Daffin v Ford Motor Co.
Minivan Lawsuit Granted Class Action Status
A U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati has ruled that a dispute over sticking gas pedals on 1999 and 2000 Mercury Villager minivans belongs in a single, class-action trial.
The ruling upheld a decision by U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott to certify a class-action lawsuit filed by Pat Daffin of West Price Hill, Ohio. Owner of a 1999 Villager, Daffin filed suit against Ford Motor Co. in 2000. He alleges that thousands of Ohioans bought or leased Villagers with throttle body assemblies that can leave gas pedals stuck in acceleration.
The panel ruled that class litigation is the "superior method" of settling the dispute in court.
Nearly 60 other Villager owners complained about balky gas pedals in complaints filed with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration as of mid-2004. Dlott, however, refused to admit owners in other states to join the class-action suit.
