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2023 KIA CARNIVAL — STRUCTURE:BODY

1 injured · 1865079 · 2023-01-12

Vehicle

Make
KIA
Model
CARNIVAL
Year
2023
Manufacturer
Kia America, Inc.
Component
STRUCTURE:BODY

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
Yes
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

The door closing automation applies excessive force before the safety function engages to re-open. This poses a high risk to children and small adults with narrow limbs and/or the fingers of any aged person. On January 11, 2023, my 4 year old's hand was closed in the door without the door stopping or re-opening. This resulted in deep lacerations to his fingers and swelling necessitating emergency room medicine and imaging to eliminate potential of fracture. I tested this morning with the doors by opening and closing and inserting objects as well as my body to determine an approximation of closing force. Even with a full sized adult, the closing force is sufficient to move the trunk of an adult body to the side before safety mechanisms engage. Door travel continues for 2 to 3 inches before safety retraction engages. Children arms, feet, or other appendages are narrow enough that they will be impacted with the force of the mechanism in a pinching mechanic before the safety engages and allows removal of the limb. In this case, the fingers of a child closing their own door was not sufficient to activate the safety mechanism and the door closed fully, causing (thankfully) minimal injury. I have contacted Kia service this morning and will follow their directions. Internet research indicates no recall or technical service bulletin for this problem at this time.

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
11501451
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown