Fuel system
Filed Aug 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the vehicle, causing the contact’s six children to become dizzy from the odor. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V232000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the remedy failed to fix the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure occurred after the recall repair was performed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the dealer might offer a buyback of the vehicle. The manufacturer opened a case. The failure mileage was 58,425.
- NHTSA ID
- 11754708
- Incident
- Jul 24, 2026
- Mileage
- 58,425 mi
Vehicle air conditioning sends off a vinegar like aroma. Likely condensation on coils.
- NHTSA ID
- 11752598
- Incident
- Jan 1, 2026
I am filing a comprehensive complaint against Kia America and its authorized dealership for a prolonged failure to remedy a safety defect, ongoing consumer deception, and gross mismanagement of a federally mandated safety recall involving a severe fire hazard. Vehicle: 2022-2026 Kia Carnival NHTSA Recall Number: 26V232 (High-Pressure Fuel Pipe Leak) [Chronology of Complete Events] June 29, 2026 (First Attempt): I brought my vehicle to Kia dealer shop to have Safety Recall 26V232 performed. The service department informed me that they did not have the necessary parts and the repair would take over a week. June 30, 2026 (Deceptive Release): The dealer contacted me to pick up the vehicle, stating they could not proceed with the recall due to a complete lack of parts. They only performed a standard engine oil change (unrelated to the recall) and promised they would contact me to reschedule as soon as the recall parts arrived. July 19, 2026 (Manufacturer Negligence): Nearly three weeks passed with zero follow-up from the dealer. I contacted Kia America Customer Care to lodge a formal complaint. Shockingly, Kia America responded by stating they do not assist with scheduling or coordinating parts availability, irresponsibly shifting the manufacturer's statutory obligation onto me to independently find another dealer. July 21, 2026 (False Assurances): Due to my persistent follow-ups, Kia Dealer finally called me. The dealership explicitly assured me over the phone that ALL necessary recall parts had physically arrived and were strictly secured for my vehicle. July 23, 2026 (Today - Repeated Deception): I dropped off my vehicle at 10:00 AM. I explicitly asked the service advisor to confirm if all recall work would be finished today. He promised it would be completed by the end of the day. However, at 5:50 PM—just ten minutes before closing—Dealer called to inform me that they could not finish the vehicle because they are "still waiting for a specific part."
- NHTSA ID
- 11752515
- Incident
- Jul 23, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Jun 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the driver’s side roof molding ejected from the vehicle. The contact immediately stopped the vehicle but was unable to locate the molding. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V025000 (STRUCTURE). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 77,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11742271
- Incident
- May 31, 2026
- Mileage
- 77,000 mi
The contact owns a 2023 KIA Carnival. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V320000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
- NHTSA ID
- 11741634
- Incident
- Apr 10, 2026
Our Carnival had the SC266 recall repair done on July 3rd, 2023, at 3074 miles. Then our [XXX] daughter was injured as a result of the safety function not working and the door closed without any chimes. [XXX] (my spouse) is a cardiac nurse at our local hospital, and I have combat medical training, so we took care of the minor injury. Her small hand was spared the devastation a larger one would suffer. The dealership is pretending it’s unreproducible (even though I supplied them with video evidence to the contrary), and Kia Corporate (case # XXX) doesn’t appear any more likely to help. I reported the injury when it occurred on January 13th, 2026, to the dealership. They said they were sorry and would look into it. Nothing happened. I call, and they say they can’t fix it. I call again after I see the XXX v. XXX, et al., case was allowed to proceed, and I produce videos confirming the safety issue with sticks. They bring it in and claim in their exact words in the paperwork, “Found Doors to chime when an “abstruction” was present in the doorway and vehicle doors to stop when detecting an object. Started T/L case for documentation purposes.” In private, they tell me, “We cannot stop the force of the closing or fix it” and do not allow me to reproduce the safety issue for them to witness. I file a complaint with Corporate, and they tell me the dealership is saying it’s fine. I send the videos, and they say they will look into it. No resolution. Today, I produced a second set of videos to show the devastation the safety issue causes and the lack of response from the sensor, chimes, or the reopening of the door from an obstruction using bananas after the dealership declared it not reproducible. My special needs [XXX] daughter was harmed as pictured. The van itself is unsafe for children, which is the only reason anyone (including me) would purchase it. My children could be harmed again, but we cannot afford the burden of another car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 55
- NHTSA ID
- 11737829
- Incident
- Jan 13, 2026
Fuel system
Filed Feb 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormally strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to two separate dealers, where the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was given a diagnostic fee from the dealers, but declined to pay for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11719892
- Incident
- Jan 1, 2026
- Mileage
- 35,000 mi
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Feb 12, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that during freezing weather, the button was depressed to open the driver's side rear sliding door, and the door automatically opened; however, the motor reached a point of resistance and attempted to close the sliding door. Due to the failure of the cable in the door snapped behind the glass window. The contact manually opened the sliding door and used excessive force to close the door. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed that the door cable had snapped. The contact was informed that the vehicle was out of warranty; however, the dealer reached out to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer later agreed to partial assistance with the repair. The contact paid for the remaining cost of the repair. The manufacturer was contacted about the repair and provided a case number. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 63,476.
- NHTSA ID
- 11717587
- Incident
- Jan 20, 2026
- Mileage
- 63,476 mi