Kia Carnival door locks problems

Filed Oct 1, 2026 · Electrical · CT

the federal safety agency Vehicle Safety Complaint Vehicle: 2024 Kia Carnival Mileage at Failure: Approximately 74,000 miles Incident Date: [XXX] I am filing this complaint regarding a significant safety-related failure involving the power sliding door on my 2024 Kia Carnival. On [XXX], the driver side passenger power sliding door became completely inoperable due to a latch and actuator failure. Prior to service, the door was stuck in the closed position and could not be opened through normal operation. The vehicle was brought to Kia of Columbia, Connecticut, for evaluation. During diagnosis, the service technician was required to force the door open. Once opened, the door could no longer be closed. The dealership determined that the power sliding door motor actuator had failed and required replacement. When I arrived to pick up the vehicle on [XXX], the sliding door remained stuck in the open position and could not be latched or secured. Because the door could not be closed, the vehicle was not safe to operate on public roads and was effectively undrivable. The replacement actuator was ordered on September 21, 2026. The part did not arrive until September 29, 2026, and repairs could not be completed immediately upon arrival. The actuator was finally replaced and repairs completed on September 30, 2026. As a result, the vehicle remained unusable for approximately twelve days due to the inability to safely secure the sliding door. This failure presents multiple safety concerns: The vehicle could not be legally or safely driven because the sliding door would not close or latch. Occupants were exposed to an open side doorway if the vehicle were operated. In an emergency, passengers could be placed at risk due to door system malfunction. Failure of a critical door component rendered the vehicle unusable without warning. I am particularly concerned because Kia has previously recalled Carnival vehicles for safety defects involving power sliding door INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)

Filed Sep 23, 2026 · Fuel system · TX

Fuel door actuator is electrically tied to cabin door locks with no manual release and frequently fails to open after repeatedly cycling cabin door locks. Issue is not due to bad batteries or other vehicle related electrical faults. Manufacturer has confirmed defect is present in all Kia models from 2020 until now with no after warranty support.

Filed Mar 17, 2026 · Electrical · CA

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.

Filed Dec 16, 2025 · Electrical, Fuel system · MO

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.

Filed Aug 21, 2025 · IL

My [XXX] son locked himself and his [XXX] brother in the car today. The scenario which is repeatable is if the cars start button is pushed to turn on accessory power the key fob will no longer unlock the doors. My father had the key fob outside of the car, while my son scrambled up front and pushed both the start button on the car and the door lock button. Again at this point the key fob is outside the car and will not unlock the doors. The daycare had to call 911 because two children were locked inside the car. This is an unacceptable situation for a minivan. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I have not yet brought the vehicle to a dealer, there are no warning lights on the vehicle and the key fob is working and has power. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 12, 2024 · Electrical · PA

Sometimes my passenger side door will slam shut if I am parked on the hill and the sliding door lock is on, I have noticed that it only slams shut if that lock is on. If the lock is not on, it closes on its own without pressing the door close button on the door, on the driver side, or on the key fob.It will close quickly and not normal.

Filed Aug 10, 2024 · Driver assistance, Electrical · VA

On July 19, 2024, my 2025 Kia Carnival SXP experienced a significant battery drainage issue, rendering the vehicle inoperable. The cause is currently unknown, but it seems to involve a parasitic electrical draw that drained the battery while the car was parked and turned off. This issue occurred despite no prior warning or indication of battery problems. Compounding the situation, the door locks, including the mechanical lock, were disabled, preventing access to the vehicle. Kia roadside assistance sent a locksmith, who had to jump-start the vehicle to restore operation. After the jump-start, I received warnings that multiple systems were inoperable, including critical safety and driver assistance features such as the integrated braking system, motor-driven power steering, and tire pressure monitoring system. These failures raise serious concerns about the vehicle's reliability and safety, as it became inoperable and inaccessible without warning, potentially leaving drivers and passengers stranded in dangerous situations.

Filed Apr 14, 2024 · Body, Electrical · UT

In June 2023, I purchased a 2024 Kia Carnival with approx. 17 miles on it. One thing I noticed after purchasing the vehicle is when I pushed the button to close the power sliding door on the driver side of the vehicle is that halfway during closing it would hesitate, open back up slightly, and then proceed to close. I didn't think anything of it at the time. Prior to [XXX], I had the same issue again but this time the door stopped halfway while closed and just went back and forth over and over again. It did this continually until I turned off the power sliding door and manually closed it. On [XXX], I took the vehicle to a Kia dealership and explained the problem to them and they kept it for a day and stated there was nothing they could do because they could not replicate the problem. Kia wanted to charge me a $180 diagnostic fee which I refused to pay because I knew the problem existed and I had purchased a warranty through Kia which they stated they would not honor unless they found a problem. They advised me to video record the issue if it happened again. Prior to [XXX], the issue happened again only this time my 3 year old child was almost caught in the door, but my wife grabbed her and in doing so the door closed on my wife. After this incident, I was able to duplicate the issue two more times and was able to get it on recording. On [XXX], I took my vehicle to the same dealership and left it for a week. I provided them with my videos. During this time the issue also happened with the service rep and she also had two lube techs witness it, but this didn't satisfy them enough to say they could fix it. Eventually a tech worked on it and stated code "b15a200" showed as "pending" but they needed an "active" code in order to do any work on it. This code showed as "lh outside door handle switch short low". Kia again stated they couldn't work on it because the "tech" ever duplicated the problem. The problem has still persisted. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)

Filed Jul 25, 2022 · MI

I left the car while it was still running to check that my trailer lights were working. I had the key FOB in my pocket, but when I got to the car the doors were locked. I tried unlocking it with the key FOB but nothing would happen. My 2 year old son and 3 year old daughter were locked in the car! Luckily, my daughter was able to get to the door and open it from the inside. This should never be something that can happen. The door locking from the inside and the key not working, especially while it is running!

Filed Dec 6, 2021 · Locks · 500 miles · IL

The contact's husband owns a 2022 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rear passenger’s side sliding door would independently open while the vehicle was in motion. The door ajar warning message would illuminate on the instrument panel. Despite multiple attempts to close the door, the door would not latch, and the contact could not lock her vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they performed an ECU software update and lubricated the latches; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 500.