The 2026 Kia Carnival has 2 safety recalls and 30 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is unknown or other (14 complaints).
Recalls2safety recalls
Complaints30filed by owners
Crashes · fires3 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths5 · 0reported in complaints
2026 Kia Carnival in an NHTSA crash test
Safety recalls
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: 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.
Risk: A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
NHTSA recall 26V046000 · Jan 26, 2026 · 42,677 vehicles
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
Risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA side barrier crash testNHTSA side pole crash test
2026 KIA CARNIVAL PV N/A FWD
Overall
★★★★★
Frontal crash
★★★★★
Side crash
★★★★★
Rollover
★★★★★
Rollover risk
14%
Forward collision warning: Standard & Optional · Lane departure warning: Standard
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Carnival
21mpg combined
City / highway
18 / 25 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
3.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (S8) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Unknown or other
14
1
0
1
—
Electrical system Body control module/bcm
8
0
0
1
—
Power train
5
0
0
0
—
Vehicle speed control
3
0
0
0
—
Back over prevention Warnings; Rearview system braking
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Oct 26, 2026Unknown or other I have taken my car 3 times to 3 different Kia dealerships for this issue. First on 9/13/2026, then 10/13/2026 and on 10/26/2026. While driving at highway speed my vehicle suddenly begins to loose power and the check engine light comes on. This is dangerous for myself as well as other drivers.
Jul 27, 2026Seats Subject: Formal Consumer Complaint: Alleged False Representation of Completed Vehicle Safety Repair I am filing a formal consumer protection complaint regarding a XXX Kia dealership's representation that a safety-related repair was completed on my vehicle. Vehicle: 2026 Kia Carnival SX VIN: [XXX] The dealership represented that a safety-related repair had been completed. However, information subsequently obtained from another dealership raised concerns that the original repair was not actually performed as represented. I believe this discrepancy warrants investigation because it involves the accuracy of dealership service records, potentially misleading representations to a consumer, and…
Sep 28, 2026 · 1 injuryElectrical system Child's arm was crushed in the sliding door when it failed to properly stop due to the sensor failing.
Sep 13, 2026Fuel/propulsion system Driving ar 75mph my car began to decelerate. Depressing the accelerator only made the engine rev loudly but speed continued to drop. This is a significant safety risk. There was a check engine light and message to take the car to a Kia dealer. The car was towed to a dealer. The dealer was able to reproduce the condition. The dealer replaced 24356 2M000-solenoid-cvvt (valve timing control solenoid). On the way home from this dealer the problem reoccurred. First incident on 9/13/26. Vehicle retrieved from dealer and reoccurring problem on 10/9/2026.
Sep 17, 2026 · crashUnknown or other The alert âconsider taking a breakâ with the coffee cup symbol wonât stop going off. It goes off when I first start driving, it goes off every other minute sometimes, it does off for no reason all the time. It is so distracting. Today it was rainy and Iâm sure is one reason it kept going off. It was also garbage day and someone put their garbage can on the road right on the line. The alert had gone off 15 times within my 20 minute drive after school drop off. It was making me angry and was super distracting. I was looking at the screen instead of the road as it started beeping again and didnât see the garbage can. It smacked my side view mirror into the passenger window and…
Jul 2, 2026Structure › Body Grill on bumper allows large objects to fly through hitting condenser. This is an issue, it happened to my vehicle and the identical loaner car we were given while our car was in the shop for repairs. I was told by the dealership to solve this problem carnival owners should follow other cars at a greater distance. Because I have children I already set my cruise control to follow other vehicles at a 4 car distanceâ¦. How much further should a carnival owner allow?
Sep 12, 2026Electrical system Battery shuts down overnight. To get the car to start you need to pop the hood the night before use a jump start and keep your manual key handy. All electronics shut down completely
Aug 28, 2026Structure › Body I purchased a new 2026 Kia Carnival EX and noticed an unusually intense amount of heat coming from underneath the vehicle on the passenger side, particularly around the rear passenger door/second-row seating area. I first noticed the issue while the vehicle was parked and I was standing outside the open rear passenger door installing car seats and floor mats. The heat radiating from underneath the vehicle was intense enough that my feet and lower legs became extremely hot while standing next to the vehicle I also noticed that the seat/floor rails and other exposed metal components in and around the second-row passenger area became extremely hot to the touch. I could only keep my hand on…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
