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Pedals supplied to Toyota by CTS Corp. of Elkhart, Ind., “had two separate defects that may require two separate remedies,” NHTSA said in the letter obtained Friday, which cited documents submitted by Toyota. A recall in January of 2.3 million vehicles involved pedals that were slow to return after being depressed as well as pedals on various vehicles that could become stuck.

Toyota, based in Toyota City, Japan, has recalled more than 8 million cars and trucks worldwide for two defects that may cause unintended acceleration and to adjust brakes. President Akio Toyoda has said the company his grandfather founded failed to share defect information adequately among regional units.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement this week that Toyota “knowingly hid a dangerous defect” by waiting four months to alert regulators to problems involving unintended acceleration and braking.

In the April 5 letter to Toyota, NHTSA said an official from the Japanese parent company who wasn’t identified “inexplicably” told the carmaker’s North American engineering unit on Oct. 21, 2009, not to make the same design change to CTS pedals for U.S. vehicles that was already under way for those in Europe.

Toyota has yet to provide a detailed response to NHTSA’s assessment and LaHood’s comments. The company has until April 19 to tell regulators whether it will accept or contest the $16.4 million fine.

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