Galo Coba v. Ford Motor Co
Opinion
Problematic as a lemon of a vehicle may be, the problem becomes more complex when it is peeling. This appeal involves a putative consumer class action seeking damages resulting from the delamination, i.e., peeling and flaking, of the lining of certain Ford truck fuel tanks between 2001 and 2010-a problem that plagued numerous Ford F-Series and E-Series vehicles in multiple countries and that, according to Appellant Galo Coba, Ford knew stemmed from a defect. It requires us to resolve two open questions for our Court: first, whether a district court's denial of class certification divests the court of jurisdiction in a case where its jurisdiction was predicated solely on the Class Action Fairness Act,
Because we conclude that the District Court properly exercised its jurisdiction, that the materials-or-workmanship warranty did not cover design defects, and that the record evidence of Ford's knowledge about the defect does not create a triable issue, we will affirm the District Court's entry of summary judgment in favor of Ford on all of Coba's claims.
I. Background
A. Ford's Fuel Tank Troubles
Beginning in 2001 and continuing over the decade that followed, Ford received waves of complaints from customers who purchased certain F-Series and E-Series vehicles reporting similar types of malfunction related to their vehicles' fuel tanks. The fuel tanks used in certain vehicle models were susceptible to a problem known as "delamination," whereby particles of the tank lining would separate from the underlying metal and mix with the vehicle's fuel. As the fuel carrying those particles makes its way through the vehicle's fuel system, the particles can clog the fuel filter, which constrains fuel flow to the engine and reduces power. The particles can also damage fuel-system components, such as injectors. If left untreated, the problem eventually may lead to difficulties starting the engine or keeping the vehicle running.
In 2001, when Ford first received reports that some of its vehicles were exhibiting fuel-tank delamination problems, the complaints came exclusively from customers in Brazil. Over the next few years, cases of delamination cropped up in the United States, though they were largely clustered in certain regions. For example, as of January 2004, forty-three of the eighty-six warranty claims submitted to Ford that related to delamination had come from customers in Ohio. Because of the geographically concentrated occurrence of the delamination complaints, both Ford and the supplier of its fuel-tank coatings, Magni Industries, Inc., suspected that unique qualities in regional fuel supplies were to blame for delamination. In particular, as Ford investigated, its suspicions gravitated toward fuel containing excessive concentrations of biodiesel, which Ford recommended against using because its tanks were not authorized to withstand biodiesel concentrations over 5%. That theory was consistent with Ford's data in some respects because Brazil, where the problem started, did not have established biodiesel regulations until 2005.
Although Ford could not confirm that biodiesel was the culprit-and Ford's engineers sometimes questioned the biodiesel hypothesis in light of inconclusive testing-Ford's leads were compelling enough that it started working with Magni in 2005 to develop a more biodiesel-resistant coating. And by February 2007, Ford released an improved coating, called "A35," to replace the prior "A36" coating in F-Series Super Duty trucks. Around the same time, Ford sent a message to dealers notifying them about the release of the new tank coating and explaining that fuel tanks in certain Ford trucks had delaminated, which Ford attributed to "the use of fuels containing concentrations of bio-diesel greater than recommended by Ford (5%)." App. 86.
Ford's warranty claims did drop after the release of the A35 coating, but some reports of delamination persisted. Having not fully solved the problem, Ford continued its investigation. And by 2010, Ford's Materials Engineering department came to believe that biodiesel was not the root cause after all; instead, acetic and formic acids-which Ford discovered in fuel samples from service station pumps near a dealer that encountered numerous delamination complaints-were more likely the cause all along.
B. Coba's Lawsuit
Galo Coba, the plaintiff in this case, is one of the Ford-vehicle customers whose fuel tanks delaminated. He purchased two Ford 2006 F-350 Super Duty 6.0L diesel dump trucks for his landscaping business, Coba Landscaping and Construction, Inc.
He bought the first in October of 2006 and the second in March of 2007. By March of 2009, both trucks began exhibiting signs of tank delamination. According to Coba, the engines would misfire, the trucks lacked power when driven up hills, the fuel filters were contaminated with fuel-tank debris, and the fuel systems rusted.
He brought the trucks into a Ford dealership, which replaced the fuel tanks and fuel filters in both trucks at no cost to Coba. Despite the repairs, Coba had the same problems over and over again, needing additional replacements each time. Altogether, Coba replaced the fuel tank twice in his older truck and three times in his newer truck. Because several of the replacements occurred after the trucks' warranties had expired, Coba spent several thousand dollars on the fixes.
