Pier 1 Imports has announced the recall of 400,000 tea lights because the flame on the candle can burn too high and pose a fire hazard. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
Recalled Windstar Not Worth Fixing, Ford Wants To Buy It
By 2.24.11
Eric owns an elderly (model year 1999) Ford Windstar, and isn’t particularly interested in trading it in for a new car for financial reasons. Ford recently recalled hundreds of thousands of older Windstars, and Eric dutifully brought his car in for repair. Instead of a freshly safe car, he received an offer of $3,700 for his van. If he wanted to keep the van, he would need to sign a document absolving ford of any liability if anything goes wrong with the car. What would you do? [More]
Toyota Recalls 2.17 Million Cars, NHTSA Closes Investigation
By 2.24.11
At the request of regulators, Toyota is recalling an additional 2.17 million cars dating back to 2003 to deal with concerns over stuck gas pedals that could lead to out-of-control acceleration. And with that, it looks like NHTSA, the National Highway Transportation Administration, has shut the books on the unintended acceleration issue. [More]
Ford Recalls 150,000 F-150 Trucks Over Airbag Concerns
By 2.23.11
Denis Leary may shout about how crazy smart the engineers at Ford are in those irritating TV ads, but those engineers apparently weren’t smart enough to include an airbag that might not deploy without warning in the F-150 pickup. [More]
Ikea Recalls Sniglar Cribs Over Possible Mattress Collapse Issue
By 2.18.11
Ikea has issued a recall for its Sniglar baby cribs after learning of a possible risk that the mattress support could collapse. [More]
Honda Recalls Nearly 100,000 Fits In U.S. For Possible Engine Problems
By 2.17.11
Looks like the Honda Fit isn’t exactly living up to its healthy-sounding name. The automaker has announced a worldwide recall for around 700,000 of the cars — nearly 100,000 just in the U.S. — over possible engine-stalling problems. [More]
Mommy Bloggers Offered $10 To Write Nice Stories About Toyota
By 2.16.11
Looking around the internet, there is often a thin line between editorial content and advertising. It’s not surprising to go to an entertainment blog on a Friday to not only see that the page has been skinned with an ad for a new movie but also a gallery of that movie’s star or a fluff interview with someone in the film. But some mommy bloggers say they’re not willing to cross that line by accepting a $10 gift card in exchange for writing a positive story about Toyota. [More]
1.7 Million Summer Infant Baby Monitors Recalled After 2 Babies Die
By 2.14.11
1.7 million Summer Infant video baby monitors were recalled after two babies died after they wrapped their necks in the electrical cords of the the devices that were placed too close to their crib. “I urge all parents and caregivers to put at least 3 feet between any video or audio baby monitor cords and a child in a crib,” Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said in a statement. “This simple step can save your child’s life.” [More]
No Electronic Cigarettes Allowed On Flights, Rules The DOT
By 2.14.11
Looks like cigarette smokers will have to keep furiously chewing nicotine gum on U.S. flights, as the Department of Transportation has said “nope, not gonna do it,” to allowing smokeless electronic cigarettes on airplanes. [More]
DOT: No Evidence Of Electronics Error In Toyota Acceleration Cases
By 2.8.11
The Dept. of Transportation has completed its investigation into the causes of sudden unintended acceleration in some Toyota vehicles and found no evidence that an electronic glitch could be responsible. [More]
Should Supermarkets Be Responsible For Notifying Club Card Members Of Recalls?
By 2.4.11
A new class-action lawsuit being brought against Safeway claims that the supermarket chain failed in its duty to actively notify members of its Safeway Club card program about recalls for food sold at the store. [More]
Recall Issued For 245,000 Lexus IS & GS Cars
By 1.26.11
Another big recall for Toyota. This time the car maker is recalling a total of 245,000 Lexus IS and GS vehicles in the U.S.because of a possible problem with the fuel pressure sensor installation. [More]
Toyota Allegedly Conspired To Keep Canadian Exports Out Of US — Get A Piece Of The Class Action
By 1.26.11
If you bought or leased a new car in the Toyota family from Jan 1, 2001 to April 30, 2003, you could get some cash in a new class action lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges a conspiracy between Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. and the Canadian Automobile Dealer’s Association (CADA) to keep Canadian car exports out of the states and raise prices for American consumers. [More]
Rent The $157K Tesla Roadster Electric Car For $25
By 1.21.11
Want to see what it’s like to drive a $157,000 electric car without having to take out a second mortgage? You’ll soon have a chance, if you’re a member of car-sharing service Getaround, and live near the car’s owner. Just $25 will buy you an hour behind the wheel of a Tesla Roadster Sport, owned by a Getaround member. [More]
Johnson & Johnson Recalls Even More Tylenol, Benadryl, Sudafed & Sinutab
By 1.18.11
The new year isn’t starting well for Johnson & Johnson. First, the OTC drug giant gets sued by the state of Oregon over allegations of a phantom Motrin recall. And now its McNeil Labs division has issued the latest in a lengthy list of actual recalls. This time, it’s for certain lots of Tylenol 8 Hour, Tylenol Arthritis Pain, Tylenol upper respiratory products, Benadryl, Sudafed PE, and Sinutab products distributed in the United States, the Caribbean, and Brazil. [More]
Oregon Sues J&J For Secretly Recalling Motrin
By 1.14.11
Instead of issuing a recall, after Johnson and Johnson discovered its Motrin caplets were defective, they hired a contractor to go around the country buy up all the drugs. It was a “secret recall” that left the bad medicine on shelves for months for consumers to buy. Now the Oregon AG is suing J&J. The story broke when one of the guys hired to do the buying faxed regulators the instructions J&J gave him. [More]
When You Call A Candy Bar "Toxic Waste," You Probably Shouldn't Be Shocked It Has Lead In It
By 1.14.11
Unlike McDonald’s Fruit and Maple Oatmeal, which has angered some over its lack of real maple syrup, Toxic Waste brand Nuclear Sludge Chew Bars live up to their name by containing more than twice the tolerable limit of lead. [More]
OnStar Pairs Up With Best Buy To Offer Service In Non-GM Vehicles
By 1.5.11
General Motors has finally realized that its hands-free OnStar communications system might work better as a retail item than simply as a way to entice customers to purchase GM vehicles. At a press conference on Tuesday night, the company announced it has partnered with Best Buy to sell an after-market version that can be installed in non-GM cars and trucks. [More]
