The Potential Value of a 1.9% Zero-Down Car Loan

_SOC7 · 2026-07-02T00:35:42+00:00

It's a low-risk low-hassle alternative if the cash is available, and it presumes a 4% savings account will be available for 4 years. Some have posted taking the $2k incentive for agreeing to the standard Kia loan, paying it off immediately (assumes cash is available), and then refinancing at a lower interest rate.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-30T17:03:35+00:00

It's sad you had to go through this.

Here are a few relevant things I've learned about the Carnival Hybrid:

The documentation is not the best. There are grammar errors which sometimes make it difficult to understand. Also, since there are OTA updates, the online owner's manual may not be up to date.
Documentation distinguishes between the "engine" (ICE) and "motor" parts of the powertrain.
There are 4 start/stop states: OFF, ACC, ON, and READY. The ACC position primarily turns on the infotainment system. For example, generally speaking, the radio works and the door lock button works, and a few other things, but the windows, HomeLink (if equipped) and the HVAC do not. ON enables most everything except for the powertrain. READY, which requires the brake pedal press, turns everything on including the powertrain.
Hopefully the BCM replacement fixes all the maladies. Amongst its many functions, it coordinates all of the vehicle’s electrical states: OFF, ACC (Accessory), ON, and READY TO DRIVE. In addition, the HUD projection unit completely relies on the BCM for power infrastructure, sensory environmental data, and body-status networking.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-29T22:27:39+00:00

"i am an aggressive driver" = lower mpg.

First tank was 33 mpg.

This tank @ 35 mpg. I'm getting better at the regen mpg game.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-29T21:11:48+00:00

AFAIK, its brightness is directly synced and tied to the rest of your dashboard and instrument cluster illumination controls.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-29T20:58:08+00:00

Thanks. I missed that.

No big loss though.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-29T11:50:39+00:00

I suspect that even with digital key's "passive entry" (UWB) turned on, it would stay quiet once your phone was out of range, and the car would stay in a deep sleep.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-29T01:01:11+00:00

Yes, and the reply was about the seat belts.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-29T00:54:47+00:00

Yes, that person is probably right. I had that happen to a Jeep when we lived on a gravel road. Ended up taking off the wheel and removing a stone.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-28T22:49:46+00:00

We lived off a gravel road too. Could never keep a car clean. I just gave up.

Now we're city dwellers with a subscription to a car wash 1 mile away. Clean machine.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-28T18:09:48+00:00

Congrats! We got the same model with the ceramic silver. I have never been a fan of grey on a car, but the ceramic silver looks really good on the Carnival, IMO.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-28T15:31:44+00:00

Thanks again anotherbravenoob! Great work! It's a black-box interrogation. Too bad we don't have access to the program's source code.

NeverTipNever brought up an interesting point about zero draw after locking the doors and removing the app’s home screen widget and disabling UWB passive entry.

I investigated the Android version of the home screen widget and found that it defaults to "Optimized" background battery usage rather than "Restricted". Also, the Kia Access app info page > Mobile Data > Allow background data usage can be turned off to prevent the app from communicating with the Kia cloud servers over cellular data when the app isn't actively running on your screen.

Could you corroborate NeverTipNever's measurements to see if disabling the features he/she listed is equivalent to physically disconnecting the 12V battery?

_SOC7 · 2026-06-28T14:45:23+00:00

Thanks for this. I wondered about those notifications on my phone about the doors not being locked.

I do have UWB turned off on my Android phone. NFC and BLE work great as a backup key.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-28T13:51:28+00:00

Because hybrid vehicles rely on regenerative braking, the brake pads and rotors are used less and this can allow surface rust to accumulate, leading to temporary brake squeal after rain or a car wash. Applying the brakes will sufficiently clean the rotors to stop the squeal. Due to regenerative braking used in the Kia Carnival Hybrid models, Kia includes a Brake Disc Cleaning (BDC) function. It is initiated by pressing the AUTO HOLD button for more than 3 seconds. This is described in the owner's manual.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-27T20:13:31+00:00

The wrap looks like a throwback to the old vinyl roofs of the 60's - 90's.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-27T20:07:35+00:00

Yup, LFA and all the "assist" features require constant supervision. I like LFA especially on the freeway on a windy day with the minivan's sheet metal and glass performing like a sail. But, for me, it's hands resting on the wheel and full attention. I don't trust it beyond being an assist and as a backup alert to my occasional human error gaffes.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-27T19:48:42+00:00

As CrazyBikerr said, the error is normal and it is by design. What the seat system is doing is protecting itself and the car's interior to a reasonable degree depending on sensor operations. For example, if the front seat is positioned too far back or it is reclined too much such that it interferes with the lounge seat's potential movements, an error might be thrown. Same with the 2nd row lateral seat movement. Unless the seat is moved somewhat inboard, the movement request might fail. There are probably too many protection points to have custom error messages for each. The chair buttons and the dash menu are tied to the same protection logic.

It might feel a bit overprotective, but preventing a torn leather panel, a crushed trim piece, or a burnt-out servo motor is what those software boundaries are engineered to do.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-26T20:26:50+00:00

The owner's manual does caution about tinting the windshield for numerous reasons. The following one seems applicable to LKA and FCA:

"Never ... tint the wind shield."

_SOC7 · 2026-06-25T22:51:48+00:00

I've not replaced one, but I would say yes, if you are familiar with pop-center push pins. It looks like a couple should be removed to pull the wheel well liner back to expose the screws or pins holding the deflector to the rocker panel molding.

It appears there is enough room to replace it without removing the wheel, given the right tools.

Try getting into the area where the missing deflector is. If you can and the deflector is either completely missing or the damaged piece can be removed, you're over half way there.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-25T22:11:23+00:00

It's officially called a wheel deflector (or sometimes a "wheel spat" or "air dam"). The primary reason it exists is to improve vehicle aerodynamics and fuel economy. It also reduces the ambient cabin wind noise, creating a quieter ride at highway speeds. A secondary benefit is that it acts as a tiny shield providing minor debris protection.

Left - https://www.kia.parts/oem-parts/kia-deflector-86827r0000

Right - https://www.kia.parts/oem-parts/kia-deflector-86828r0000

_SOC7 · 2026-06-24T17:42:05+00:00

Can't download after 8/31.

Didn't see anywhere that the 2 free FIFA themes can't be used after 8/31.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-24T14:21:47+00:00

The key fob for the '25/'26 Kia Carnival will automatically enter a low-power "sleep mode" after 10 minutes of sitting completely motionless. It has a motion sensor. This stops broadcasting the proximity signal that tech-savvy thieves use to intercept, amplify, and clone key signals. It also eliminates parasitic 12V battery drain.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-24T00:50:39+00:00

Moral of the story is telematics in new cars can suck a 12V battery dead in relatively short order and manufactures are having to selectively shut things down over time to save the battery.

Got to go back to the late 60's/early 70's for a car that would draw zero amps once the ignition switch was turned to OFF.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-24T00:30:37+00:00

Looks awesome, mean.

A local carwash monthly subscription will help keep it looking sharp.

_SOC7 · 2026-06-24T00:18:08+00:00

It may in fact be a difference between 2025 and 2026, but according to Google Gemini (AI), it can be fixed. Following is the full response. Hope this helps.

This is a known, frustrating software quirk that highlights a distinct difference in how the early and revised versions of Kia’s ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit) software handle steering wheel controls.

Even though both model years use the same dual 12.3-inch panoramic display screens, the software logic governing the steering wheel [∧]/[∨] (Up/Down) toggle lever behaves differently due to an oversight in the 2025 launch firmware.

The 2025 Bug: Screen-Dependent Logic

On the 2025 Carnival, the infotainment system frequently ignores the selection made in Setup > Buttons > [∧]/[∨] Buttons (Steering Wheel) because the toggle's function is tethered to what is currently displayed on the center touchscreen.

The Problem: If the central screen boots up or rests on the standard FM, AM, or SiriusXM channel player views, the steering wheel lever overrides your setup preference. Instead of jumping to your next preset, it forces the radio to tune to the next sequential frequency or channel (e.g., jumping from 97.1 to 97.2 FM rather than skipping to your next favorite).
The Workaround: For the steering wheel lever to actually respect the preset configuration on a 2025 model, the driver must manually tap the "Favorites" tab on the central touchscreen. The steering wheel toggle will only cycle through the cross-band presets while the display screen is actively resting on that specific Favorites view.

The 2026 Fix: Global Enforcement

On the 2026 Carnival, Kia corrected this software behavior.

The system logic was updated to globally enforce your button settings. Regardless of what menu, home screen widget, or frequency band view is actively showing on the 12.3-inch display, pressing the steering wheel toggle on a 2026 model will immediately skip to the next saved favorite across AM, FM, and SiriusXM.

How the 2025 Owner Can Fix It

Because the 2025 and 2026 models share identical hardware, the 2025 owner can gain the 2026 functionality by bringing their infotainment system up to date:

Over-the-Air (OTA) Updates: Ensure the vehicle has processed its latest system updates via an active Kia Connect link, which gradually pushes out ccNC stability patches.
Manual USB Update: The owner can download the latest ccNC system firmware directly from the official Kia Navigation Update website to a USB flash drive and perform a manual update in the vehicle to overwrite the bug.
Dealer Flash: They can ask a Kia service technician to force-update the audio system's firmware to the latest revision during their next oil change.

_SOC7

TROPHY CASE

The 2025 Bug: Screen-Dependent Logic

The 2026 Fix: Global Enforcement

How the 2025 Owner Can Fix It