Toyota Fined $17 Million by Feds

Accused of not promptly recalling vehicles over issue with floor mats jamming accelerators

Having already paid record fines for not promptly recalling cars, Toyota Motor Corp. will pay the government another $17.35 million to federal safety regulators.

The latest fine, announced Tuesday, is for not promptly recalling Lexus RX 350s and RX 450h sport-utility vehicles because a floor mat on the driver's side could jam the gas pedal, causing the car to accelerate when the driver didn't intend to.

"It's critical to the safety of the driving public that manufacturers report safety defects in a timely manner," said David Strickland, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "Every moment of delay has the potential to lead to deaths or injuries on our nation's highways."