OC DA: Toyota To Pay $16M Settlement

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California district attorney has reached a $16 million settlement with Toyota Motor Corp. over a safety recall of vehicles that were at risk for unintended acceleration.

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas on Friday announced the settlement of a suit against the carmaker that claimed deceptive business practices and sought $2,500 per violation under the state's Unfair Business Practices Act.

Numerous lawsuits were filed against Toyota after the carmaker's 2009 and 2010 recalls in the United States because of acceleration problems and braking issues.

The automaker has blamed driver error, faulty floor mats and stuck accelerator pedals for the problems.

In a statement released Friday, Toyota general counsel Christopher P. Reynolds says the company is turning the page on the recalls to restore its reputation for safety and reliability.

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