Tropical Bedding Mattress Sets (fire)
Le Hing Baby Walkers (falling)
Mares Dive Computers (drowning)
Hammary Furniture Chests and Tables (lead)
Oriental Furniture Roman Shades and Roll-Up Blinds (strangulation)
Transportation & Infrastructure
Recall Recall!
By 4.21.10
Toyota Recalls 9,400 2010 Lexus GX 460 Vehicles
By 4.19.10
Less than one week after our lab coat-wearing brethren at Consumer Reports issued a “Don’t Buy” rating on the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV because of potential rollover issues, Toyota has announced a voluntary recall of approximately 9,400 GX 460s worldwide. [More]
Toyota To Pay $16.4 Million Fine Over Delayed Defect Report
By 4.19.10
The U.S. Department of Transportation is expected to announce today that Toyota will agree to pay $16.4 million over its failure to notify the government about the defects that led to recalls of millions of vechicles earlier this year. The company apparently knew about the problems for several months before reporting them to regulators; it should have done so within five days. [More]
Toyota Recalls 600,000 Sienna Minivans
By 4.17.10
Because 8 million recalled vehicles worldwide was apparently not enough for Toyota, the car giant has gone and recalled 600,000 of their Sienna minivans because of possible rust damage to the cable holding the spare tire. [More]
Why Did Toyota Wait 6 Weeks To Recall Venzas In The U.S.?
By 4.16.10
While we in the U.S. have become accustomed to getting things before the rest of the world, that doesn’t seem to hold true for Toyota recalls. Documents show that the car maker issued a recall for their Venza vehicle in December, but decided to wait six weeks to make the same decision stateside. [More]
Consumer Reports: Sorry, Toyota, You Can't Borrow Our Test Track
By 4.15.10
Consumer Reports, which is published by Consumers Union just like good old Consumerist, has declined to allow Toyota to borrow its test track to replicate the findings that led the organization to issue a “Don’t Buy” rating on a Lexus SUV. [More]
Walmart Regains Top Spot On Fortune 500 List
By 4.15.10
With over $408 billion in revenue, Walmart has regained the coveted top spot on the annual Fortune 500 list. The mega retailer had slipped to #2 behind Exxon Mobil on last year’s list after two consecutive #1 years in 2007 and 2008. [More]
Consumer Reports: Don't Buy This Lexus SUV
By 4.13.10
Our little buddies at Consumer Reports have determined that a safety risk may be present in the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV. When pushed to its limits on CR’s track, the rear of the GX they bought “slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the electronic stability control system was able to regain control.” [More]
Kids Who Can't Even Read Recognize Logos For McDonald's, Disney And… Toyota?
By 4.12.10
A new study of brand recognition in kids shows that even kids who can’t read can recognize corporate logos like Disney, McDonald’s and randomly… Toyota. [More]
Senator Joins DOT Secretary In Blasting Spirit's New Carry-On Bag Fees
By 4.12.10
Spirit Airline’s ballsy new $20-45 fee for carry-on bags has already caught the attention of the Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and now New York Senator Charles Schumer is rattling his sword. [More]
State Farm To Toyota: Pay Us Back For Unintended Acceleration Accidents
By 4.12.10
As if the mass of class-action lawsuits against Toyota weren’t enough for the Japanese car maker, it now faces an immediate challenge from another side — the insurance companies. State Farm announced over the weekend that they want Toyota to reimburse them for claims they’ve had to pay out for incidents related to sudden unintended acceleration. [More]
Toyota Class Action Suits To Be Heard In California
By 4.9.10
Looks like California has won the legal lottery that is the Toyota recall, after a federal panel selected the Central District of California as the place to hear an amalgam of class-action lawsuits against the Japanese car maker. [More]
Worst Company In America Sweet 16: Anthem BCBS VS GM
By 4.8.10
It’s the bankrupt against the morally bankrupt! In the first round of WCIA 2010, bailed-out car giant GM surprised early prognosticators by handily beating recall-happy Toyota. And in one of the closest fights so far, rate-hike-happy Anthem beat Assurant by an uninsured broken nose. [More]
GM Loses Another $4.3 Billion; Expects To Be Profitable In 2010
By 4.7.10
Since General Motors declared bankruptcy last July — and received over $50 billion in federal aid to stay afloat — the company has really managed to turn things around, only losing $4.3 billion in the months since. And some people wondered how GM beat out Toyota in their Worst Company In America match-up. [More]
Should The Hummer Be Saved?
By 4.6.10
Just a few weeks ago, it seemed like a done deal that General Motors would be putting their Hummer brand out of its misery. But a group of Hummer fans (because who doesn’t love an occasional Hummer?) is going to make a final stand for their favorite vehicles at a summit in Chicago this weekend. [More]
NHTSA Hits Toyota With $16.3 Million Penalty For Sticky Pedal
By 4.5.10
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced today that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is seeking the maximum civil penalty of $16.375 million against the world’s largest car maker “for failing to notify the auto safety agency of the dangerous “sticky pedal” defect for at least four months, despite knowing of the potential risk to consumers.” [More]
GM To Install Brake Override Software Worldwide By 2012
By 4.5.10
Perhaps in a move to not win Consumerist’s Worst Company In America title, General Motors announced today that they plan on installing brake override software in all GM cars with automatic transmissions and electronic throttle control worldwide by 2012. [More]
Gas Fire Columns Recalled For Being Too Aptly Named
By 4.5.10
Some outdoor gas fire columns sold through Costco in the past 6-7 months have been recalled, because “gas can leak from connections in the column, posing a fire hazard.” I guess that’s why the photo shows it next to a serene koi pond–it’s so you can grab a rake and push it into the water if it gets too fire column-y. [More]
