Toyota slapped with second penalty

Toyota Motor Corp. had already paid a hefty fine for not promptly recalling defective autos but also has been slapped with another required payment of $17.35 million to federal safety regulators. The fine is for not recalling certain vehicles in a timely fashion, namely the Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h sport-utility vehicle. The problem arose because floor mats could jam the gas pedal, causing sudden acceleration and possible accidents. Federal law mandates that automakers notify the government within five business days of discovering safety defects. It was two years ago that Toyota was forced to pay a record $48.8 million in fines as a result of its handling of recalls for pedal problems in other vehicles. More on product liability lawsuits …