NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 125 complaints against the 2022 Kia Carnival. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2022 Kia Carnival complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2022 Kia Carnival has generated 125 NHTSA complaints and has 5 active recalls. If your 2022 Kia Carnival has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Kia pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
The 2022 Kia Carnival has generated 23 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “I am submitting this complaint regarding the failure of the Kia Connect telematics system and the cessation of critical navigation support for my vehicle. Despite opening a formal support case with Kia (Ticket #25923650), the following issues remain unresolved: Loss of Trip History (Since January 2026): The Trip History feature within the Kia Connect suite has been completely non-functional since January 2026. This prevents the tracking of vehicle usage, mileage, and driving behavior data, which are core features of the paid subscription service. Failure of Connected Routing & Software Obsolescence: The “Connected Routing” feature is no longer operational. Kia support has stated this is due to the vehicle requiring a navigation update; however, Kia has ceased providing all navigation and software updates for this model as of April 2025. Safety Concern: The lack of software support and the failure of “Connected Routing” forces the vehicle to rely on navigation data that is nearly a year out of date. This creates a safety risk when the vehicle provides incorrect guidance on one-way streets, closed roads, or altered traffic patterns. Furthermore, the persistent failure of these telematics services raises serious concerns about the reliability of the vehicle’s emergency communication systems, such as Automatic Collision Notification and the SOS Emergency Assistance button, which utilize the same underlying cellular module and software framework. Corrective Action Requested: I am seeking a mandatory software update from Kia that restores full functionality to the Kia Connect suite (specifically Trip History and Connected Routing) or a final navigation map update to ensure the vehicle’s guidance systems remain safe and accurate for the remainder of the service’s lifecycle.” (NHTSA Complaint #11723950)
The 2022 Kia Carnival has generated 21 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “The Kia Carnival was parked a slight decline and when the button to close the passenger sliding door the door closed rapidly like a guillotine. Thankfully no children or body part were in the path of the door because it would have severely damaged them. After it closed rapidly the door was unable to be opened. The dealership is still working on the Carnival and it has been over 3 weeks and they said they have never seen anything like this since it tore off a bolt in the body frame and caused damage to the body frame and they were unable to open it. Still don’t have a timeline for repair. Also concerned it may happen to the other side and the safety issues around it.” (NHTSA Complaint #11682325)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2022 Kia Carnival include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 11 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The dealer is attempting to classify the torn rubber and pulled-out wiring as “non-recall wear and tear,” but the damage is a direct result of: a latc…”
The 2022 Kia Carnival has generated 8 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “My front windshield on my 2022 Kia Carnival has shattered in two places from a small hit. I have owned lots of cars and never had a windshield break in two places all the way across. There must be an issue or problem.” (NHTSA Complaint #11672647)
The 2022 Kia Carnival has generated 6 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “I have owned this 2022 Kia Carnival for about a year and half. Since owning this vehicle the front windshield glass has mysteriously gotten two separate cracks causing me to have to replace this glass twice. Initially when the cracks appear they are already 3-5 inches in length and continue to spread across the entire length of the glass without provocation. The glass seems to be pretty susceptible to these cracks because I have never owned a vehicle that this has occurred to so often and/or owned a vehicle where there would at least be a small crack that could be repaired without replacing the entire windshield.” (NHTSA Complaint #11489705)
The following 5 recalls have been issued for the 2022 Kia Carnival by the NHTSA or Kia. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:ELECTRONIC LOCK/LATCH ACTUATOR
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A power sliding door that fails to latch may open while moving, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers 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
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A damaged fuel rail tube may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia 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.
Component: TRAILER HITCHES
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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. R
Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A power sliding door that does not auto-reverse can close on an occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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.
Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A detached roof molding can create a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2022 Kia Carnival:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Kia to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Kia must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2022 Kia Carnival qualifies as a lemon under California law, Kia may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Kia a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Kia dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Kia pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Kia a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Kia is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2022 Kia Carnival has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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