Not all automotive recalls are a cause for concern. Sometimes, the issue is as minor as an incorrect Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), as a handful of Lamborghini Centenario owners discovered back in 2018. Others are far more destructive, such as Chevy's ongoing issue with Bolt EV batteries that pose a major fire risk. Unfortunately, most parents would agree that Kia's latest recall for the 2022 Carnival falls into the second category. The impressive Carnival has now been recalled for an issue where the power sliding door could fly open while on the move. This is extremely dangerous in a vehicle likely to be carrying little ones at the back.

According to the NHTSA recall listing, the issue affects 2,956 Carnival units. "The remote controller assembly for the passenger-side power sliding door may malfunction, preventing the passenger-side sliding door from securely latching," said the summary notes regarding the problem.

Owner notification letters are only going to be sent out on December 16, but owners can also contact Kia customer service with the recall number SC221 to find out more. To address the defect, dealers will replace the sliding door release actuator's drum and holder, found inside the remote controller assembly, free of charge. Providing a little peace of mind is the fact that if the sliding door doesn't close properly, even when the Carnival is stationary, the door-ajar warning light and four audible alert chimes will let the driver know this is the case.

If the driver ignores these warnings and travels above 6 mph, another continuous alert chime will sound. It'll still be concerning to the typical owner of a minivan, though, and we'd advise parents to take extra care in strapping in their kids until their vehicles can visit the dealer - this is something all parents should be doing anyway.

The recall comes just as the 2022 Kia Carnival scooped the CarBuzz Family Fun award. This door issue aside, the Carnival is an incredible family vehicle and easily the coolest minivan on sale right now with its SUV-like styling. We do hope that the sliding door issue is remedied as soon as possible, though.