The 2022 Kia Carnival is sold in the U.S. as a gas minivan. The most efficient version, the Carnival, is EPA-rated at 22 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 136 complaints, most often about the structure. Manufacturer pricing runs from $32,300 to $46,300 across 4 trims.
MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.
Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
Configuration
Powertrain
Drive
Engine / motor
City
Hwy
Comb
Annual fuel*
Carnival
Gas
FWD
3.5L 6-cyl
19
26
22
$3,050
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43702.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates
Configuration
Smog rating
Emission standard
Where it can be sold new
SmartWay
Carnival
5 / 10
California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70
All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards
—
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
The 2022 Kia Carnival is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
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Recalls (6)
Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high
Fuel System, Gasoline
SC368
141,032 vehicles39% reported repaired
ProblemKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Carnival vehicles.Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the fuel pipe and fuel rail.RiskA fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.FixDealers 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.
ProblemKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival vehicles.The roof molding may loosen and detach.RiskA detached roof molding can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.FixDealers 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.
ProblemKia 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.RiskA power sliding door that does not auto-reverse can close on an occupant, increasing the risk of injury.FixDealers 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.
ProblemKia 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.RiskA fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.FixOwners 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.
ProblemKia 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.RiskA power sliding door that fails to latch may open while moving, increasing the risk of injury.FixDealers 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.
ProblemKia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Carnival vehicles.The plastic fuel rail tube may have been damaged.RiskA damaged fuel rail tube may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.FixKia 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.
These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
NHTSA defect investigations
Structure:Body:Door — Power Sliding Door Auto Reverse Failure closed
On April 10, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) after receiving 5 consumer complaints alleging the Power Sliding Doors (PSD) auto-reverse function failed to work properly in the model year (MY) 2022 Kia Carnival minivan vehicles. At that time, ODI was aware of 3 complaints alleging injuries to consumer?s arm, hand or shoulder caused by the closing PSD. Additionally, consumers alleged being trapped against the closing door while it was traversing in the closing direction. The initial complaints also alleged excessive force is needed to reverse the direction of the closing door. At this time, ODI is aware of 26 complaints and 11 injuries on
Whether any of this applies to one specific Carnival
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2022 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Kia publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2022 Kia Carnival, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
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Parts & accessories for the 2022 Kia Carnival
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
Car will not accelerate. Error code P211800. Engine control system. Throttle control. Temp outside was 19degrees F. Check engine light is on
Vehicle Speed ControlMar 14, 2022NHTSA owner report · ODI 11456566
I was tboned on 3/10/2022 at high speed in the back driver's side 1/3 of the car by another who ran stop sign at high speed (I am guessing 50 or 60 mph). I have some amnesia about the impact now....but with large hematoma on left side of my head & concussion, my head must have hit the left side body/frame of the vehicle without the…
Air BagsMar 12, 2022NHTSA owner report · ODI 11456403
The contact owns 2022 Kia Carnival LX. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the engine misfired, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. In addition, the vehicle would shudder when warming up. The vehicle was driven to local repair and diagnosed several times with the same failure, but not repaired.
My passenger doors do not appear to have a sensor and do not stop when someone or something is in the way. Could be very dangerous. My arm almost got stuck in it. Had it been a child, they may not have had the reflexes to get out in time. Also. If the door is accidentally opened when pumping gas, will it stop? Likely not
StructureFeb 8, 2022NHTSA owner report · ODI 11450964
The throttle body froze up and the Van went into "limp mode". I was driving on a semi-busy road and I could not go above 10mph. It would not let me shift either. Like it was not getting any gas to let me accelerate. The check engine light was on, I used a scan reader and the code came as P2118.
EngineJan 22, 2022NHTSA owner report · ODI 11448472
Bought brand new 2022 Kia carnival first family road trip something very small broke front windshield causing visibility issues. Waited 49 days for windshield components to come in. Took a second family trip on the way home passenger quarter side glass popped and shattered.
Visibility/WiperOct 15, 2021NHTSA owner report · ODI 11436937
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by Kia itself: 16 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 19 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 51 per 100,000 built. Every Carnival model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
When owners reported it
Reported at3k
miles, typically
Half the 16 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 1,000 and 20,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.
