WASHINGTON (WKOW) -- BMW will pay a hefty fine for delays in reporting safety defects and recalls to the government.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says the automaker agreed to pay $3 million.
The NHTSA examined 16 recalls issued by BMW of North America LLC in 2010 and found evidence of a number of instances in which the company failed to report safety defects and recalls to the agency in accordance with federal law, which requires known defects to be reported within five days.
As part of the settlement, BMW and its parent company, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, agreed to make internal changes to its recall process.
NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said in a statement that the agency expects all manufacturers to address automotive safety issues "quickly and in a forthright manner."
