Problems · by component

2022 Kia Carnival structure problems

34 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2022 Kia Carnival cite structure, 25% of all 138 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
34
25% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the structure

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The power sliding door actuator motor drive cables on my 2022 Kia Carnival snapped on both the passenger and driver sides. The doors are stuck shut, even in manual mode, creating a safety hazard for passengers since the only way to exit in an accident would be through the rear hatch or the front doors. The Kia dealer said they couldn’t open the doors without removing the interior sliding door panels, which would require damaging them because the doors are stuck shut. There were no warning signs before either cable broke. I have also researched online and it seems many Kia Carnival Owners are having the same sort of issue.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2026Electrical system, StructureODI 11766039
“The rear latch on both sliding doors rusts and the buildup prevents the door from closing eventually because the latch mechanism stays up. There is a video on this from a Kia master tech.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 15, 2026StructureODI 11764494
“The contact owns a 2022 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V908000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages, Structure); however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the rear passenger’s side power sliding door failed to latch securely. The contact used force while pushing the rear passenger’s side sliding door from the outside to latch the sliding door properly. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that it was unrelated to the recall repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 27, 2026Structure, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 11753013
“Vehicle: 2022 Kia Carnival Component: Liftgate — right-side support/strut (shoulder) failure Safety Issue: The right-hand side trunk strut/support has completely broken, causing the liftgate to drop unexpectedly. The trunk will not stay open and can fall abruptly during use. This creates a significant safety hazard for adults and children standing underneath, and while loading/unloading cargo. There was no prior warning or misuse. The failure is structural and sudden. Resulting Risk: Risk of head/neck injury, especially for children or anyone attempting to open or hold the liftgate. The sudden drop makes the rear of the vehicle unsafe to use. Request: Investigation into whether this is a defect affecting other 2022 Kia Carnival vehicles.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 24, 2025Structure, Unknown or otherODI 11701168
“The Kia Carnival was parked a slight decline and when the button to close the passenger sliding door the door closed rapidly like a guillotine. Thankfully no children or body part were in the path of the door because it would have severely damaged them. After it closed rapidly the door was unable to be opened. The dealership is still working on the Carnival and it has been over 3 weeks and they said they have never seen anything like this since it tore off a bolt in the body frame and caused damage to the body frame and they were unable to open it. Still don't have a timeline for repair. Also concerned it may happen to the other side and the safety issues around it.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 22, 2025StructureODI 11682325
“The contact owns a 2022 Kia Carnival. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the driver's side windshield exterior A-Pillar trim flew off and struck the vehicle behind, almost causing a crash. The contact pulled over to the side of the road temporarily. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the vehicle was inspected. The dealer determined that the trim needed to be replaced; however, the repair was not covered under the bumper-to-bumper warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 22,023.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 2, 2025StructureODI 11664391

Showing 6 of 34 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Structure: roof and pillars

Free remedy

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles. The roof molding may loosen and detach.

StructureReported Jan 18, 2024NHTSA 24V025000

Structure: door

Free remedy

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.

StructureReported Mar 31, 2023NHTSA 23V236000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2022 Carnival problem areas