Ford pays top fine to settle gov't recall spat

DETROIT (AP) — Ford has paid the top penalty of $17.35 million to settle government allegations the company was slow to recall nearly a half-million SUVs last year.

The fine announced today is linked to the July 2012 recall of nearly 485,000 Ford Escape SUVs from the 2001 to 2004 model years. The SUVs, equipped with 3-liter V-6 engines, were recalled to fix sticking gas pedals that could cause crashes.

Toyota paid the same amount in a case involving a delayed recall last year. It's the maximum fine that safety regulators are allowed to levy against an automaker.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration contends that Ford knew about the problem in May 2011, but failed to take action until the agency began investigating the Escapes in July 2012. The probe was started after a teenage Arizona girl died in an Escape crash in January of last year.