Your vehicle report
2023 Kia Carnival
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 52
- Received Jul 2022 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Rear door latch fails to open or close11 complaints · 21% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline6 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Seat belt fails to latch or retract5 complaints · 9.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V179000Park outsideKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Carnival vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
- Recall #26V232000Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Carnival vehicles. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the fuel pipe and fuel rail.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 1 crash, 0 fires, 7 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 4 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Month | Complaints |
|---|---|
| July 2022 | 1 |
| August 2022 | 1 |
| September 2022 | 0 |
| October 2022 | 1 |
| November 2022 | 0 |
| December 2022 | 0 |
| January 2023 | 2 |
| February 2023 | 2 |
| March 2023 | 2 |
| April 2023 | 2 |
| May 2023 | 3 |
| June 2023 | 2 |
| July 2023 | 1 |
| August 2023 | 3 |
| September 2023 | 0 |
| October 2023 | 0 |
| November 2023 | 0 |
| December 2023 | 1 |
| January 2024 | 0 |
| February 2024 | 0 |
| March 2024 | 0 |
| April 2024 | 0 |
| May 2024 | 1 |
| June 2024 | 2 |
| July 2024 | 2 |
| August 2024 | 1 |
| September 2024 | 1 |
| October 2024 | 1 |
| November 2024 | 0 |
| December 2024 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 1 |
| March 2025 | 2 |
| April 2025 | 0 |
| May 2025 | 1 |
| June 2025 | 0 |
| July 2025 | 1 |
| August 2025 | 2 |
| September 2025 | 1 |
| October 2025 | 2 |
| November 2025 | 0 |
| December 2025 | 0 |
| January 2026 | 1 |
| February 2026 | 3 |
| March 2026 | 0 |
| April 2026 | 1 |
| May 2026 | 1 |
| June 2026 | 2 |
| July 2026 | 2 |
| August 2026 | 1 |
| September 2026 | 1 |
| October 2026 | 1 |
| Total | 52 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 11 | 21% | 15.5× | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 6 | 12% | 17.8× | NHTSA recall #26V232000 |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 9.6% | 10.8× | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 5 | 9.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #23V179000March 17, 20233,555 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
trailer hitches
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Carnival vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and verify whether the vehicle is equipped with a Genuine Kia accessory trailer tow hitch assembly. If equipped, dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC265.
NHTSA recall #26V232000April 10, 2026141,032 vehicles affected
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.
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
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.
NHTSA recall #24V025000January 18, 2024101,049 vehicles affected
structure: body: roof and pillars
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles. The roof molding may loosen and detach.
A detached roof molding can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
NHTSA recall #23V236000March 31, 202351,568 vehicles affected
structure: body: door
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling all 2022 and certain 2023 Carnival vehicles. The auto-reverse feature for the power sliding doors (PSD) may not activate in all situations.
A power sliding door that does not auto-reverse can close on an occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will update the power sliding door control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC266.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2023 Kia Carnival.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN