Kia Recalls 200,000 Soul Compact Cars Because Gas Pedals Shouldn’t Break In Half

(Chris Rief)

The accelerator pedal might just be one of the more important components of a vehicle, so when reports start surfacing that the pedal might break or bend, that’s kind of a big deal. Such is the case for more than 200,000 Kia Soul vehicles that are now subject to a safety recall.

According to a notice [PDF] from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Kia is recalling 208,858 model year 2014 and 2015 gas and electric Soul compact vehicles because the gas pedal may bend or fracture.

Kia says that if the pedal becomes bent or splits, the driver would likely have difficulty accelerating, which in turn, could lead to an increased risk of a crash.

A chronology [PDF] submitted to NHTSA shows that Kia first became aware of the issue in October 2014 through vehicle warranty claims. In all, the company received 12 warranty claims related to the pedals, but no consumer complaints.

A subsequent evaluation of accelerator pedals collected by Kia found they could fracture due to excessive force. At that point, the manufacturer opted to conduct a voluntary recall.

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist