Toyota Motor Corp. agreed today to pay two more safety fines for a total of $32.4 million, the maximum allowable under U.S. law, to settle federal investigations over whether the company notified regulators of safety defects in a timely fashion.
The fines, in addition to an earlier $16.4 million levy paid to settle a similar probe, bring to $48.8 million the amount that Toyota has agreed to pay in civil penalties this year.
Each of the three fines was the maximum permitted under federal law at the time the alleged violations occurred. Together, they dwarf safety penalties paid by any other automaker over the years.
One investigation settled today involved 2004-2005 recalls for alleged loss of steering control, and the other involved a 2007 recall to address unintended acceleration caused by floor mat entrapment.
Under the settlements, Toyota did not admit to any violation of its federal safety obligations.
“Toyota is pleased to have resolved these legacy issues related to the timeliness of prior recalls dating back to 2005,” Steve St. Angelo, Toyota’s chief quality officer for North America, said in a statement.
“As we have demonstrated in recent months, our North American operations now have a greater voice in making safety decisions, and we are taking appropriate action whenever any issues emerge.”
