9 sliding door injuries. 141K Carnivals with a fuel pipe fire recall. 2022–2026 Kia Carnival recall issues? You may qualify for a CA lemon law buyback.
Families buy the Kia Carnival because it is a practical, comfortable minivan built around the people inside it. Two federal safety recalls tell a different story — one that has already injured nine people, and one that puts every 2022–2026 Carnival at risk of an underhood fuel fire. The first defect is one parents fear most. NHTSA recall 23V236 (Kia campaign SC266) covers 51,568 Carnival minivans from model years 2022 and 2023. The power sliding rear door was supposed to stop and reverse if it hit something — a child's hand, an arm, a stroller. Instead, the door's auto-reverse feature failed to activate in certain situations near the latch point, and the door kept closing with full force. Kia confirmed nine injuries before the recall was issued in April 2023: a broken arm, a fractured thumb, and seven additional trauma events. A class action lawsuit over these door failures was filed in 2024. The same sliding door system was also subject to an earlier recall — 21V908 (Kia SC221) — for a latch that could fail to close securely, allowing the door to open while the van is in motion. Two separate recalls on the same sliding door system in the same generation is a pattern, not a coincidence. The second defect is a fuel system time bomb. NHTSA recall 26V232 (Kia campaign SC368), issued in April 2026, covers 141,032 Carnival minivans spanning the entire production run — model years 2022 through 2026. A supplier (Usui International Korea) failed to torque the nuts securing the high-pressure crossover fuel pipe to specification during assembly. The nuts loosen over time, allowing pressurized fuel to escape near ignition sources in the engine bay. A fuel leak from a high-pressure line is a fire risk. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 2, 2026. If your Carnival has been back to the dealer for sliding door problems, or if you received a fuel pipe recall notice and are waiting for parts or a repair appointment, California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act may already give you grounds for a buyback. The law does not require a fire to happen or a child to be hurt. Impaired safe use of the vehicle — the ability to use your minivan without fear — is enough.
The issues owners report most, ranked by severity — each one verified against a cited NHTSA source.
Vehicle or parked minivan catches fire; fire originates at rear tow hitch area; electrical short in tow hitch module; owners advised to park outdoors away from structures
Fuel odor inside or outside vehicle; fuel leak visible under hood near engine; risk of engine-bay fire; vehicle may trigger fuel system warning
Rear power sliding door does not stop or reverse when it hits an object or person; door slams shut on hand, arm, or child; nine documented injuries including broken arm and fractured thumb
Passenger-side power sliding door will not latch closed; door can swing open while vehicle is in motion; door appears closed but is unsecured
Engine hesitates or goes into limp-home mode in cold temperatures; check engine light on with DTC P2118; hard starts after cold soak; reduced throttle response
Roof trim or molding strip separates from vehicle roof while driving; noise from roof trim before full detachment; molding found in road or parking lot
A settled Margarian Law case on this exact model, published with the actual settlement math.
Open any defect for the symptoms and why it matters for a California lemon-law claim. Each is tied to a cited NHTSA source.
Rear power sliding door does not stop or reverse when it hits an object or person; door slams shut on hand, arm, or child; nine documented injuries including broken arm and fractured thumb
Nine documented injuries; defect persisted through multiple use cycles before recall (Apr 2023); prior door-latch recall (21V908) on same system demonstrates pattern of sliding-door system failures; high repair-attempt potential
Dealer reprograms power sliding door control module with updated software; door now chimes and slows as it approaches closed position
Passenger-side power sliding door will not latch closed; door can swing open while vehicle is in motion; door appears closed but is unsecured
Door-open-while-driving is a high-severity safety defect; combined with iss-01, establishes a pattern of power sliding door system failures across consecutive model years — supports substantial-impairment argument
Dealer replaces passenger-side power sliding door release actuator drum and holder (remote controller assembly)
Vehicle or parked minivan catches fire; fire originates at rear tow hitch area; electrical short in tow hitch module; owners advised to park outdoors away from structures
Fire-risk recall advising parking outside constitutes substantial safety impairment; affects vehicles used for towing — common Carnival use case; catastrophic consequence if fire occurs
Dealer installs new fuse and wire extension kit; if no hitch installed, no action needed
Fuel odor inside or outside vehicle; fuel leak visible under hood near engine; risk of engine-bay fire; vehicle may trigger fuel system warning
Affects entire 2022-2026 production run; 141,032 units — the broadest Carnival recall; fire risk at fuel system substantially impairs use and safety; lemon-law claims possible for repeat repair attempts or extended grounding
Dealer inspects crossover fuel pipe; if leak found, replaces pipe; if no leak, re-torques nuts to correct specification
Engine hesitates or goes into limp-home mode in cold temperatures; check engine light on with DTC P2118; hard starts after cold soak; reduced throttle response
Drivability impairment in cold climates; multiple NHTSA forum complaints confirm real-world occurrence; repeat dealer visits for same DTC P2118 before SA514 was broadly applied support non-conformity argument
Dealer applies ECM software update (Service Action SA514) via KDS ECU Upgrade; no hardware replacement required
Roof trim or molding strip separates from vehicle roof while driving; noise from roof trim before full detachment; molding found in road or parking lot
Detaching body panels at highway speed create road hazard; recall covers majority of production run (2022-2024); if molding detaches recurrently after repair, supports substantial-nonconformity argument
Dealer inspects and repairs or replaces roof molding at no cost
Vehicle will not start after sitting a few days; battery dead on brand-new vehicle; requires frequent jump-starts; battery warning light; electrical accessories behave erratically after battery event
61 NHTSA electrical complaints for 2025 MY; dead-battery-on-new-vehicle meets substantial-impairment threshold; CCU drain affects both ICE and HEV variant — broad production batch failure
Dealer performs CCU logic update (Service Action SA593) via software download
Second-row seat may not stay anchored in a crash event; seat rail mounting points lack adequate reinforcement; potential for seat to come loose under crash forces
Seat-rail integrity is a crashworthiness concern; campaign scope (2022-2024) covers bulk of affected fleet; repeat visits (initial plates + bolt replacement) may support repair-attempt count in lemon-law context
Dealer installs steel reinforcement plates on second-row seat outer rails; follow-up campaign replaced mounting bolts with improved versions
open
High-pressure crossover fuel pipe nuts may not have been torqued to specification by supplier (Usui International Korea); nuts can loosen over time allowing fuel to escape
closed
Power sliding rear door auto-reverse feature may not activate in all situations when the door is obstructed; door may close with excessive force on a person or object
closed
Remote controller assembly for passenger-side power sliding door may malfunction, preventing door from securely latching; latch may become stuck in open position
closed
Assembly jig for MPI fuel rail improperly adjusted at supplier during production; plastic fuel rail tube may have been damaged during manufacturing
closed
PCB in trailer tow hitch harness module susceptible to water inflow through wiring connector; water accumulation causes electrical short circuit
closed
Roof molding may loosen and detach due to defective or improperly installed retaining clips and sealer
Every item below comes from this vehicle's documented defects. The more you recognize, the more a free case review is worth your time.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act gives you rights when a defect substantially impairs your vehicle's use, value, or safety — and both the sliding door injury recall and the fuel pipe fire recall clear that bar clearly. California law creates a rebuttable presumption that a vehicle is a lemon if, within the applicable warranty period, the manufacturer or its dealer has made: two or more repair attempts on a defect that is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury (a fuel system fire risk or a door that injures occupants qualifies), OR four or more repair attempts on any substantial defect, OR the vehicle has been out of service for a cumulative total of 30 or more days for repairs — including time waiting for recall parts. If your Carnival qualifies, you may be entitled to a full repurchase — the price you paid, including taxes, registration, and finance charges, minus a mileage offset for the miles you drove before the defect first appeared — or a replacement vehicle of comparable value. The manufacturer is also responsible for your attorney's fees if you prevail, which is why many California lemon law cases cost the owner nothing out of pocket. The above is general information only and is not legal advice. Every case depends on the specific facts, dates, and service records involved.
“Could not duplicate” doesn't mean the defect isn't real. Here's exactly what to do to protect a potential California lemon-law claim.
Document the moment it happens. Photos, video, and screenshots of any warning lights — with the date and the mileage.
Get a repair order every visit — even “found nothing.” That paperwork is the foundation of a claim.
Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Note any recall that has no available remedy yet.
Track your out-of-service days. California law counts the cumulative days your vehicle spends in the shop.
Keep loaner & rental records. Alternate-transport paperwork during long repairs matters.
Save everything in one place. Symptoms, dates, repair orders, and every repeat visit — the intermittent ones especially.
Power sliding door problems are intermittent by nature — the auto-reverse failure in recall 23V236 did not happen every cycle. Fuel system leaks can be small and inconsistent. Dealers sometimes close repair orders as 'unable to duplicate' (UTD) or 'no trouble found' (NTF) on both types of issues. Here is what to do: 1. For the sliding door: before your dealer visit, document the specific incident. Write down the date, which door (driver's side or passenger's side, front or rear), what happened (e.g., door struck a child's hand, door did not reverse), the speed the door was moving, and whether you heard a chime before impact. If a person was injured, note that clearly. Photograph any bruising, injury, or damage. 2. Ask about both sliding door recalls. Recall 23V236 (auto-reverse failure) and recall 21V908 (latch failure) are separate campaigns. Ask the dealer to verify both are closed on your VIN, not just the most recent one. If only one was addressed, the other may still be an open safety issue. 3. For the fuel pipe recall (26V232): ask the dealer to confirm in writing whether your VIN is included and whether the recall repair (inspection and re-torque or pipe replacement) has been completed. If parts are on back-order and your vehicle has not been repaired, document the wait time — out-of-service days count toward California's lemon law 30-day threshold. 4. Keep every repair order, even UTD ones. California's Song-Beverly Act treats a UTD visit as a repair attempt. The accumulation of attempts and days out of service is what triggers the lemon law presumption. 5. If the door continues to malfunction after the recall reprogramming (23V236 remedy), return immediately. A second failure after the software fix is a second repair attempt for the same defect — a key data point for a lemon law claim.
