**Lawyers for Toyota and those suing the car firm over alleged accelerator pedal problems have asked for more than 200 claims to be heard as a single case.**Both sides are asking a legal panel to consolidate the cases so that they are examined together by the same judge.
The hundreds of separate cases include dozens of personal injury claims as well as requests for compensation.
It is the first legal challenge from owners who say they have suffered from a range of faults in their Toyota cars.
Toyota in recent months has recalled more than eight million vehicles worldwide over a range of possible defects, including inadvertent acceleration caused by sticking pedals, some of which became trapped in floor mats.
A separate recall involved the Prius, when drivers reported intermittent brake performance in some circumstances.
According to Toyota’s lawyer, the cases have “common issues” and there will be “significant overlap.”
Several lawyers representing people who are suing Toyota said they, too, favoured a single class-action lawsuit.
The most likely location is Los Angeles, which is close to the car giant’s headquarters in the US, although some lawyers have suggested a different site might eliminate an appearance of hometown bias.
The case could end up costing Toyota several billion dollars.
The panel of judge expects to make its decision in the next two weeks.