Kia Soul recalled due to bendy gas pedal

Kia has announced plans to recall its Soul SUV due to a bendy gas pedal, which can end up bending or breaking when the car is being driven. It's a fairly large recall at about 209,000 vehicles, but still smaller than some of the other automotive recall numbers we've seen thus far this year. Both the Soul and its electric counterpart have been included in the recall, both of them of the 2014 and 2015 model years. Fortunately, there are no known injuries or wrecks that have resulted from this problem.

Obviously, if the gas pedal bends or breaks when someone is driving, the car could crash. In addition, if the gas pedal is messed up (bent, as an example), it'll be harder to make the car accelerate, which poses its own risks. The bending risk comes from its being pressed too hard if the car is in park, or otherwise not accelerating, according to the NHTSA's documents.

The auto maker came to be aware of this problem because of warranty claims that were made in relation to the problem. To fix the problem, dealerships will be installing rubber supports under the pedal's stopper, something that will be done for free once the recalls start taking place. It is estimated to start on March 24.

This is the latest of many recalls in 2015, and they follow a record-breaking number of recalls in 2014. The NHTSA warned earlier this year that we could see last year's numbers eclipsed in 2015, and so far that warning has proven true. Be sure to check out the timeline below to see some of the most recents recalls, and then head into the recall portal to see more of them.

SOURCE: CBS News