2024 KIA CARNIVAL Complaints

I purchased this 2024 Kia Carnival on 2/7/2026 with less than 10K miles. The vehicle has died while I was driving 4 different times. Twice each day that it happened. The first time was on 4/7/26. My car died on the way home from getting my kids from school after fixing a flat tire. The check engine light came on after getting a jump and when I took it to Auto Zone the battery was fully charged and the codes were for the Power Train, which didn't make sense for a brand new car. Miracle Mart told me that Kia needed to be utilized for any issues because I purchased the vehicle as is. Their solution was to tighten the "loose cables". On 4/25/26 the car died again two more times. Something is terribly wrong with this car.

The fuel pipe in my 2024 Kia Carnival has been identified by Kia as part of Safety Recall SC368 due to a fire risk. The component is available for inspection at the dealership where the vehicle is currently located. My safety and the safety of my family — including young children in car seats — was put at risk because the vehicle carries a known fire hazard related to the fuel pipe, yet no remedy is available until June 2026 at the earliest, according to Kia Customer Care. Kia confirmed the recall and the fire risk but has not provided adequate alternative transportation, leaving a family with young children without a safe vehicle for an extended period. The problem has been confirmed by Kia Customer Care, who verified that my vehicle is included in recall SC368. The dealership also confirmed the recall exists but stated the remedy is not yet available. However, when I contacted NHTSA by phone to file a complaint, the representative stated they could not find my vehicle in their recall database, directly contradicting Kia's confirmation. This discrepancy between Kia's internal records and NHTSA's database is concerning and may prevent other affected owners from being aware of the safety risk. The vehicle has been surrendered to the dealership via tow due to the fire risk. It has not yet been inspected or diagnosed by the dealership service department. I have requested written confirmation that the vehicle is safe to drive before accepting it back. I was notified via a CARFAX alert and the risk was identified/confirmed by the manufacturer.

I reported a fuel smell in the cabin of my vehicle in June 2024. It was dismissed because they could not recreate the smell. I reported it again and they said that is just how the vehicle purges fuel. I reported it again and drove it right to the dealer when it smelled and multiple mechanics at KIA confirmed they smelled it. Reported it again in September 2024, then tried to deal with it, and reported it again in June and July 2025. In July they confirmed I had raw fuel in my evaporator canister. I also had misfire notifications on my dashboard which were dismissed as they could not determine where the misfire was coming from. The misfire stopped after they replaced my fuel canister but the smell never fully went away. I received an email follow up in July 2025 and I reported the smell was not as strong, but still occurring intermittently. They closed the case. I reported and had 2 open cases with KIA, and noted that I was feeling lightheaded and nauseous, as well as 2 of my 3 kids at the time.

My Kia vehicle has an ongoing engine oil leak that has not been properly repaired under warranty. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Kia dealership for diagnosis and repair of the oil leak. I was informed by the dealership that Kia engineers indicated that in similar situations the typical resolution is engine replacement. However, in my case, the dealership was instructed to attempt sealing the oil pan instead of replacing the engine. I was advised that if this repair did not resolve the issue, I could bring the vehicle back for further service. Unfortunately, the oil warning light has now returned on the dashboard, indicating the issue persists and the repair attempt was not successful. An unresolved engine oil leak presents a serious safety concern because loss of engine oil can lead to engine damage, stalling, or failure while driving. This creates a risk of unsafe driving conditions, especially when transporting passengers. My family relies on this vehicle for daily transportation, and the continued presence of the warning light makes the vehicle unreliable and concerning from a safety standpoint. In addition, the dealership has not provided a suitable loaner or rental vehicle large enough to accommodate my family while the vehicle is undergoing repair. This has created significant hardship as we do not currently have reliable transportation. The manufacturer should correct this defect properly and ensure the vehicle is safe to operate rather than attempt temporary or experimental repairs that do not resolve the root cause. The persistence of the oil leak after warranty repair raises concerns about the reliability and safety of the engine. I am submitting this complaint to document a potential engine defect that may pose a safety risk if engine oil loss leads to engine failure while the vehicle is in operation.

"Continuous engine oil leak for 12 months. After 4 failed repair attempts, the dealer used liquid sealer instead of a gasket. This is a deceptive repair that creates a severe fire hazard. The leak is still active today, March 2026."

The horn stops working when it’s cold and the horn installed does not match the amperage need for the vehicle. It has failed multiple times. I rarely use my horn. It failed for the first time around 20,000 miles. Separately, I have an oil leak that is also covered under warranty. This car has been serviced countless times and it has been in the shop for three weeks.

Driver side passenger back sliding door will not open or close properly. Door will jam and make a loud noise or will not open when trying to open. Took it the dealership 4 times they replaced the motor but the issue continues.

Horn stops working and needs to be replaced within a year or less. I reported the first time my horn stopped working and it took 4 months until I can have an appointment and order the part. The second time it stopped working was within a year and scheduling an appointment was difficult. I was almost in an accident and unable to use to both to alert the other driver.

Horns (high and low) have been replaced 5 times under a warranty. This is a serious safety hazard. Vehicle: Kia Carnival (Model Years 2022–2024) Issue: Repeated horn failure / electrical malfunction Owners of 2022–2024 Kia Carnival vehicles are experiencing repeated horn failures that present a safety concern. Reported symptoms include complete loss of horn function, intermittent operation, delayed response, and in some cases random horn or alarm activation without driver input. When the failure occurs, both the high-pitch and low-pitch horns are often found to be inoperative. Many owners report that dealerships replace both horns, sometimes multiple times, with some vehicles requiring second or third replacements. Kia has acknowledged this issue through a Technical Service Bulletin (ELE-263), which instructs dealers to replace both horns when one fails; however, the bulletin does not identify a permanent root cause or corrective design change. As a result, the issue frequently recurs after replacement. A non-functional or intermittent horn significantly reduces the driver’s ability to warn other road users and avoid collisions, creating a clear safety risk. Given the recurring nature of the failure across multiple model years, this appears to be a systemic defect rather than isolated component wear.

Due to cables being lined in soy in attracts rodents which cause damage to the car. Multiple electric malfunctions from power lift gate to automatic windows. It is a known issue and is very common.