Kia
Kia Carnival years to avoid
No year to avoid stands out. Best years: 2023.
No Kia Carnival model year stands out. None from 2022 to 2024 draws 1.5 times the median of 25 complaints for each year on the road, and the highest is not clearly ahead of the next, so the individual car and its history matter more than the year.
- 286complaints
- 7recall campaigns
- 3model years with a page
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
- No year stands out.
Best years
2023
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025 and 2026.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2022 has the most complaints of any Kia Carnival year here: 136 of 286 (48%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Dead battery leads in 1 of the 3 model years and has the most reports overall, 61.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 13% of Kia Carnival complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2022, 29 of its 136 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- None of the 1 model years where owners report dead battery has a recall on the same system.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2024 at 67 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 64. So far in 2026, 69 more have come in.
Photo: Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2023 (51), 2024 (74).
Year by year
2026 Kia Carnival
26 owner complaints so far; too new to call. 3 reports involved a crash and 4 people were hurt. 2 recalls, including 26V-232 on the fuel system and 26V-046 on the electrical system.
2025 Kia Carnival
124 owner complaints so far; too new to call. Most reported: dead battery (61 reports) and infotainment (10 reports). 1 recall: 26V-232 on the fuel system.
2022 Kia Carnival
136 owner complaints, 27 for each year on the road (1.1 times the model median). Most reported: sliding door failure (26 reports), misfire (17 reports) and windshield (17 reports). 4 reports involved a crash and 34 people were hurt. 6 recalls, including 24V-025 on the structure and 23V-236 on the structure.
Recalls that cover several model years
Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the fuel pipe and fuel rail.
Compare the Carnival with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- Carnival vs Toyota Sienna2022 to 2026
- Carnival vs Honda Odyssey2022 to 2026
Questions
What Kia Carnival years should you avoid?
No Kia Carnival model year stands out. None from 2022 to 2024 draws 1.5 times the median of 25 complaints for each year on the road, and the highest is not clearly ahead of the next, so the individual car and its history matter more than the year.
What are the best years for the Kia Carnival?
The 2023 draws the fewest complaints for its age: 51, or 13 for each year on the road.
What is the most common problem on the Kia Carnival?
Dead battery, with 61 reports across the 3 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2025.
How many recalls does the Kia Carnival have?
7 recall campaigns cover the Kia Carnival model years 2022 to 2026 on this site. The widest, 26V-232 on the fuel system, covers 3 model years.
How many Kia Carnival complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
13% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2022 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for dead battery on the Kia Carnival?
No. None of the 1 model years where owners report it has one on the same system.