AI Damage2025 KIA Carnival: common problems
Owners of the 2025 KIA Carnival filed 126 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. The maker issued 48 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 126
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 48
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 67% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 12% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 6% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 4% of all complaints
- 6 Seats 3% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 3% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 3% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 84 complaints (67% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 19.
- Engine: 15 complaints (12% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 8.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 8 complaints (6% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Powertrain: 5 complaints (4% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
- Exterior lighting: 5 complaints (4% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 1.6 L · hybrid · turbo · 4 cyl
- automatic, 8-speed
- dual-clutch (DCT), 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 126 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 84 | 0 | 19 |
| Engine | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 0 | 7 |
| Powertrain | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 4 | 0 | 10 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 7 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
"UPDATE TO EXISTING COMPLAINT NHTSA ID 11747231 LCD CENTER DISPLAY / BACKUP CAMERA FAILURE UPDATE TO NHTSA COMPLAINT ID 11747231 I am submitting an update regarding the same unresolved safety defect reported in NHTSA Complaint ID 11747231 involving my 2025 Kia Carnival SX.
The contact's minor children were unable to ride in the vehicle due to the odor. Several dealers were contacted and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was contacted by the dealer and made aware of the failure.
Prior to the failure, there was an unusual tire noise, followed by a much louder noise and the smell of burning rubber as the tire came apart. There were no known tire-pressure warnings or other warning messages before the failure.
The driver was able to pull over and became aware that the scooter was in the left bound lane. Other vehicles had to swerve to avoid a crash. Another driver was able to assist with securing the scooter on the vehicle.
There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted and driven back to the residence. The following day, the vehicle shut off again and was restarted after several attempts.
Fuel evap canister leak was suspected due to very strong gas smell inside vehicle. Dealership had to change out entire fuel tank to deal with whatever was leaking. Got the car back, and the next day, the smell was back. Dealership told us not to worry about the smell, that it was normal.
The contact stated that while parked in a bank drive-thru, the contact's son mentioned that his seat belt was stuck. The contact parked the vehicle in a parking spot and attempted to remove the seat belt; however, the seat belt retracted tightly around his abdomen as the lower half of his body was turning blue,…
The manufacturer was contacted and provided a replacement chest clip. The manufacturer stated that the chest clip operated as designed and was designed to come apart. The contact was concerned that the replacement chest clip was defective, and in the event of crash the car seat would not perform as intended.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 486 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Carnival has 65 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 126, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- IMPORTANT REMINDER
OWNER NOTIFICATION: CARNIVAL POWER SLIDING DOOR FEATURE (KA4PSD2 FLIGHT#105) - This document is the owner notification advising Kia's ongoing commitment to providing vehicle owners with a superior ownership experience…
- RELEASE NOTES
OVER-THE-AIR: SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR DATA CONNECTIVITY (ELE413 Revision 2) - This Over-the-Air (OTA) software update is designed to update the Data Connectivity Unit (DCU) logic of certain 2025 - 2026MY Carnival, EV9, K5…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: 2ND ROW SEAT (LH & RH) FOLDING TENSION SPRING REPLACEMENT (PI2602) - This bulletin provides information to enhance the second-row seatback recliner mechanism to dampen the motion of the…
- PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN
QUESTION AND ANSWER (PI2602) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Product Improvement Campaign PI2602.
- PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN
OWNER NOTIFICATION (PI2602) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign on certain 2022-2026 MY Carnival and certain 2025-2026 MY Carnival Hybrid (HEV)…
- PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN
DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO (PI2602) - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service managers advising that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign to enhance the second-row…
- PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN
DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (PI2602) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign to enhance the second-row seatback recliner mechanism to dampen…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater…
- RELEASE NOTES
OVER-THE-AIR: SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR DATA CONNECTIVITY (ELE413 Revision 1) - This Over-the-Air (OTA) software update is designed to update the Data Connectivity Unit (DCU) logic of certain 2025 - 2026MY Carnival, 2025…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
INFOTAINMENT SOFTWARE UPDATE PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides information on the process for downloading infotainment software updates and preparing USB for installation on applicable Kia vehicles. The software…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OIL LEVEL PLUG (OLP) INSPECTION, AND OLP GASKET AND/OR ATF FILLER BOLT REPLACEMENT OR A/T REPLACEMENT (SC363) - This bulletin provides information to inspect the oil level plug and automatic…
- VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN
QUESTION AND ANSWER (SC363) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Service Campaign SC363.
NHTSA lists 48 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2025 KIA Carnival?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 126. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: battery drain (27%), warning lights, check engine (13%), infotainment or screen glitches (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2025 KIA Carnival?
NHTSA lists 48 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2025 KIA Carnival from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2025 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.