Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that the U. S. government will pursue a $16.38 million fine against Toyota Motor over the recall of 2.3 million vehicles.

According to the reports of New York Times, LaHood said in a statement on Monday that Toyota did not immediately notify the U. S. government when it determined there were problems with vehicles outside the United States. If the government is successful in imposing the fine, it would amount to the largest civil penalty ever levied by the government on a car company.

The Times also said that the company has two weeks to accept or contest the proposed fine. A Transportation Department spokeswoman said Monday the company had not responded to a notification of the fine.

It was further reported by the newspaper that Toyota spokeswoman Cindy Knight issued a statement saying the company had not yet received notification of the fine from the Transportation Department.

The statement also said, "We have already taken a number of important steps to improve our communications with regulators and customers on safety-related matters as part of our strengthened overall commitment to quality assurance."

The company has recalled 8 million vehicles around the world, about 6 million of them in the United States, for problems including defective gas pedals and floor mats that can interfere with accelerator pedal operations. (With Inputs from Agencies)