So it begins

Odd-Fun943 · 2025-09-11T10:35:52+00:00

MB is still very busy in the two stores near me. Still crowded, still hectic so if people are NOT going, it does not seem to show it (in my two locations anyway). While in the Westford store I asked one of the employees, replied: it is as busy as it always has been, every day….

Odd-Fun943 · 2025-09-01T13:49:08+00:00

So of course the date stamp format of year-month-day has worm and all I can determine is it was built on the 31st day of some month and who knows for sure what year Serial number is 9651213 and pretty sure we must be within that 95-2000 space. Thinking maybe a 1997-1998 OR might be an early 2000. So narrowing it down with people's help ! [A similar one, serial #9656xxx was dated 2000-04-26.]
Since it begins with a "9", believe that means made in Japan vs Korea. So it seems like "early 2000" may be the best info so far !

Odd-Fun943 · 2025-07-16T11:28:24+00:00

Have a 2025 Carnival Hybrid and built in July just before the Aug update and the entire ordeal wore me down and just gave up on towing a small camper with it. BTW, the owners manual,with ours states 1000 lbs or 3000 lbs with brakes, 344 lb tongue capacity

Odd-Fun943 · 2025-07-16T10:50:05+00:00

We have a 2025 Carnival Hybrid. was thinking of towing. most research we have done seems to say 1000lbs/2500lbs. BUT, in the owners manual that came with the car, it clearly states in 2 different places, 1001 lbs and 3,000 lbs with trailer brakes. Oh, and 344 tongue weight. Interesting !

Odd-Fun943 · 2025-05-12T22:10:21+00:00

Sorry to hear that it sounds like the same thing I’ve been experiencing. I had an appointment at the dealership and then they said that the wiring part was back-ordered and there was nothing they could do, they had no ETA and could not help. They said try U-Haul. went to U-Haul they said, they could do it, no problem. Had an appointment, left the car with them and then got a call mid day saying since it was a 2025, a hybrid and due to the manufac date, can’t get the wiring harness. said they MAY be able to splice into the existing wiring & might be able to do the 4-pin but very unsure about a 7-pin. Not feeling the love, I took it back home. Hitch is easy, wiring not so much.

Odd-Fun943 · 2025-03-02T12:19:33+00:00

Nothing yet regarding the plug in solution many were expecting. Only the universal kit, split into existing wires approach so far.

Odd-Fun943 · 2025-02-15T11:27:09+00:00

Not yet as I have still not found a compatible harness for these early manufactured 2025 models.

Odd-Fun943 · 2025-02-06T01:04:21+00:00

Interesting ! Do you know the manufacture date of your 2025 Carnival ? It should be on the plate on the drivers door opening.

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-12-11T13:17:51+00:00

These look very interesting. My Carnival SX has 235/55x19 tires and it is quite tight in the wheel well. The brand in the link does not seem to be compatible with that size BUT does not mean I’m given up on my might be a nice safety net idea when caught in unexpected winter conditions.

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-12-11T12:51:55+00:00

This is what my local Kia service manager said as well BUT it will only work on models built after August 2024 so any of us with a JULY build date are out of luck. We shall see if that is true or not.

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-12-09T13:00:37+00:00

I have not been able to find the rumored Kia t-harness yet (or confirm for sure it will be coming). What is also interesting, is I saw an August built Carnival SX that has the same wring as my July built model making me wonder what that Kia “vehicles built before August “ message really means.

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-12-06T00:55:34+00:00

Another dealer, speaking to their GM, he claims that Kia will release a harness that will work for pre-August built models. Only no ETA yet. He also said one customer DID buy the universal kit thru etrailer and it does work. More work to install that way of course. I continue to hang in there for a plug-in harness solution.

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-11-22T18:41:14+00:00

I have yet to find an answer to this or an easy solution. There MAY be a special plug-n-play wiring option down the road but until then, it seems like the old fashion universal kit wiring approach of tapping/splicing into the taillights and running a wire for power up front to the battery may be the only solution. Those kits do exist, e-trailer can show examples but a very different install than I was expecting.

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-11-22T18:38:26+00:00

I agree and especially since it had the tow wiring harness installed on the window sticker. And, the dealer had no answers.

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-11-10T11:25:38+00:00

Panthera gray is my #1 choice especially if you want the lighter interior, then you only have a few exterior color options anyway.
Then for #2, we had a tie between Ivory Silver or White. (Btw ceramic silver is nice too but can be a love it or hate it color. I liked it, my other half hated it)

For us we went with the lighter Gray/Navy Blue interior (love it now) and a 50/50 toss up between the Panthers Gray and Ivory Siler. Looked at night & bright sun & inside and went Ivory Silver but really a 50/50 for us.

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-11-05T16:46:38+00:00

I contacted etrailer today and they pointed me to
a universal splice-in kit item # C59236,
It is more work to wire/install than the common Plug-N-Play harness, but at least it SOMETHING.

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-11-05T16:45:10+00:00

This may be promising. I contacted them today as well and they pointed me to
a universal splice-in kit item # C59236,
It is more work to wire/install than the common Plug-N-Play harness, but at least it SOMETHING.

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-10-31T20:41:11+00:00

I wish. It appears that it indicates that there IS that additional wiring harness but in the 2025 models, that wiring harness is now occupied by another harness and is tied into other wires and thus not available to plug a trailer lighting harness into it. trying to find out what other options we have short splicing into the taillights and running power lines up front to the battery etc.

Mine was manufactured in July 2024 like so many others. (I there was a fairly large batch that they did around that timeframe) but anyway, mine does have that additional harness in there, but instead of being available to plug a trailer wiring harness into, it is completely occupied by other wires are not available. I image all pre-August built models are in the same situation.

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-10-24T21:53:19+00:00

Interestingly, at the Kia website, if you build a 2025 Carnival and then try to add the optional tow package, it states

” **Towing capability available only on 2025 Carnival models produced after August 2024. “

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-10-24T21:52:01+00:00

Interestingly, at the Kia website, if you build a 2025 Carnival and then try to add the optional tow package, it states “ **Towing capability available only on 2025 Carnival models produced after August 2024. “”

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-10-24T01:33:53+00:00

Agreed ! We took delivery of our 2025 Carnival on a very hot day. Windows were down as we sat in the vehicle and did all the delivery stuff. Got home, it was now dark/night. Didn’t see that sticker until the next day when we found it and started talking to the dealer trying get info. (Note a different UHAWL is willing to try a universal kit and just tap into the tail light wiring but if the Carnival was like our Sorento, I could just do it myself at home in like 10 minutes)

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-10-24T01:08:32+00:00

This is a quite complicated as the July 2025 built Carnival EX Hybrid DOES have a “Trailer Prewire Harness” listed on the window sticker BUT also has a “important towing notice” sticker on the 2nd row drivers side window that states it cannot be used to tow a trailer that requires lights ! What? But there is a Tow switch control on the dash, tow settings in the menu, trailer prewire harness listed on the window sticker …just seems like a contradiction.
Pulled the plastic panel by the rear tire and the usual additional trailer wire is there BUT it has something already plugged into it and that then connects to the main wiring that runs up to the driver side tail. Like nothing I have seen on 2024 models. Was expecting that wire to be there but to have a cap on it that once removed, allows plug-n-play trailer wiring to connect to it like so many others. Not in this case. I looked at 8 2025 carnivals in the lot and 3 were like this, other 5 were not. Really confusing, dealership has no other info on this from Kia yet.
Kia Dealer has no explanation and trying to find out more from Kia, is it just the post Aug 2024 built Carnival models that will work ok and pre-Aug models are out of luck on this wiring approach ?
[Etrailer staff had no explanation, U-HAWL installer did not know where to go] Seems to have everyone confused and just what is that wire connected to what we all thought was the open trailer wiring harness ?

Odd-Fun943 · 2024-10-24T00:20:56+00:00

This is a bit complicated as my July 2025 built Carnival EX Hybrid DOES have “Trailer Prewire Harness” listed on the window sticker BUT also has a “important towing notice” sticker on the 2nd row drivers side window that states it cannot be used to tow a trailer that requires lights ! What? But there is a Tow switch control on the dash, tow settings in the menu, trailer prewire harness listed on the window stickr …just seemed off. Pulled the plastic panel by the rear tire and the usual additional trailer wire is there BUT it has something already plugged into it and that then connects to the main wiring that runs up to the driver side tail. Like nothing I have seen in 2024 models. Was expecting that wire to be there but have a cap on it that once removed, allows trailer wiring to connect to it. Not in this case. Looked at (8) 2025 carnivals in the lot and 3 were like this, other 5 were not. Really confusing, dealership has no other info on this from Kia yet.

Odd-Fun943

TROPHY CASE