NHTSA Complaint #10398170 — 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

I LEASED A 2004 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER IN 2004 FOR FIVE YEARS AND TURNED THE VEHICLE BACK INTO TOYOTA IN 2009. DURING THE TIME I HAD THE VEHICLE, THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK ON THE FREEWAY WHICH RESULTED IN MY ENTIRE FAMILY ALMOST BEING KILLED. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT HURT, BUT OUR BRAKES WERE RUINED DURING OUR EFFORTS TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO STOP. AT THE TIME, WE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED AND OUR MECHANIC FELT THAT SOMEHOW, THE FLOOR MAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM, RATHER THAN SOME MECHANICAL ISSUE. EARLY IN 2011, I BECAME AWARE OF A RECALL OF 2004 TOYOTA 4 RUNNERS BECAUSE OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I HAVE REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE BRAKE REPAIR, BUT TOYOTA HAS TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME, AS "BRAKES ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL NOTICE". I FIND THIS EXTREMELY DISTURBING AND FEEL THAT TOYOTA IS AVOIDING TAKING RESPONSBILITY. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THEIR CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPARTMENT, WHO HAVE BEEN TOTALLY UNCOOPERATIVE. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN LOOK INTO OR HELP ME WITH. IT SEEMS SILLY THAT TOYOTA WOULD NOT ACCEPT RESPONSBILITY FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT, FOR WHICH THEY ADMIT..