperature outside was 28 degrees. However, after driving one mile, the car “locked up at 31 mph and 1.4 rpm. It would not accelerate and it maintained the speed and rpm without pressing on the gas. The brakes did work. It lasted for another mile and then resolved.” The problem wasn’t replicated which is a cause for concern. “Not being able to accelerate above 31 mph poses significant risk to both my family and other drivers.”
Another SX Prestige Hybrid, this time from Maryland, states the loss of acceleration happens at lower speeds (about 30 mph). “The only thing that fixes the issue is literally pulling over and restarting the car, and then it drives fine. We took it into the dealer after the second incident and they claimed that a camera was just obstructed by ice, so the car probably thought it detected something in front of us so it stopped accelerating as a safety feature.” Again, because the dealer was unable to replicate the issue, but it recurred a week later.
Hybrid Battery Draining
After parking a new, one-month-old, 2025 Kia Carnival HEV in the garage for four days, “the battery was totally dead,” states an owner from California. “We were not able to start the van. The battery was 4.5v when measured with a digital volt meter.”
An owner from Georgia says the same thing. “The vehicle is brand new. We drove it home from the dealership and parked it in the garage, and after just a few days, the battery was totally dead and unresponsive.”
An owner from California states that hitting the accelerator wouldn’t move the car. “I had to ‘reboot’ the car to get it to work, 3-4 times while sitting in traffic.” This happened multiple times, and fortunately, the dealer could recreate the problem. “This was after some issue with the hybrid system on the highway where the electrical part of the drivetrain was inoperable and I had put it in park at a stoplight to try and see if that would fix it. I know the electrical part was inoperable because of how sluggish the car was and the car itself was saying Regen options were not available and the hybrid battery was drained to 0.”
After doing a network reset because a Georgia owner experienced battery drain that caused the Carnival Hybrid to stall on the road, the problem persisted. The dealership said there was “nothing that we can troubleshoot. You will have to wait for your appointment to have them handle the issue.”
An owner from Ohio states, “Brand new car and the battery is draining, leaving the vehicle unable to start.”
Your Lemon Law Legal Rights
If your 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid has ongoing problems that affect its safety, performance, or value, it could qualify as a lemon. Lemberg Law can review your case for free.
When a vehicle meets lemon law criteria, the manufacturer, in this case Kia, is responsible for covering legal fees, meaning there’s no cost or risk to you. We’ve helped many drivers obtain buybacks, replacements, or cash compensation, and we may be able to do the same for you.
To begin, just fill out our online form or call our Helpline today.
About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