Coba filed this class-action lawsuit against Ford Motor Company in March of 2012. As amended, the operative complaint asserts claims for breach of express warranty, violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (NJCFA), and breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing. 1 Although Ford had replaced several of Coba's fuel tanks under warranty, Coba alleges that Ford breached its written warranty-the New Vehicle Limited Warranty (NVLW)-by failing to adequately repair and replace his tanks, as the replacements turned out to have the same defects as his original tanks. The thrust of the implied-covenant-of-good-faith-and-fair-dealing claim is that when Ford repaired Coba's vehicles, it knew that the repairs would not solve Coba's delamination problems. Finally, Coba's NJCFA claim rests on allegations that Ford purposefully failed to disclose to Coba and other customers the defect in its fuel tanks.
The District Court entered summary judgment in Ford's favor on all of Coba's claims.
See
Coba v. Ford Motor Co.
, No. 12-1622,
II. Discussion
A. Jurisdiction
We address a threshold issue of jurisdiction before turning to the merits of the District Court's decision. While our jurisdiction to hear Coba's appeal is clear under
The District Court initially exercised jurisdiction over Coba's suit-a class action asserting state-law claims-pursuant to the Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA), which gives district courts "original jurisdiction of any civil action in which the matter in controversy exceeds ... $5,000,000 ...
and is a class action
in which ... any member of a class of plaintiffs is a citizen of a State different from any defendant."
If a federal court properly exercises jurisdiction pursuant to § 1332(d) at the time a claim is filed or removed, does a subsequent denial of class certification divest the court of subject-matter jurisdiction?
In accordance with every other Circuit Court to address this question, we conclude that it does not.
2
We start with the text: District courts have "original jurisdiction" over "class action[s],"
True, § 1332(d)(8) states that CAFA "shall apply to any class action before or after the entry of a class certification order by the court with respect to that action," but, as the Seventh Circuit has aptly noted, that subsection refers to "a" certification order, not "the" certification order, and the former connotes an indefinite expectation that a certification order may issue.
Cunningham
,
Beyond CAFA's text, general jurisdictional principles also support our conclusion that the denial of class certification did not divest the District Court of jurisdiction over the NJCFA claim. Typically, "[j]urisdictional facts are determined at the time of removal [or filing], not by subsequent events."
Louisiana v. Am. Nat'l Prop. Cas. Co.
,
Assured of the District Court's jurisdiction, we turn to the merits of the District Court's summary judgment ruling.
B. The District Court's Grant of Summary Judgment
On appeal, Coba challenges the District Court's grant of summary judgment on his claims for breach of express warranty, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and violation of the NJCFA. We review those rulings de novo.
See
Blunt v. Lower Merion Sch. Dist.
,
1. Breach of Express Warranty
The District Court entered summary judgment on Coba's breach-of-express-warranty claim because it determined that the fuel-tank defect at issue was outside the scope of Ford's written warranty, the NVLW. The District Court reasoned (1) that the NVLW-which provides that Ford will "repair, replace, or adjust all parts on [his] vehicle that are defective in factory-supplied materials or workmanship," App. 248-covers only "materials or workmanship" defects, not design defects, and (2) that the fuel-tank defect alleged by Coba fell in the design-defect category. We agree on both points. 3
a. A Warranty for Defects in "Materials or Workmanship" Does Not Encompass "Design" Defects
New Jersey law, which governs our interpretation of the NVLW,
see
Collins v. Mary Kay, Inc.
,
We start with general principles of contract interpretation under New Jersey law and give the terms of the NVLW their "plain and ordinary meaning."
M.J. Paquet, Inc. v. N.J. Dep't of Transp.
,
The plain and ordinary meaning of the term "defect[s] in ... materials or workmanship," App. 248, unambiguously excludes "design" defects. As an initial matter, the plain definitions of "workmanship" and "materials" are conceptually distinct from the definition of "design." "Workmanship" is the "the execution or manner of making or doing something,"
Webster's Third New International Dictionary
2635 (1993),
4
and "materials" are the "the basic matter (as metal, wood, plastic, fiber) from which the whole or the greater part of something physical (as a machine, tool, building, fabric) is made,"
id.
at 1392. Both definitions relate to the execution phase of making an object and connote the physical realization of something. By contrast, the definition of "design"-"a preliminary sketch or outline (as a drawing on paper or a modeling in clay) showing the main features of something to be executed,"
id.
at 611-relates to the preparation stage that guides, and precedes, execution.
