Ford has paid the government $17.3 million to settle an argument over allegations that Ford delayed a safety recall from 2011.
The automaker said it paid the fine to avoid a lengthy legal battle with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration according to the Associated Press.
The NHTSA claims that in May of 2011, Ford was aware of a safety defect in Escape SUVs from 2001 through 2004 model years.
"Ford is absolutely committed to addressing potential vehicle issues and responding quickly for our customers," said Ford in a press statement. "We take the safety of our customers seriously and continuously evaluate our processes for improvements."
"While we are confident in our current processes for quickly identifying and addressing potential vehicle issues, Ford said.
Despite knowing about the issue, the company didn't recall the vehicles until July of 2012. The automaker also denies that it broke any laws.
The agreement also doesn't release Ford from civil or criminal liability according to the NHTSA.
Ford recalled approximately 485,000 Escapes with V-6 engines to fix an issue with "sticking gas pedals" that could potentially cause a crash according to the Associated Press.
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