WASHINGTON - Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday that it was recalling nearly 20,000 Mustang Cobra sports cars after receiving complaints that the back of the accelerator pedal could become caught in the floor carpeting and lead to a crash.

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Ford told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in late January that it had received about 100 complaints and allegations of two crashes and one injury. The recall affects 19,140 Mustang Cobras from the 2003 and 2004 model years.

Ford said in a letter to NHTSA that the rear surface of the pedal could interfere with the carpeting during heavy throttling and make it difficult for the pedal to return to an idle position. The problem could be found in vehicles where the floor carpeting does not fit flush with the sheet metal.

Dealers are expected to install a bracket over the cutout in the carpet behind the pedal. Owners are expected to be notified of the recall in late April and will not be charged for the repair.

Last July, NHTSA opened an investigation into accelerator pedal interference in the 2003 and 2004 Mustang, and the 2003 model year of the Mustang convertible and Mustang GT.

Ford spokeswoman Kristen Kinley said the automaker's investigation only found the issue in the Cobras because the high-performance model has a different pedal configuration than the other Mustang versions.

Ford shares fell 35 cents, or 4.6 percent, to close at $7.17 on the New York Stock Exchange, after sinking to a new 52-week low of $7.21 earlier in the session.

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Beth

"My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me." - Henry Ford (for Alex)