![Officials with Takata took out full-page ads in major U.S. newspapers to reassure customers. [Click to Enlarge]](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/takata.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
For the second time this month Ford has announced plans to expand its recall of vehicles equipped with Takata-produced airbags that may spew shrapnel at passengers upon deployment. Not only does the latest recall cover nearly 500,000 vehicles, it finally takes into consideration the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations’ request to include vehicles currently registered nationwide. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
Texas Plumber Sells Truck, Gets Branded A Terrorist
By 12.17.14
Our global, interconnected economy is an amazing thing. Of course, it doesn’t seem so amazing right now to the person answering the phones at Mark-1 Plumbing in Texas City, Texas. The business has had to remove the batteries from its cordless phones to stop the phones from “ringing off the hook” after a truck with its name emblazoned on the door ended up in the hands of an Islamic militant group in Syria. [More]
December Recall Roundup: Nobody Likes A Melted Battery Charger
By 12.15.14
The Recall Roundup for December is not very merry, especially if you’re in the market for electronic devices. Here’s a collection of appliances and devices that could cause overheating and discomfort or actual property damage. [More]
GM Fund Now Links Ignition Defect To 42 Deaths, 58 Injuries
By 12.15.14
The General Motors victim compensation fund approved four death claims last week, bringing the total number of confirmed fatalities linked to faulty ignition switches to 42 – officially tripling the number of deaths GM initially linked to the issue. [More]
Uber Realizes Charging Surge Prices During Sydney Hostage Situation Isn’t A Great Idea, Offers Free Rides
By 12.15.14
As of Monday morning, there is a hostage situation in Sydney, Australia, where a suspect has been in a standoff with police since Sunday morning, holding a reported 13 or so people hostage inside a cafe in the city’s central business district. And while others in the area tried to flee from the scene as quickly as possible yesterday, Uber customers were finding $100 minimum charges and up to 4x surge prices to get a ride somewhere safer. [More]
Washington State Issues Emergency Shellfish Recall After Illness Reported
By 12.12.14
Consuming raw seafood is always a gamble, and for a dozen people it turned out to be an unsuccessful wager. And so, Washington state health officials are ordering an emergency harvest closure and recall of shellfish shipped throughout the country. [More]
Chrysler Expands Takata Airbag Recall By Nearly 209,000 Vehicles In Five Additional States, U.S. Territories
By 12.12.14
Hot off the heels of several automakers heeding regulators’ suggestion to initiate nationwide recalls of vehicles with Takata-produced airbags that may spew shrapnel at passengers upon deployment, Chrysler is following suit – kind of. [More]
Uber’s Response To Complaint About Driver Who Offered Oral Sex: Here’s $31
By 12.11.14
How is one supposed to react when an Uber driver offers to pull the car over and demonstrate his prowess at oral sex? And how is Uber supposed to react when that passenger files a complaint about the incident? We don’t know the answers to these questions, but the ride-sharing service valued the passenger’s discomfort at around $31. [More]
Del Monte Recalls Fruit Snack Packs Potentially Contaminated With Listeria
By 12.10.14
Sure, we feel like we’re doing something righteous and healthy when we buy a package of cut fresh fruit for a snack instead of cookies or a candy bar, but there are times when choosing fresh fruit can come back to bite you. That’s the case for some Del Monte fruit snacks sold in grocery and convenience stores. [More]
San Francisco, L.A. Sue Uber For Allegedly Misleading Consumers On Drivers’ Safety, Other Issues
By 12.10.14
After hearing several tales of consumers being mistreated or accosted by Uber drivers, one might begin to question the company’s “industry-leading” practices when it comes to screening drivers. It appears two California district attorneys are doing just that by filing a civil suit against the company for a number of issues including allegedly misleading consumers on its background checks for drivers. [More]
Honda, Mazda Move For National Recall Of Vehicles With Defective Takata Airbags
By 12.9.14
Nearly a month after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urged automakers and parts manufacturer Takata to expand recalls of vehicles with airbags that may spew shrapnel at passengers upon deployment, Honda and Mazda have agreed to national recalls – although many specifics regarding the new recalls remain undetermined. [More]
Portland Sues To Get Rid Of Uber Just Days After Car Service Arrives In The City
By 12.9.14
The city of Portland, OR hasn’t just avoided putting out the welcome mat for ridesharing service Uber, no siree. Portland is so set against the company setting up shop there, that only a few days after Uber opened up for business there, the city is suing to ban it from operating. [More]
December Food And Supplement Recall Roundup – Diet Drugs Are Not Bee Pollen
By 12.9.14
In our December recall roundup, bodybuilding supplements contain steroids, caramel-filled chocolate bites have peanut butter in them, and fungus-contaminated probiotic powder had a horrible, tragic result. Also, maybe people should reconsider this whole thing where we buy commercial bean sprouts. [More]
FDA: Idaho Knew About Chobani Mold Issue Before Yogurts Started Exploding
By 12.8.14
Last year, fungal contamination in yogurt made in Chobani’s new plant in Idaho led to problems with their products distributed nationwide. These problems ranged from “this yogurt tastes funny” to in-fridge explosions to dozens of illnesses that consumers attributed to the yogurt. Now, the Idaho plant’s local newspaper has learned that the state government may have known about the mold contamination long before any yogurts were pulled from stores. [More]
Tesla Batteries Might Be The Next Big Threat To Electric Companies
By 12.5.14
Electric cars might not be great for gas companies, but they feel like a net win for the electric utilities: after all, if you’re plugging in a Tesla in the garage every night, that’s a little more juice they can charge you for using. Tesla’s goal, though, isn’t just to make cars less environmentally hostile, but to make everything else that way too. And that might just be a huge problem for existing electric utilities. [More]
GM Issues New SUV And Truck Keys For Ignition Problem: Not THAT Ignition Problem
By 12.3.14
While it’s not directly related to the now-infamous General Motors ignition defect that has been blamed for the deaths of 35 motorists, the company is replacing ignition keys for some model year 2014 and 2015 Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks and SUVs. When the steering column is in the highest position, the shifter can make contact with the key and turn off the engine. [More]
Uber To Start Testing Carpooling Service In NYC This Week
By 12.2.14
Remember that awkward feeling of being in the verysame car as John Blohn, the guy everyone had a crush on in seventh grade, but knowing that you’re only carpool acquaintances, and not real friends, as he may have not so nicely reminded you at the last Big Dance when you cornered him near the bleachers? New Yorkers will soon be able to recreate that feeling with strangers as Uber starts testing its carpool service in the city this week. Just great. [More]
General Motors Recalls 316,000 Vehicles For Potential Headlight Failures
By 12.2.14
Imagine driving down a dark country road where there’s some traffic in the other direction, so you don’t have your high beams on. Suddenly, your headlights cut out. Wait! What? That’s the scenario posed in the latest General Motors recall, which concerns 317,357 vehicles sold in North America with model years between 2006 and 2008. [More]
