Fourth generation (KA4) · first-year watch
2026 Kia Carnival, day 418
- 26complaints since Aug 10, 2025
- 2recalls
- 3involved a crash
- 3,000median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 17, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Changed since August
- 4 new complaints in September, mostly about structure, electrical and lane keeping.
- Nothing filed yet on sticky steering, transmission failure, engine failure or fire.
- 31st most complaints of the 79 2026 models on this site.
What's been reported
NHTSA's own component codes. One report can cite several.
- Other11
- Electrical7
- Transmission and drivetrain4
- Speed control3
- Backup camera3
- Structure3
- Collision avoidance2
- Lane keeping2
Problems so far
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 5 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 5 reports
Recent reports
“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”
Filed Sep 16, 2026
“We were driving down [XXX] south towards home and out of nowhere, it sounded like something clapped against our passenger driver's side window. the window completely shattered and then proceeded to fall inwards onto my [XXX] old. It was absolutely traumatizing. Nothing hit us. It just exploded. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
Filed Jul 29, 2026
“Sliding Door Sensor Failed My daughter was getting in the van, when her brother hit the door button, if my husband wouldnât have glanced over at that exact moment and pulled her back, this wouldâve been another story. THE SENSOR IS NOT SENSITIVE ENOUGH! We as mothers are demanding sensors sensitive enough to detect smaller, fragile children!”
Filed Mar 31, 2026
“The car will not accelerate past 31 mph no matter the gas petal position, during cold mornings. Downhill or uphill, in any âdrive modeâ it will not go past 31 with the petal all the way down. Acceleration onto a highway is impossible. Stopping and restarting the entire vehicle seems to reset this and allow for speed over 31mph. This has happened 5-6 separate times when the temperature is below 35F.”
Filed Dec 20, 2025
At a glance
- Next to the 2024
- The 2026 is too new for a fair per-year comparison. It has 26 complaints so far; the 2024, on sale longer, has 74.
- Top problem
- Two problems run close. Stalling has 5 complaints and infotainment has 5, out of 26 in all. Too few of the stalling reports give a mileage to say when it starts.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 4 of the 26 complaints (15%) report a crash, a fire or an injury. The typical vehicle on this site sits at 6%, so this one runs well above it. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 3 reports mention a crash and 4 people were hurt.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- 2 recalls are on file, but no problem here has enough reports to set against them.
- When owners filed
- Every complaint so far came in during 2025. So far in 2026, 18 more have come in.
Service bulletins for the 2026 Kia Carnival
Kia filed 27 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2026 Kia Carnival. 1 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 1 bulletin · 5 complaints
CCNC – DEALER MODE NETWORK RESET (SA625) This bulletin provides information to access the ‘Dealer Mode’ function on 2026MY models listed on page 6 equipped with a Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) head unit, and to perform a ‘Reset Network’ to address customer concerns related to activation of ...
Recalls
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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 and remedy
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.
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 and remedy
Remedy: 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.
All 2 recalls on the 2026 Kia Carnival, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide Seeing this on your own car? How to file a complaint with NHTSA
The log
Complaints by the month NHTSA received them, newest first. Blue bars mark a month with a recall or an investigation.
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2026 Kia Carnival?
Stalling, with 5 of the 26 complaints.
At what mileage do 2026 Kia Carnival problems start?
Of the 6 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 2,000 miles and half by about 3,000.
How many 2026 Kia Carnival complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
4 of them (15%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for stalling on the 2026 Kia Carnival?
No recall on file for the 2026 Kia Carnival is on the same system as stalling. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.