For the better part of two years, dozens of carmakers have dealt with a slew of airbag issues — including the massive Takata defect. Now, problems with the safety devices have led to the recall of 84,000 Hyundai vehicles. [More]
Quality & Safety
Volkswagen Finalizing $15B Dieselgate Settlement, But Still No Fix In Sight
By 10.18.16
Back in June, Volkswagen reached a nearly $15 billion tentative agreement with the federal government to begin the long process of putting “dieselgate” in the rearview. Now, the carmaker is seeking to finalize that agreement, with one, rather large, modification: it still doesn’t have a process to fix the 500,000 vehicles that contain so-called “defeat devices” that skirt U.S. emissions standards. [More]
Samsung Setting Up Note 7 Exchange Booths At Airports Around The World
By 10.18.16
You’re walking toward airport security when suddenly, you remember that you haven’t exchanged your recalled Samsung Galaxy Note 7 — and you aren’t allowed to bring it on your flight due to a new federal ban prohibiting the devices on all planes, lest they catch fire. What’s a traveler to do? [More]
Nursing Home Industry Files Lawsuit To Keep Preventing Patients From Filing Lawsuits
By 10.18.16
Last month, the federal government issued new rules for nursing homes, barring most long-term care facilities from using forced arbitration agreements to stop new residents from filing lawsuits against the homes. Now nursing home operators and industry trade groups are challenging that rule by doing the one thing they want to prevent their patients from doing: going to court. [More]
Germany Asks Tesla To Rename “Misleading” Autopilot Feature
By 10.17.16
Two months ago, Tesla revised its website in China to make it more clear that the company’s Autopilot assisted-steering feature is not a fully hands-off autonomous driving function. Now, German authorities are calling on the electric vehicle maker to rethink the Autopilot name to avoid any confusion that could lead to dangerous collisions. [More]
Samsung Did Test Galaxy Note 7 Batteries Before Selling Phones, But Only In-House
By 10.17.16 — Updated: 10.18.16
As we all know by now, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone has a pretty big design flaw in it that makes the batteries extra-flammable. The phone is totally recalled and permanently off the market now, an expensive debacle for Samsung. But how, one might wonder, does a flaw that big actually escape notice during testing? Was there even testing? [More]
Feds Announce Airplane Ban For All Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Phones
By 10.14.16
The Department of Transportation, along with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), have officially issued an emergency order to ban all Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones from air transportation in the U.S., deeming the devices “forbidden hazardous material.” [More]
Honda Recalls 350K Cars Over Parking Brake Issue
By 10.14.16
Earlier this week, Toyota announced it would recall hundreds of thousands of cars over a parking brake issue. Now, Honda is following suit, recalling 350,000 sedans that contain parking brakes that might not work as intended. [More]
The Newest Feature In Air Travel: Fireproof Bags For Exploding Phones
By 10.14.16 — Updated: 10.17.16
Although it was no doubt scary when a Note 7 recently caught fire on a Southwest flight, the passengers and crew in that case were lucky that the plane was still on the ground at the gate. It was easy to get everyone off the plane safely and quickly. That option doesn’t exist at 30,000 feet, but the number of devices — and therefore, potentially flammable devices — on board is only going to keep going up. The solution? Swift containment. [More]
Samsung Officially Recalls All Galaxy Note 7 Phones, Including Replacement Devices
By 10.13.16
Not even two months after Samsung first released the Galaxy Note 7, the phone has already been recalled and replaced, only to be discontinued. Now, for the second time in five weeks, Samsung and U.S. safety regulators have issued an official recall covering all Galaxy Note 7 phones. [More]
Samsung Unsure Why Galaxy Note 7 Catches Fire, But Sends Fireproof Boxes For Returns
By 10.12.16
The end of the line came for Samsung’s fiery (literally) Galaxy Note 7 phone this week. The company has killed off the phone for good, but there are still several million of them out there worldwide, in warehouses, stores’ back rooms, and consumers’ hands, and getting them back safely is an… interesting logistical challenge. [More]
CDC Concludes General Mills Flour Investigation, But People Will Still Get Sick
By 9.30.16
You might remember the General Mills flour recall from earlier this year, where a massive amount of flour was recalled because it was potentially contaminated with E. coli, bacteria found in feces and in soil that can cause bloody diarrhea and life-threatening complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that its investigation of the outbreak is over, but that people will keep getting sick. [More]
Blue Bell Recalls Ice Cream Due To Listeria Linked To Cookie Dough Supplier
By 9.21.16
You might see the words “Blue Bell,” “Recall,” and “Listeria” together in a headline, but don’t worry. Blue Bell Ice Cream isn’t headed for another long period of sanitization and pulling the ice cream from stores, as it did last year. This recall is specific to just a few flavors, and the company has linked the contamination to an ingredient from an outside supplier: cookie dough nuggets. [More]
Samsung Announces “Product Exchange Program” For Galaxy Note 7 — But Don’t Call It A Recall
By and 9.2.16
Despite confirming to media outlets earlier today that the Galaxy Note 7 would be “recalled” — implying that the company would soon go through official regulatory channels — Samsung has gone ahead and announced details of a “product exchange program” that is not, in actuality, an official recall. [More]
Makers Of E-Cigarettes And Pricey Cigars Want To Avoid FDA Approval And Regulation
By 9.2.16
Until earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration didn’t have authority to regulate some new or unusual smokeable products that have been growing in popularity, like premium cigars, hookah tobacco, vaping products, and e-cigarettes. However, the industries behind these products are fighting regulation with lobbyists, hoping to do away with the new rule. [More]
FDA Rules: You Can’t Sell “Anti-Bacterial” Hand Soap With Triclosan Anymore
By 9.2.16
After more than half a decade of various proposals, investigations, and dithering, the FDA today has announced that it’s changing the rules. 19 active ingredients in your hand soap — most notably including triclosan, until recently very common — are going to be heading off the market. [More]
Samsung Will Recall Galaxy Note 7 After Reports Of Battery Explosions, Fires (But Hasn’t Done It Yet)
By and 9.2.16
Entenmann’s Recalls Brownie Bites And Muffins Because Plastic Shards Are Not Tasty Treats
By 9.1.16
Tiny blueberries and chocolate chips are delicious additions to your baked goods, but tiny shards of plastic definitely are not. If you bought mini muffins or brownie bites made from bulk baker Entenmann’s in the last two weeks, check the packages: it might be part of a recall of items that could contain small plastic pieces. [More]
