Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Carnival vehicles. The remote controller assembly for the passenger-side power sliding door may malfunction, preventing the passenger-side sliding door from securely latching.
Consequence
A power sliding door that fails to latch may open while moving, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the passenger-side power sliding door release actuator's drum and holder inside the remote controller assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC221.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Carnival vehicles. The plastic fuel rail tube may have been damaged.
Consequence
A damaged fuel rail tube may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the multi-port injection fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began April 30, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC211.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Campaign: 23V179000
TRAILER HITCHES
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Summary
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 result in a fire.
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 performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC265.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 23V236000
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
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Summary
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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 24V025000
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
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Summary
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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA Investigations
1 investigation
Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2022 Carnival.
INV-2022-1000🟢 Closed
NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Carnival performance issues.
Opened: Affected Units: 41,711
Consumer Complaints
100 total complaints
Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2022 Carnival.
Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis
Warning20%
Check Engine Light13%
Crack13%
Acceleration Issues11%
Injury7%
Accident5%
Stuck5%
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel door will not open, there is no manual override, vehicle cannot be refueled and since there is no emergency release it caused me to be stranded at a gas station at night with my 4 kids which is a huge safety concern and should be taken seriously as this is a safety and drivability issue that I should not be held responsible to pay for when it is at no fault to me it is a design/system failure.
Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The dealer is attempting to classify the torn rubber and pulled-out wiring as “non-recall wear and tear,” but the damage is a direct result of: a latch that sticks, a door that does not close smoothly, a malfunctioning power sliding mechanism, and the repeated force required to compensate for the defect. Under recall law, when an unresolved defect causes additional damage, the owner cannot be held financially responsible for the resulting deterioration. This is a mechanical consequence of a defect, not a cosmetic issue.
Body/Interior🔶 Medium
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
In October 23, 2025 I started to notice a fuel smell while I was driving the vehicle. The smell of fuel seemed more strong while I had the air conditioning running.I would shut off the AC and put the windows down. There was no leaks of fuel on the ground or close to the motor. No check engine light or messages was displayed on dash at anytime. My concern was that I’m constantly driving my small children in car seats to and from school, sports, and appointments the smell the fumes will cause headaches or worse car will catch fire were we would need to make a fast exit out the vehicle. So I made an appointment with Kia of Stockton and they scheduled me for 10/29/26 at 9:30am. Kia first diagnosis was undetermined and charged me another $315 just to keep diagnosing on top of there first fee of $315. Kia discovered after removing the foam that protects the fuel rail the leak was coming from fuel injectors and fuel rail. Fuel injector leaking where injector inserts into rail. Repair was needed due to failure of fuel rail housing not sealing properly. Kia also replaced associated components with the fuel rail clips, bolts, flanges, high pressure sensor, foam, and injector wire harness. According to Kia there tech found short in the injector harness.
Body/Interior🔵 Low
SEATS
Frame of drivers side seat broke in half. I weigh under. 200 pounds and am the primary driver of the car
Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I went to use my vehicle horn when another driver pulled out in front of me and the sound was way off...it sounded like a clown horn. I subsequently took to the Kia dealer where they diagnosed that one of the horns failed and it was replaced under an extended warranty with a deductible payment. The failure of the horn compromised my safety and the other driver's as the other driver may not have heard my warning that my vehicle was where it was. There was no warning that the horn failed until I went to use it.
Other⚠️ High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Left sliding door window (Drivers side) exploded while driving down the highway. Nobody was around us on a sunday afternoon at [XXX]. [XXX] We were on a flat road so no tension. There is no reason for it to have shattered (my daughter was sleeping laid back in the seat) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Body/Interior🔵 Low
STRUCTURE
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.
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Dealer says recall sc211 doesn’t apply to this vehicle, however CEL is displaying (once again) with DTC “P0191 Fuel Rail Pressure Sensor Range/Performance”. Kia dealer has does minimal investigation/diagnosis with no resolution.
Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
When traveling on the highway, the vehicle would not shift into a higher gear limiting the control of the vehicle to accelerate to the flow of traffic. The transmission would not shift for approximately 1/4 of a mile and was stuck at a max speed of ~35 mph and it would not accelerate. This loss of control almost caused an accident and put my family and self at extreme risk. Eventually the vehicle did finally shift gears allowing us to accelerate with the flow of traffic (60mph) This issue with a delay in shifting gears has intermittently happened on prior occasion when accelerating from a full stop, however, this was the first time it happened at an accelerated speed. The vehicle is not safe to operate and was towed to a service center; however, the issue is intermittent and not easily reproducible -- making it even more dangerous as you do not know when it will happen next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any recalls for the 2022 KIA Carnival?
Yes, the 2022 KIA Carnival has 5 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:ELECTRONIC LOCK/LATCH ACTUATOR, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL, TRAILER HITCHES.
Is the 2022 KIA Carnival safe to drive?
The 2022 KIA Carnival has 5 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.
Where can I check if my 2022 KIA Carnival has open recalls?
You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local KIA dealer.
🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions
Based on recall data, these components require verification:
1
Structure
Issue: increases occupant injury risk
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm structure recalls are complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all structure recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaigns:23V23600024V025000
2
Latches/locks/linkages
Issue: increases occupant injury risk
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm latches/locks/linkages recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all latches/locks/linkages recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaign:21V908000
3
Fuel system, gasoline
Issue: presents fire risk under certain conditions
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm fuel system, gasoline recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all fuel system, gasoline recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaign:21V277000
💡Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your KIA dealer to verify recall completion status.
🧭What This Means for You
Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.
If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.
🔑
If You Own This Vehicle
Verify all 5 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your KIA dealer.
If any recalls are open, schedule service immediately—recall repairs are always free.
Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
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If You're Buying Used
Request full service history and documentation of all recall completions.
Consider whether adjacent model years (2021 or 2023) show better safety metrics.
Budget for thorough pre-purchase inspection focusing on known problem areas.