Too few readings for a curve — the 16 on file: 10 under 10k, 1 10k–20k, 2 20k–30k, 1 40k–50k, 2 80k–90k.
Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP
NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year
WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (WTY048) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage, to all owners, for repairs related to the horn assembly in certain 2022-2024 MY Carnival vehicles from 5 years / 60,000 miles to 10 years / 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, starting from the date the vehicle was first put
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. We would like to remind vehicle owners about the proper use of the power sliding door and its automatic stop and reversal feature in the Kia Carnival. The power
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 manual seatback angle adjustment during the operation on certain 2022-2026MY Carnival (KA4) produced from 1/4/2021 through 4/14/2026 and certain 2025-2026MY
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 available at update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for sup
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 downloads and USB preparation process is similar across all supported platforms; however, in‑vehicle installation procedures vary by head unit type.
PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: CCU FUSE OPEN AFTER WIRING HARNESS REPLACEMENT - This Pitstop provides information regarding a condition on 2022-2026MY Carnival (KA4 and KA4 HEV) vehicles in which the CCU 10A fuse may open and multiple warning lights may illuminate after replacement of the front dash wiring harness.
PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating distance based on the difference in signal transmission and reception times between the vehicle (ultrasonic sensor) and an object. The membrane
PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: FUEL FILLER DOOR ACTUATOR REPLACEMENT - This Pitstop provides information regarding the replacement of the fuel filler door actuator and wiring harness on 2022-2024MY Carnival (KA4) vehicles. When replacing a faulty fuel filler door actuator, ensure to order the corresponding replacement part number (shown below) for the applicable vehicle production date. Selecting
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
Diagnostic trouble codes on file
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints
Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.
Vehicle Speed Control
3 bulletins · 1 owner report
Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMV
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2022 Kia Carnival failed the emissions check on 1.6% of first inspections — close to the 1.7% for every 2022 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2022 vehicle: 1.4%).
New York inspections1.6%
failed emissions
969 initial inspections of 958 vehicles.
Measure
The 2022 Carnival
Every 2022 vehicle
Behind it
Failed the emissions check
1.6%
1.7%
967
Failed the safety inspection
2.1%
1.4%
969
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit
0.10%
0.18%
969
Miles driven a year
14,186
10,455
odometer at inspection
Average odometer
60,566
44,815
odometer at inspection
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2022 vehicle” is every 2022 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
Manufacturer pricing runs from $32,300 for the LX FWD to $46,300 for the SX Prestige FWD, across 4 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.
Does the 2022 Kia Carnival have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 6 recall campaigns for the 2022 Kia Carnival, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 23V179000, covering Trailer Hitches. There is an active park outside advisory — act on it before driving. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2022 Kia Carnival?
NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2022 Kia Carnival yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it D (60/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2022 Kia Carnival?
For the 2022 Kia Carnival, the best EPA combined figure is 22 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What do owners complain about on the 2022 Kia Carnival?
Owners have filed 136 complaints with NHTSA about the 2022 Kia Carnival, most often about unspecified, structure, electrical system. Of those, 4 involved a crash, 34 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2022 Kia Carnival?
The EPA smog rating for the 2022 Kia Carnival is 5 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2022 Kia Carnival?
The manufacturer has filed 96 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2022 Kia Carnival, most often covering electrical system, seats, structure. The most recent is dated 2026-08-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2022 Kia Carnival do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2022 Kia Carnival failed the emissions check on 1.6% of first inspections — close to the 1.7% for every 2022 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2022 vehicle: 1.4%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
Which 2022 Kia Carnival trim is the best value?
$14,000 separates the cheapest of the 4 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
Data
Held
Source
What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations
1 configurations
EPA certification records
Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates
1 configurations
EPA emission certificates
Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls
6
NHTSA recall campaigns
A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints
136
NHTSA complaint database
Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings
none
NHTSA NCAP
NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins
96
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations
1
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports
none
NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01
No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
none
NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns
We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment
4 trims
Manufacturer press kit
Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.
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