[Administrator]

Anybody else run into this? I will research something for days, sometimes weeks or even months, before buying it, ESPECIALLY when it's a big commitment. I get a sense of the bigger issues I might run into, only to be surprised by something small! Sometimes it's easier to find out about big problems or inconveniences than the little ones.

What's one thing you wish you had known before buying your Carnival?

~MR 😊

 

[UN-Limited]

I wish I knew how hard it would be to change the license plate bulbs 🤦🏾‍♂️

 

[artfd]

My dealer offered an insurance policy to replace a lost key fob. Max price was $200 for 5 years of coverage. Simple replacement of a fob, key and programming of same will run me about $480 retail. The dealer didn't mention this policy at the time I bought the van. Within 2 days of purchase I lost my backup fob and now will have to pay the full price for the replacement. I wound up buying this policy after replacing my fob on my own.
ADDENDUM: The day I paid for my replacement fob was the day I found my missing fob, in the bottom of my black leather laptop case. The fob being mostly black made it very difficult to see there. I didn't know that Kia apparently limits the number of active aka useful fobs to just 2! See this: So when the dealer activated my new fob, my other fob became inactive & not very useful.
Does anyone else think that 2 fobs are not enough???

 

[MammaBear]

I wish I knew the transmission and the ECO Mode sucks 🤦🏽‍♀️ It’s my dream car and is giving me problems. It shudders.

 

[bikeandbus]

I wish I would have really checked out the features more thoroughly. My 2011 Sedona had so much better features. Arm rests for middle seats, garage door openers in the rearview mirror, power lift gate for the rear door, easier to move middle seats. I gave my Sedona to our son because his wife was killed in his Tahoe leaving him with 3 small boys and needed a van quickly. I felt the dealership lied about so many things.

 

[kckyle]

I wish I would have really checked out the features more thoroughly. My 2011 Sedona had so much better features. Arm rests for middle seats, garage door openers in the rearview mirror, power lift gate for the rear door, easier to move middle seats. I gave my Sedona to our son because his wife was killed in his Tahoe leaving him with 3 small boys and needed a van quickly. I felt the dealership lied about so many things.

All of that is available, just not in the trim level you purchased, unfortunately.

Condolences on the loss of your daughter-in-law.

 

[David Michael]

My dealer offered an insurance policy to replace a lost key fob. Max price was $200 for 5 years of coverage. Simple replacement of a fob, key and programming of same will run me about $480 retail. The dealer didn't mention this policy at the time I bought the van. Within 2 days of purchase I lost my backup fob and now will have to pay the full price for the replacement. I wound up buying this policy after replacing my fob on my own.
ADDENDUM: The day I paid for my replacement fob was the day I found my missing fob, in the bottom of my black leather laptop case. The fob being mostly black made it very difficult to see there. I didn't know that Kia apparently limits the number of active aka useful fobs to just 2! See this: So when the dealer activated my new fob, my other fob became inactive & not very useful.
Does anyone else think that 2 fobs are not enough???

I agree completely. My household needs four keys. We have five keys for our Honda Odyssey. Kia lost a sale because of this incredibly ill-conceived limitation.

 

[UN-Limited]

Does anyone else think that 2 fobs are not enough???

Everyone has a different use case. You clearly struggle with losing fobs while my family has never lost one. And of the 2 fobs that came with each of our vehicles, my wife and I only use 1 while the other sits in a drawer collecting dust. I'm willing to bet needing more than 2 fobs is atypical since the industry standard that comes with any car is 2.

 

[kckyle]

I agree completely. My household needs four keys. We have five keys for our Honda Odyssey. Kia lost a sale because of this incredibly ill-conceived limitation.

Why do you need 4? Does everyone in your family have a key ring with keys to every vehicle and door?

 

[artfd]

"Why do you need 4?" When I travel with mature people I want each to have a way to unlock the doors and get inside on their own. If I plan a trip with more than 2 drivers, I want each driver to have their own set of keys to start the car. Otherwise, just a single key should be enough for any owner.

 

[kckyle]

"Why do you need 4?" When I travel with mature people I want each to have a way to unlock the doors and get inside on their own. If I plan a trip with more than 2 drivers, I want each driver to have their own set of keys to start the car. Otherwise, just a single key should be enough for any owner.

No offense, but that’s a pretty unique use case. I would venture to say two keys is perfectly fine for almost every owner. My wife and I barely use our second key, as we typically leave the one key in each car when we park in the garage.

 

[artfd]

No offense, but that’s a pretty unique use case. I would venture to say two keys is perfectly fine for almost every owner. My wife and I barely use our second key, as we typically leave the one key in each car when we park in the garage.

I wouldn't leave a fully powered key fob in my Kia even if I parked it inside my locked garage (my Kia won't fit in the garage I have at my home). I do carry a spare fob in the Kia, but in a secret location, and with its battery removed. I carry another copy of the actual key that opens the front door on a stainless steel chain around my neck, along with my Medic Alert ID tag.