5
Thus, in the context of product development, defects in "workmanship" and "materials" are flaws pertaining to the construction or manufacture of a product, while defects in "design" are shortcomings that arise in the plans for a product's creation. More specifically, a "materials" defect is a failing in the quality of the actual substances used to make a product,
see
Hammel v. Van Sickle
,
Historical practice in products liability litigation, dating back more than a century, reflects a consistent understanding of the distinctions among these categories.
See, e.g.
,
Lombard Corp. v. Quality Aluminum Prod. Co.
,
In light of this common law, it is unsurprising that courts have regularly rejected arguments like Coba's that a design defect is within the scope of a materials-and-workmanship warranty clause.
See, e.g.
,
Bruce Martin Constr., Inc. v. CTB, Inc.
,
The two contrary district court decisions on which Coba relies do not persuade us otherwise.
Koulajian v. Trek Bicycle Corp.
provides almost no analysis to support its bare conclusion that a "warranty's reference to 'workmanship' could refer to ... designs as well as to implementation of those designs," and thus, it offers nothing helpful for us to consider. No. 90-Civ-3156,
In short, we conclude that, under New Jersey law, a warranty that limits its coverage to defects in "materials" and "workmanship" does not, without more, apply to defects in "design." While parties are free to redefine words in their contracts in ways that deviate from plain and ordinary meaning, they did not do so here. "Materials" and "workmanship" in the NVLW carry their plain meaning, and the warranty therefore does not extend to design defects. 8
b. The Fuel Tank Defect Was a Design Defect
Having concluded that the NVLW does not cover design defects, we must determine whether the fuel-tank-delamination problem, as alleged, reflected a defect in design. We agree with the District Court that it does, so the court properly entered summary judgment on Coba's breach-of-warranty claim.
Accounting for the differences between design, materials, and workmanship defects,
see supra
Section II.B.1.a, the alleged flaw in Ford's fuel tanks has all the trappings of a design defect. The fundamental nature of the defect relates to the "overall plan of construction and operation" of the fuel tanks.
Lombard Corp.
,
As Coba alleged a design defect, and the NVLW covered only materials and workmanship defects, the District Court properly granted summary judgment on Coba's breach-of-warranty claim.
2. Breach of Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing
Because Coba did not have any right to repair or replacement of his fuel tanks under the NVLW, he also could not prevail on his claim for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. New Jersey recognizes an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in every contract,
Wilson v. Amerada Hess Corp.
,
Here, Coba alleges that Ford breached the covenant of good faith and fair dealing implied in the NVLW by repairing and replacing his tanks, while "knowing that those repairs and replacements would not fix or remedy the [f]uel [t]ank [d]efect." App. 129. But even assuming Ford possessed an improper motive-a questionable notion given the evolving nature of Ford's knowledge of a design defect-the NVLW did not cover design defects, so tank repair and replacement were not "fruits of the [NVLW]" that Coba had a "right ... to receive."
Wade
,
3. New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act
To prove a violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act,
Here, Coba's NJCFA claim rests on two theories, both predicated on omissions by Ford: (1) that Ford knew and did not disclose that the fuel tank suffered from a design defect that caused delamination, and (2) that even if Ford did not know the cause of the delamination, it failed to disclose the risk. The District Court held, as to the first, that Coba failed to put forth sufficient evidence of Ford's knowledge of the design defect, and, as to the second, that "the information about the risk of delamination that Ford had available to it at the time [Coba purchased his trucks] was not material."
Coba
,
a. Ford's Knowledge of the Design Defect
To prevail on the theory that Ford failed to disclose a known design defect, Coba would need to show that Ford had that knowledge at the time of his purchases-i.e., before March 9, 2007, when Coba purchased his second truck.
Viewing the evidence "in the light most favorable" to Coba,
Plumhoff
,
Although Coba posits that the District Court only reached this conclusion by "construing all facts and drawing all inferences ... in favor of [Ford]," Appellant's Br. 56, the evidence to which he points fails to raise a triable issue. Coba relies primarily on a 2005 email from a Ford engineer remarking that recent tests of tanks exhibiting delamination uncovered "no bio-diesel traces" and noting that they were looking at "different additives that could cause [the] delamination." App. 963. But, viewing this evidence in the light most favorable to Coba, it shows that some Ford engineers had doubts whether biodiesel was the problem and they were continuing to investigate. It does not support the inference, as Coba contends, that Ford knew the problem was a design defect and that biodiesel was a "pretext," Appellant's Reply Br. 20.
