- Safety
- —
- not rated
- Recalls
- 4
- on record
- MPG
- 22
- combined
Open recalls on record
4 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2023 Kia Carnival
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Owner complaints
- 47
- Complaints citing a crash
- 1
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
4 Recalls on Record
1 of these is high-severity. Contact a dealer to verify these have been completed.
Safety recalls
4 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 23V179000high
Trailer hitches
TRAILER HITCHES
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 23V236000high
Door latch may not engage
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 24V025000high
Body/structure issue
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 26V232000high
Fuel system issue
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Carnival vehicles. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the fuel pipe and fuel rail.
Consequence
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC368. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 24, 2026.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NHTSA holds no crash-test rating for this model year.
Not every model year is tested. A missing rating is not a poor rating.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2023 Kia Carnival, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
19
City
26
Hwy
22
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,800
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 408 g/mi
How this compares
At 22 MPG combined, the 2023 Kia Carnival ranks 1st of 4 minivan -s (2WD) EPA rated for 2023 — exactly the 22 MPG median for that group.
That places it among the thirstiest vehicles in its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,800, within $0 of the $2,800 typical for the class — roughly $14,000 over five years.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 408 grams per mile — about 6.1 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
47 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 47
- Total
- 1
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 7
- Injuries
Most reported components
- OTHER18
- STRUCTURE11
- ENGINE5
- ELECTRICAL5
- FUEL SYSTEM2
Notable Issues
47 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 7 reports involve injuries. 1 report involves a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2023 Kia Carnival, newest first.
- Recall
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
- Recall
A detached roof molding can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A power sliding door that does not auto-reverse can close on an occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
- Recall
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Minivan - 2WD
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 3.5L 6-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (S8)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
19
City
26
Hwy
22
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,800
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
Explore related
Compare with
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
- Recall
A detached roof molding can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A power sliding door that does not auto-reverse can close on an occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
- Recall
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.