A federal judge in Santa Ana

A federal judge in Santa Ana A federal judge in Santa Ana on Friday said he will allow Toyota Motor Corp. vehicle used owners to move forward with a class-action lawsuit that contends unintended acceleration problems caused their cars to lose value.

Toyota attorneys had asked U.S. District Judge James Selna to dismiss the case, contending that plaintiffs’ attorneys had not identified a defect in the cars and, therefore, had no case. But Selna, in a tentative ruling, said the case could proceed.

The judge did not rule on the merits of the case. He needed only to decide whether the used plaintiffs had made allegations that, if true, could create liability for the automaker. He said he expects to issue a final ruling within one week.