The 2023 Kia Carnival has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 297,204 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the unknown or other. Last updated July 5, 2026.
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.
Consequence
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…
STRUCTURE24V0250002024-01-18101,049 affected
Defect
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles. The roof molding may loosen and detach.
Consequence
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.
STRUCTURE23V2360002023-03-3151,568 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
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.
TRAILER HITCHES23V1790002023-03-173,555 affected
Defect
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…
Consequence
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…
Complaints by component
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
20
3injuries
STRUCTURE:BODY
10
5injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
6
1injuries
ENGINE
4
Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness
2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
1
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
1
Total complaints59
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“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…”
“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…”
“Abs was activating inappropriately creating a grinding/pulsating noise while I was attempting to stop at a light. The vehicle did slow down but despite the completely dry road service and sufficient stopping distance, the vehicle never came to a stop and ran into the vehicle in front of me. The…”
“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…”
“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…”
“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,…”
“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…”
“Strong fuel smell that comes and goes. Dealership replaced fuel injection related parts after finding a leak. Problem is still present.”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2023 Kia Carnival as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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