New-gen Kia Carnival recalled due to the power sliding doors closing too fast

South Korean auto giant Kia has issued a voluntary recall in the US for the new-generation Carnival premium MPV in the US for a potential issue with the power sliding doors (PSD). According to the document filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the power sliding doors may be closing too fast with the customers unaware of the doors being closed. This has led to “several injuries" as per the document.

The voluntary recall involves 51,568 examples of the new-generation Kia Carnival that were manufactured in 2022, and up to February 22, 2023. The document suggests that the doors may not work as customers expect and the injuries are occurring because the door didn’t detect an obstruction while closing and latching.

The Kia KA4 previewed the fourth-generation Carnival MPV at the 2023 Auto Expo

Kia began its investigation into the issue in mid-2021 and hired third-party engineering firms to perform tests. The company says that while there’s no issue in the PSD’s auto-reversing operation, customers simply aren’t aware that the powered doors are closing. In order to amend the same, the automaker will be adding two warning chimes when the doors are closing. Additionally, the speed of the powered doors will be slowed down as it nears the latching points. This should give more time for the occupants to move their hands out of harm’s way. The update will be added via a software patch on the affected models.

The documentation states that the investigation found at least nine reported injuries due to the issue including cuts, bruises, scrapes, one fractured thumb and a broken arm. Kia will begin the updation process from April 28 onwards in the US. The software update will be made free of charge to customers. Additionally, the new-gen Carnival customers can also reach out to their respective dealerships to expedite the recall.

The recall remains specific to the US at the moment but Kia could implement the update to the newly produced Carnival across other markets too. The new-generation Kia Carnival was showcased in India at the 2023 Auto Expo, sparking rumours of the model arriving soon. While Kia India has been tight-lipped about its arrival, the mammoth-sized premium MPV would be packed to the gills with comfort and luxury, while also commanding a higher price tag.