It was considering fining Japanese automaker Toyota a second time over its massive recalls, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

The New York Times reported on Monday that the agency issued the warning in a letter sent late last week.

Toyota was "safety deaf," as the NHTSA, the department's regulatory agency for U. S. roadways, levied a $16.4 million fine on the company, the largest ever levied on an automaker, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said last week.

It was also reported that the fine was issued for Toyota's slow response to safety complaints. One time line puts the delay at four months between the time Toyota became aware of accelerator problems and Jan. 23, when it issued a recall of 2.3 million U. S. vehicles.

However it has been shown by the documents that Toyota was aware of problems with accelerators in April 2009.

In October, it issued a safety advisory to U. S. dealers due to gas pedals becoming entangled with floor mats.

"The time to hide on this one is over. We need to come clean," In a January e-mail, Toyota vice president for Toyota Motor Sales USA wrote to colleagues. (With Inputs from Agencies)