Nine people were hurt before Kia issued the sliding door recall. A fuel pipe recall covering every single Carnival ever sold in the United States is still open as of mid-2026. The same sliding door system on the Carnival was already recalled once before the auto-reverse failure recall came along. And a class action lawsuit was filed in 2024 alleging the door problems continued even after the recall remedy. If your Carnival has been back to the dealer for a sliding door that hurt someone, a fuel smell, or any related issue — and especially if more than one visit has been required — we encourage you to pull your service records and speak with a California lemon law attorney before your warranty window closes.
— The Margarian Law team
Has your Kia Carnival sliding door hurt someone, or have you received a notice about the fuel pipe fire recall? If your van has been back to the dealer more than once for these issues — or if you are still waiting for the fuel pipe repair — your service history may already support a California lemon law claim. The consultation is free. Find out if Kia owes you a buyback.
If you own a 2022 or 2023 Kia Carnival, your vehicle is almost certainly included in NHTSA recall 23V236 — Kia campaign SC266 — which covers 51,568 Carnival minivans. The recall was issued in April 2023 because the power sliding rear door's auto-reverse feature could fail to activate when the door was obstructed near its latch point. Kia confirmed nine injuries before the recall was announced, including a broken arm and a fractured thumb. The remedy is a software reprogramming of the power sliding door control module at your Kia dealer at no charge. You can confirm whether the recall has been completed on your specific VIN by entering it at nhtsa.gov.
Seek medical attention first, then document everything as soon as possible. Write down the exact date, time, mileage, and which door was involved. Photograph any injuries. Then take your Carnival to an authorized Kia dealer and ask specifically whether recall 23V236 has been completed on your VIN. If the auto-reverse recall repair was already done and the door still struck your child, that is a second repair attempt for the same defect — precisely the situation California lemon law is designed to address. Also ask the dealer to check whether recall 21V908 (the earlier sliding door latch recall on the same system) was completed. Two sliding door recalls on the same vehicle demonstrates a pattern of door system failures. Keep every repair order.
Yes. NHTSA recall 26V232 — Kia campaign SC368 — covers 141,032 Carnival minivans from model years 2022 through 2026, making it the broadest Carnival recall ever issued. The defect: a supplier failed to torque the nuts securing the high-pressure crossover fuel pipe to specification during assembly. The nuts can loosen over time, allowing pressurized fuel to escape near heat sources in the engine bay. NHTSA characterizes the leak as a fire risk. The recall was issued in April 2026 and owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 2, 2026. Kia estimates approximately 1% of the affected fleet has an active leak. The remedy is a dealer inspection and, if a leak is found, replacement of the fuel pipe; if no leak is found, the dealer re-torques the nuts to specification. The repair is free of charge. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov to confirm whether the recall is open on your vehicle.
A fuel odor inside or around the vehicle — especially under the hood or after the engine warms up — is one of the warning signs associated with the fuel pipe leak described in NHTSA recall 26V232. The recall explains that under-torqued fuel pipe nuts can loosen and allow high-pressure fuel to escape near heat sources in the engine bay. If you smell fuel strongly near the engine, do not start the vehicle. Move it away from any ignition sources and contact your dealer. Ask them to check the crossover fuel pipe and confirm whether recall 26V232 has been completed on your VIN. If the dealer inspects the vehicle and says they found nothing — but the smell returns — document that repair order and return. Each visit for the same symptom is a repair attempt that may support a California lemon law claim.
You may qualify for a buyback if either the sliding door recall or the fuel pipe fire recall — or any other substantial defect — required multiple repair attempts or left your Carnival out of service for a cumulative 30 or more days within the warranty period. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury (a fuel system fire risk or a door that injures occupants), the law can presume a lemon after just two repair attempts. A successful buyback means Kia pays back your purchase price — including taxes, fees, and finance charges — minus a mileage offset, and pays your attorney's fees. Many California owners pursue these claims at no out-of-pocket cost. The starting point is your service records: every recall notice, repair order, and UTD note from the dealer tells the story. The above is general information only and is not legal advice.
The Carnival has been subject to two separate sliding door recalls: recall 21V908 (Kia SC221, December 2021) for a door latch that could fail to close, allowing the door to open while driving; and recall 23V236 (Kia SC266, April 2023) for the auto-reverse failure that caused nine injuries. These are two distinct campaigns with different remedies — a dealer completing one does not automatically complete the other. The fastest way to check both is to enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov and look at the full list of open and closed recalls. If either appears as 'open,' schedule a dealer appointment specifically for that recall campaign. When you arrive, confirm in writing which campaigns the dealer is addressing that day. If one or both were completed and your door still malfunctions, document the symptom and return — each visit is a repair attempt under California lemon law.
Skip to content
