2026 Kia Carnival Service and Repair Manual

Kia carried the refreshed Carnival into 2026 with the same pair of powertrains: the 3.5-liter V6 across the LX, LXS, EX, SX and SX Prestige, and the 242-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter hybrid on every trim above the LX. Carryover years are exactly where near-enough figures creep in, and a hybrid and a V6 van parked side by side share almost no engine-bay specifications. This service and repair manual keeps you on the procedures, torque values, wiring diagrams, diagnostics and maintenance schedules Kia issued for the 2026 Carnival, matched to the powertrain and trim in front of you.

Engines covered

• 3.5L V6 — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
• 1.6L inline-four full hybrid — DOHC, turbocharged, gasoline

Body styles covered

• 4-door mini passenger van

Trims covered

• EX
• Hybrid EX
• Hybrid LXS
• Hybrid SX
• Hybrid SX Prestige
• LX
• LXS
• SX
• SX Prestige

Known issues on the 2026 Carnival. Two recalls are on federal record for this model year. The first covers the instrument cluster: a software error may cause the instrument panel display to fail on Carnival and Carnival Hybrid models, and a display that stops showing the speedometer, tire pressure or warning lights increases the risk of a crash. The second covers the gasoline fuel delivery lines: fuel may leak at the connection between the fuel pipe and the fuel rail, increasing the risk of a fire. The factory cluster software, fuel-rail and diagnostic procedures behind both recalls are in this manual.