Cf.
United States v. One 1973 Rolls Royce, V.I.N. SRH-16266 By & Through Goodman
,
Because there is no genuine dispute of material fact as to Ford's knowledge of a design defect, its failure to disclose that alleged defect does not give rise to liability under the NJCFA.
b. Materiality of Delamination Risk
Coba fares no better with his alternative theory that Ford violated the NJCFA by failing to disclose material information about the risk of delamination. To establish that information withheld was "material," Coba would need to show that "a reasonable [person] would attach importance to its existence in determining his [or her] choice of action."
Suarez v. E. Int'l Coll.
,
In any event, the relevant question is not the actual rate of delamination viewed in hindsight, but what Ford knew and therefore could have disclosed to customers about that rate. And the warranty data-reflecting delamination-based replacements at a rate of even less than 1%-was the information Ford had at the time. As to that small percentage, based on the undisputed evidence that Ford then believed biodiesel to be the culprit and the recommendation in its owner's manual against using those fuels, Ford had every reason to believe that risk was mitigated-as would any reasonable customer in possession of that same information. We therefore agree with the District Court that "[n]o reasonable factfinder could conclude that this information would be material to a reasonable consumer prospectively deciding, in March 2007, whether to purchase a Ford 6.0L diesel truck."
Coba
,
III. Conclusion
For the foregoing reasons, we will affirm the judgment of the District Court.
It also asserts a common law fraud claim, which Coba is no longer pursuing.
See
F5 Capital v. Pappas
,
Coba contends that we cannot affirm on these grounds because Ford did not argue that design defects were excluded from the NVLW's coverage, and the District Court did not provide notice to Coba that it was considering these grounds sua sponte.
See
Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(f)(2) ("After giving notice and a reasonable time to respond, the court may ... grant the motion [for summary judgment] on grounds not raised by a party ....");
see also
Couden v. Duffy
,
The New Jersey Supreme Court regularly relies on this dictionary and other versions of it when determining the plain and ordinary meaning of terms.
See, e.g.
,
State v. Tate
,
While "workmanship," "materials," and "design" each have multiple alternative definitions, we only highlight the definitions that are most relevant to the context of the issue before us, i.e., product development. But these words' other definitions would not alter our reasoning; if anything, they strengthen the meaning we ascribe to them. See, e.g. , Webster's Third New International Dictionary 2635 (1993) (defining "workmanship" as "the quality imparted to a thing in the process of making"); id. at 1392 (defining "materials" as "the finished stuff of which something physical (as an article of clothing) is made"); id. at 611 (defining "design" as "a mental project or scheme in which means to an end are laid down").
Although not relevant to the issues we address today, we note that
O'Brien
was superseded by N.J.S.A. 2A:58C-3a(2) to the extent it concerns the "consumer expectations" doctrine.
Dewey v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
,
See also
S. Gas & Gasoline Engine Co. v. Adams & Peters
,
Coba asserts that Ford's repeated replacements of Coba's fuel tanks constitute a course of performance that should be given "controlling weight" in interpreting these terms. Appellant's Reply Br. 5. It is true that, for contracts governed by New Jersey's Uniform Commercial Code, which Ford concedes is applicable, course of performance may be used to "explain[ ]" or "supplement[ ]" a written agreement's terms.
See
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 12A:2-202 ;
see also
Although the allegations in Coba's complaint suggested that the fuel tanks might suffer from a "manufacturing defect," App. 83, the summary judgment record is devoid of any evidence supporting the existence of such a defect. And in neither his summary judgment briefing nor his briefing on appeal has Coba argued that the fuel tanks' manufacturing process was defective.
For example, Coba relies on a document stating that "[i]n April 2008, FCSD management indicated a higher than normal sales volume (500/month) for Diesel Fuel Tanks due to delamination concerns," App. 1348, for the proposition that "Ford admit[ted] that at one point it was replacing over 500 tanks per month due to delamination," Appellant's Br. 61. Inartfully phrased as the document may be, however, on closer inspection, it is apparent that it cannot plausibly bear the weight that Coba places on it. To the contrary, it reflects that-whatever the extent to which delamination concerns may have contributed in part to the increased monthly sales volume-in the entire eight years between 2001 and 2008 Ford had identified in total only 448 verified delamination concerns.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Galo COBA; Coba Landscaping and Construction, Inc., Individually, and on Behalf of Other Members of the General Public Similarly Situated, Appellants v. FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Cited By
- 41 cases
- Status
- Published