Problems · NHTSA complaints

2024 Kia Carnival problems

Owners filed 75 complaints about the 2024 Kia Carnival with NHTSA between Jun 2023 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (17).

Complaints
75
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system17
  2. Engine8
  3. Steering7
  4. Fuel/propulsion system6
  5. Seats6
  6. Structure6
  7. Service brakes3
  8. Visibility/wiper3
  9. Vehicle speed control2
  10. Power train2
  11. Seat belts2
  12. Air bags2
  13. Lane departure1
  14. Latches/locks/linkages1

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
202310
202424
202516
202625

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

17 reports
“NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint Vehicle: 2024 Kia Carnival Mileage at Failure: Approximately 74,000 miles Incident Date: [XXX] I am filing this complaint regarding a significant safety-related failure involving the power sliding door on my 2024 Kia Carnival. On [XXX], the driver side passenger power sliding door became completely inoperable due to a latch and actuator failure. Prior to service, the door was stuck in the closed position and could not be opened through normal operation. The vehicle was brought to Kia of Columbia, Connecticut, for evaluation. During diagnosis, the service technician was required to force the door open. Once opened, the door could no longer be closed. The dealership determined that the power sliding door motor actuator had failed and required replacement. When I arrived to pick up the vehicle on [XXX], the sliding door remained stuck in the open position and could not be latched or secured. Because the door could not be closed, the vehicle was not safe to operate on public roads and was effectively undrivable. The replacement actuator was ordered on September 21, 2026. The part did not arrive until September 29, 2026, and repairs…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 1, 2026Electrical systemODI 11768250

Engine

8 reports
“The contact owns a 2024 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle jerked violently and experienced a loss of motive power, with reduced power. Several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the warning lights were no longer illuminated. The contact continued to drive the vehicle, and the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was awaiting diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,320.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 15, 2026EngineODI 11764470

Steering

7 reports1 crash
“Out of nowhere, we started our vehicle that was no more than a year old, and all of the emergency alert indicators on the dash came on. All of the warning lights in the dash. The power steering went out and would go from very stiff to very loose. the car would shutter and then drive normal for a few min and then slow way down without warning. Again, all dash warning lights and alarms would go off. This first appeared on [XXX], we took to the Kia service on Nov. 17, 2025, and it was been in the shop with no repair since that day and todays date is Jan, 12, 2026. As of today they still do not know what is wrong with the vehicle and have no end in sight.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 12, 2026Steering, Electrical system, EngineODI 11710508

Fuel/propulsion system

6 reports
“My 2024 Kia Carnival smells strongly like gasoline after about 15–20 minutes of driving. The smell gets worse at idle, worse the longer I drive, and seems even stronger with the A/C on. Two dealerships in Las Vegas have told me this is “normal.” Meanwhile, I can’t park it in my garage because the smell fills my house. I’ve had headaches and nausea, and my kids have complained of headaches and stomach aches too.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 10, 2026Unknown or other, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11763500

Seats

6 reports
“On 11/12, my 2024 Kia Carnival was parked as my children were getting settled in the vehicle. My son lifted the second-row passenger seat on the passenger side using the handle provided to access the third row. As he did so, the seatback suddenly collapsed forward with unexpected speed and force and locked in the forward position. Nothing broke, and the mechanism did not appear to jam. The seat moved along its normal path, but it did so so aggressively that it crushed my [XXX] daughter’s left leg while she was strapped into her car seat directly next to it. She was asleep, the car was not moving, and the seat feature was being used in a normal way to access the third row. The force of the collapsing seat fractured her left tibia, confirmed by X-ray. She is currently in a medical boot and under a doctor’s care. This vehicle has no accident history and no modifications. We have multiple witnesses (myself and our children), photos of the injury, and a video that shows how fast and forcefully the seat folds. This presents a serious safety risk in a family vehicle where children commonly sit behind folding second-row seats. A seat access mechanism should not be…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 10, 2025SeatsODI 11704247

Structure

6 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2024 Kia Carnival. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V025000 (Structure). The contact stated that the driver's side roof molding was detaching, and the contact attempted to secure the molding in place several times. The dealer was contacted to schedule an appointment for the recall repair, but the dealer informed the contact that the recall repair had already been performed while the vehicle was at the dealer for an unrelated service, a month prior. The contact stated that the dealer had failed to perform the recall repair correctly because the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed; however, no assistance was provided. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 23, 2025StructureODI 11689092
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

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