Recall Date: 4/10/2026
NHTSA ID: 26V232
MFr. Campaign Number: SC368
Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Affected Components: High-Pressure Cross-Over Fuel Pipe
Potential Number of Units Affected: ~141,032
Which Kia Carnival vehicles are affected?
This recall covers 2022–2026 model year Kia Carnival minivans produced between January 4, 2021, and November 20, 2025. All 2022–2024 model-year Carnivals are included. Certain 2025–2026 model year Carnivals are included based on engine production records, specifically, those equipped with engines produced before November 19, 2024.
Kia estimates approximately 1% of the 141,032 vehicles in the population carry the active defect, roughly 1,410 units.
The defect involves the high-pressure crossover fuel pipe, supplied by Usui International Korea Co., Ltd. Due to a suspected production deviation, the nuts securing this pipe may not have been torqued to specification during assembly. Over time, those under-torqued nuts can loosen, allowing fuel to escape from the high-pressure line. Kia corrected the torque specification on the engine production line on November 19, 2024, which is why vehicles with engines built after that date are excluded from the recall.
What drivers need to know
A fuel leak from a high-pressure line is a fire risk. In the presence of an ignition source, the engine, exhaust components, or any external spark, leaked fuel can ignite, increasing the risk of injury to occupants and bystanders. This is not a gradual-risk scenario; it’s a fire hazard that warrants prompt attention.
Drivers may notice a fuel smell before any visible leak is apparent. The check engine light may also illuminate. Either of those signs in a 2022–2026 Carnival is a signal to stop driving and contact a dealer. Neither warning is guaranteed; the pipe can loosen without producing an obvious odor before a more serious leak develops.
The remedy is an inspection followed by repair or replacement. Kia dealers will inspect the high-pressure crossover pipe for evidence of a fuel leak. If a leak is found, the pipe will be replaced with a new one. If no leak is present, the dealer will securely re-torque the pipe nuts to the corrected specification. There is no cost to the owner for either service. Kia will also reimburse owners who already paid for this repair out of pocket under its General Reimbursement Plan.
Dealers were notified on April 13, 2026. Owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed on June 2, 2026. VINs will be searchable on the NHTSA recall database beginning April 24, 2026. Owners can verify whether their vehicle is affected by visiting nhtsa.gov/recalls or contacting their local Kia dealer.
Kia recall background
The full investigation chronology was submitted to NHTSA as a separate attachment and is not detailed in the Part 573 report. What the report does confirm is that the root cause is a suspected production deviation, specifically, an insufficient torque specification for the cross-over pipe nuts during engine assembly. Kia identified and corrected the specification on November 19, 2024, but vehicles already in the field with under-torqued nuts remain at risk as those connections continue to loosen over time.
The recall scope reflects the complexity of the production correction. All 2022–2024 model-year Carnivals are included outright. For 2025–2026 model year vehicles, inclusion depends on the engine production date — vehicles equipped with engines built before the torque specification correction are in scope even if the vehicle itself was assembled later. That nuance means some recent-model-year Carnivals sitting in dealer inventory or recently purchased may be affected.
With 141,032 Carnivals in the population and owner letters not arriving until June 2, Kia dealers have a multi-week window before the phones start ringing. The Carnival is Kia’s flagship minivan and draws family buyers who tend to respond to safety recalls at high rates.
For a full view of Kia’s recall activity and other major OEM recalls, see BizzyCar’s most recent quarterly recall report.
Read the latest BizzyCar Quarterly Recall Report →
How BizzyCar can help
Owner letters don’t mail until June 2, which means Kia dealers have nearly seven weeks from dealer notification to reach affected customers before NHTSA’s letter arrives. For a recall with a fire risk at its core, proactive outreach isn’t just a service retention play — it’s the right call for customer safety.
BizzyCar’s Recall Outreach product identifies vehicles with open recalls in a dealer’s customer base and initiates automated two-way SMS outreach to schedule the inspection appointment. For Kia dealers carrying Carnival customers, that means getting owners in for their inspection before the inbound wave hits in June — and demonstrating proactive care on a recall that matters. Book a Demo.