The question boils down to this: Should consumers who relied upon Toyota Motor Corp.’s guarantees of reliability and safety be allowed to recover damages under relatively permissive California state law — regardless of the state in which they live or purchased Toyota vehicles?
Arguments over that point have grown heated in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) over defects in Toyota’s acceleration systems. If the plaintiffs prevail, Toyota faces potentially huge liabilities under some of the most generous consumer protections in the country. If Toyota prevails, the classes of consumers participating in the MDL would be atomized.
