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Kia trim, sliding doors and headliner recalls: what should you do?
Kia's structure recalls are the least dangerous group, and they cluster around two themes. Three are exterior trim that can come loose and fly off: roof molding on 2023-2024 Sportage and 2022-2024 Carnival, rear window C-pillar trim on 2023-2025 K5, and door belt molding that delaminates on 2023-2025 Telluride. Two are the power sliding doors on Kia's minivans — the 2015-2018 Sedona and the 2022-2023 Carnival — where the auto-reverse feature may not activate when something blocks the door. The odd one out is the 2024 EV9, whose headliner does not absorb impact well enough to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 201. The Carnival appears twice.
Warning signs to watch for
- A power sliding door that keeps closing on an arm, bag or child instead of reversing
- Roof molding, rear window trim or door belt molding that looks lifted, loose or already missing
- Trim that is peeling or separating — the Telluride belt molding delaminates before it detaches
- The 2024 EV9 headliner shortfall gives no sign you can see or feel; it only matters in a crash
Is it safe to keep driving?
None of these six carries a stop-driving or park-outside instruction, and Kia describes the vehicles as safe to keep driving. The two sliding door recalls are not a driving hazard at all; the risk is a pinching or crushing injury, so watch the doorway — especially with children — until the software is updated. The three trim recalls put other drivers at risk if a piece detaches on the road, not the people inside. The 2024 EV9 headliner matters only in a crash. Still, book all of them promptly.
What the free repair involves
Everything is free. The two minivan door recalls are software: dealers reprogram the power sliding door module on the Sedona and update the door control module on the Carnival, at the dealership rather than over the air. The trim recalls are inspections — roof molding, K5 C-pillar trim and Telluride belt molding are replaced or secured as needed. EV9s get new impact-absorbing plates on the headliner.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| medium | 4 |
| low | 2 |
Models affected most
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-28 | Kia K5 rear window trim may loosen and detach | low |
| 2025-07-28 | Kia Telluride door belt molding trim may detach | low |
| 2024-06-04 | Kia EV9 roof headliner offers too little crash protection | medium |
| 2024-01-18 | Kia Sportage and Carnival Roof Trim May Fall Off | medium |
| 2023-03-31 | Kia Carnival power sliding doors may not auto-reverse | medium |
| 2018-05-23 | Kia Sedona power sliding door may not auto-reverse | medium |
Common questions
Is the sliding door problem dangerous to drive with?
No. Kia's notices say the van is safe to drive; the hazard is someone being pinched or crushed because the auto-reverse feature may not activate when the door's closing is obstructed. Keep watching the doorway until the module software is reprogrammed.
My trim has not fallen off — is the recall still worth doing?
Yes. Dealers inspect and only replace or secure the parts that need it, free of charge. Molding that detaches at speed becomes a road hazard for the cars behind you, which is the main reason Kia recalled the Sportage, Carnival, K5 and Telluride.
What does the EV9 headliner recall actually mean?
The 2024 EV9's headliner may not adequately protect occupants from impact, so it fails Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 201 on interior impact protection. A head striking that area in a crash could be hurt worse. Dealers replace the impact-absorbing plates free.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.