Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 74 safety complaints
about the 2024 Kia Carnival with the US government. Of those, 2 describe a crash, 12 people were injured and no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the gasoline fuel system and the body structure.
The most complained-about system is the electrical system,
named in 16 complaints, 22% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 7,000 miles,
the median across the 7
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers June 2023 to September 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
74 complaints on file
74
Complaints
2
Describe a crash
0
Mention fire
12
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free.
Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can
answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a
model year.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 26 · 35%
26 35%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16 · 22%
16 22%
ENGINE 8 · 11%
8 11%
STEERING 7 · 9%
7 9%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 6 · 8%
6 8%
SEATS 6 · 8%
6 8%
STRUCTURE 6 · 8%
6 8%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 · 4%
3 4%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 3 · 4%
3 4%
AIR BAGS 2 · 3%
2 3%
POWER TRAIN 2 · 3%
2 3%
SEAT BELTS 2 · 3%
2 3%
01223
Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it.
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 74.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2024 at 24.
28 21 14 7
232023242024252025262026
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2023 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2024 Kia CARNIVAL, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
PV FWD
PV Later Release FWD
Overall
Not rated
Frontal crash
Not rated
Frontal, driver
Not rated
Frontal, passenger
Not rated
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
14.0%
14.0%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed.
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
Recall campaigns
2 on file
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Carnival vehicles. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the fuel pipe and fuel rail.
The risk
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC368. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 24, 2026.
Kia America, Inc. · up to 141,032 vehicles across all model years covered
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles. The roof molding may loosen and detach.
The risk
A detached roof molding can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the roof molding and replace or secure it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC292.
Kia America, Inc. · up to 101,049 vehicles across all model years covered
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2 injured
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-opening then closing again. I thought I had enough time to step out but didn't the door closed with my …
NHTSA complaint 11664731, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
1 injured · crash · towed
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. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed
Car hit a ditch at over 40MPH and rolled over on its side and no airbags deployed
NHTSA complaint 11599345. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SEATS
1 injured · 500 miles
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 manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was …
NHTSA complaint 11558716, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 injured
On XXX, the passenger-side power sliding door of my 2024 Kia Carnival EX closed on my [XXX] child’s torso/chest while she was exiting the vehicle and did not stop or reverse before trapping her. I had walked toward the house and reached the garage when I heard an extremely loud scream of pain. I immediately ran back to the vehicle. When I reached her, I personally observed that her torso/stomach was still pinned against the vehicle by the closed power sliding door. She could not move herself away. I had to press the power door button to open the door and release her. She immediately had pain and visible linear red pressure/abrasion marks on her chest/rib area, followed by bruising. She …
NHTSA complaint 11767906, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
towed · 48,320 miles
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle jerked violently and experienced a loss of motive power, with reduced power. Several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the warning lights were no longer illuminated. The contact continued to drive the vehicle, and the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was awaiting diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,320.
NHTSA complaint 11764470. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My 2024 Kia Carnival smells strongly like gasoline after about 15–20 minutes of driving. The smell gets worse at idle, worse the longer I drive, and seems even stronger with the A/C on. Two dealerships in Las Vegas have told me this is “normal.” Meanwhile, I can’t park it in my garage because the smell fills my house. I’ve had headaches and nausea, and my kids have complained of headaches and stomach aches too.
NHTSA complaint 11763500. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 injured
I was cleaning my van and my 2 year old daughter closed the opposite door and the sensors did not stop the door and she got her fingers smashed into the door and potentially broke her fingers, took her to the ER and we are to repeat X-rays in 7 to 10 days.
NHTSA complaint 11762516. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
On 8/25/2026 I dropped the vehicle at Plaza Kia, 2699 Nostrand Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 (Kia Repair Facility #7119189) for four open recalls: PI2501, PI2602, SC320, and SC368. Brakes were functioning normally at drop-off. Per repair order [XXX] dated 8/26/2026, only PI2501 and PI2602 (second-row seat recalls) were performed; SC320 (EGR valve) and SC368 (high-pressure crossover fuel pipe) were not completed — parts on special order. The dealer's multi-point inspection sheet, printed 8/26/2026 12:36 PM, marked brake fluid level/condition and brake system components as OK/green. The technician time log on the RO shows 0.0 actual hours for that day. The brake lining inspection panels on the …
NHTSA complaint 11761672, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
For the past year I have taken my vechicle in due to a strong vinegar smell that comes from the AC in the summer upon start up. They have been unable to remedy this issue. However they have said there is mold in the system. This posses a health issue due to poor air quality especially for small children in the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint 11759022. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed April 10, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst