Kia Recalls Nearly 209,000 Cars in U.S. Over Accelerator Issue

Kia Motors is calling back nearly 209,000 Soul compacts in the United States over faulty accelerator pedals that could potentially break or bend.

The affiliate of Hyundai Motors will recall approximately 208,858 electric and gasoline versions of the Soul from model years 2014 and 2015 due to lack or support for the accelerator pedal that could cause drivers problems when accelerating, according to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

"If the vehicle has a bent or broken accelerator pedal, the driver may have difficulty accelerating the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash," said NHTSA in a summary of the recall.

The issue increases the risk or a crash and injury significantly.

Last year, the automaker inspected two fractured accelerator pedals from the field and shipped them to South Korea for further evaluation, according to the documents.

So far 12 warrant claims for the issue have been reported, though no accidents or injuries have been confirmed as of February 24.

Kia Motors is telling dealerships to add supporting rubber underneath the pedal stopper at no cost to owners.

The recall should begin by March 24, according to the NHTSA documents.

Kia started installing upgraded accelerator pedal assemblies in the Soul and Soul EV starting on January 9, 2015.

Owners looking for more information are welcome to call Kia's customer service at 1-800-333-4542.

Soul owners: make sure you schedule a service appointment with a local dealer in order to schedule a repair as soon as you receive your recall notice. If you notice something wrong with your car, contact your dealer right away even if you haven't received your notice yet.