‘I’m going to get my big fat check’: Woman buys a Kia Carnival. Then she’s back at the dealership returning it 3 months later

Recent stories about Kia haven’t painted the car company in the best light. 

For example, one car dealer recently sparked internet discussion after explaining why he no longer recommends Kias. A Kia driver also claimed she bought a new car with only 17 miles; despite this, she reported a litany of issues that she said made the car unsafe to drive.

Still, vehicles from Kia sell relatively well, with the company claiming to have sold over 3 million vehicles in 2023.

Now, a user on TikTok may have some of those buyers rethinking their purchases after sharing her experience with her 2025 Kia Carnival.

What’s wrong with this 2025 Kia Carnival?

In a video with over 343,000 views, TikTok user Kat (@itskat.h) shows herself excitedly returning her 2025 Kia Carnival.

According to Kat, she had purchased the car new, only to have issues present themselves immediately.

Finally, she was able to get a refund on the car, as the car had been in need of repairs since at least July—or, as she puts it, she was able to acquire a “big fat check.”

For those who are curious about what exactly went wrong with the vehicle, Kat states in another video that, after purchasing the video in July, the battery died three times over a short period.

According to her, Kia had “zero clue as to what is going on with it,” though she says that there was a new Kia Carnival in the shop at her dealership presenting the same issue. While the dealership attempted to resolve the issue, Kat says it was unsuccessful.

Do all Kia Carnivals have battery issues?

While Kia Carnivals from previous years appear to have limited battery issues, drivers report that the 2025 Kia Carnival has significant issues with its batteries—specifically, just how fast the cars drain them.

Numerous Reddit threads on the topic can be found, but few provide answers. 

“We have no idea what's causing the battery drain. Any time, anywhere, the Carnival '25 might fail to start due to a dead battery,” wrote one Reddit user. “There's no identified root cause, and the company hasn't officially acknowledged this widespread problem.”

“My battery has died 3 times in 10 days. We have not left anything on 100% sure. Dying after sitting over night,” said another user in a different thread, later adding, “Bad news is. Nobody knows what the issue is. I am part of all kinds of groups with hundreds of people same issue. Nobody has a fix. Every dealer blames it on something different. They are just all guessing. And nothing has worked yet.”

There is presently also a Facebook group dedicated to the topic simply titled “2025 Kia Carnival Battery Drain Complaints.” The group currently has over 1,400 members.

@itskat.h Finally! I am officially DONE with Kia. It only took 3 1/2 months ???? #kiacarnival #2025kiacarnival #lemonlaw ♬ Bitch Better Have My Money by Rihanna - SaharaBeth????????

Commenters share their Kia problems

In the comments section, users shared their own negative experiences with the car brand.

“I had a 2018 forte. It was great until the transmission went out on the highway,” recalled a user. “Kia refused to fix it but wanted to buy it. Progressive dropped me because I used a tow service. We had a bad month.”

“Never again with Kia!! Our 2016 Sorento just had its engine replaced in January,” added another. “Kia did it for free since my VIN was listed on the class action lawsuit.”

“Buying a kia was the WORST decision I ever made. traded that POS in for an explorer and I LOVE my upgrade,” offered a third.

The Daily Dot reached out to Kia via email and Kat via TikTok DM and comment.

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The post ‘I’m going to get my big fat check’: Woman buys a Kia Carnival. Then she’s back at the dealership returning it 3 months later appeared first on The Daily Dot.