In the Recall Roundup for October, some American consumers aren’t clear on how tables work, an appliance that’s supposed to kill bedbugs tries to do so by burning your house down, and a Halloween flashlight can overheat and melt in a terrifying way. Here are the consumer items recalled in the last month. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
Chrysler Recalls 566,000 Trucks And SUVs For Fuel Leaks, Stability Control Issues
By 10.29.14
The recalls continue to roll in for national car manufacturers. This time Chrysler has issued two recalls affecting more than 566,000 trucks and SUVs for issues related to fuel leaks and electronic stability control disablement. [More]
Ford Recalls 205,000 SUVs In Cold Weather States Over Gas Tank Issues
By 10.29.14
A majority of the recalls we’ve written about lately revolve around vehicles in humid areas of the United States. Not wanting to leave anyone out, Ford’s latest recall concerns nearly 205,000 vehicles located in cold weather states. [More]
Uber Will Bring A Kitten To Your Door Today (If You Live In The Right City)
By 10.29.14
In the need for a furry snuggle to brighten up your day? We live in an age where you can get anything delivered to your door, and today that includes kittens for the lucky residents of Austin, Chicago, DC, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Seattle, with UberKITTEN, which is returning once again after the masses clamored for more cats last year. [More]
Go-Cart Maker Hit With $4.3M Penalty For Failing To Immediately Report Dangerous Defects
By 10.28.14
Through its recall power, the Consumer Product Safety Commission aims to protect Americans from unreasonable risks found in the things they buy. And when companies know about a defective product but don’t tell the CPSC right away, they can end up facing millions of dollars in penalties for delaying a recall. Just ask the South Carolina go-cart manufacturer hit with the agency’s largest-ever penalty. [More]
First Class-Action Suit Filed Against Takata Over Airbag Defects
By 10.28.14
With nearly 8 million vehicles recalled, 30 injuries and at least four deaths linked to potentially defective Takata airbags, it should come as no surprise that the Japanese auto parts maker would face its fair share of lawsuits from consumers. [More]
31,600 Pounds Of Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets Recalled For Staphylococcal Enterotoxin
By 10.27.14
Drop that nugget! The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a recall of 31,600 pounds of Bell & Evans gluten-free chicken nuggets that were shipped nationwide. Random testing in Colorado turned up contamination with Staphylococcal enterotoxin, and all nuggets in the batch have been recalled. [More]
NHTSA Probes Lack Of Parts & Communication In Year-Old Dodge Recall
By 10.27.14
Nearly a year after Chrysler announced two recalls of Dodge Ram trucks, consumers are still waiting to have their vehicles fixed. The lack of parts and slow pace in remedying the steering issues has investigators with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration looking for answers. [More]
While City Arrests Uber Drivers, Philly Mayor Comes Out In Support Of Service
By 10.27.14
Here in Philadelphia, the dispute between cab regulators and the Uber ridesharing service has gotten ugly, with the city arresting and fining numerous drivers over the weekend. Given this response to Uber, you’d think Philly Mayor Michael Nutter would be calling for the service to exit the city. But instead he’s calling for a truce. [More]
Several Brands Of Baby Wipes Recalled For Possible Bacterial Contamination
By 10.27.14
Consumers use baby wipes for any number of reasons, but they all revolve around the same purpose: cleansing. While the wipes manufactured by a Pennsylvania company will probably remove that smudge of chocolate from your child’s cheek, it might also leave behind bacteria. [More]
Maker Of Airbags Linked To 8M Recalled Vehicles Used Unusual Chemical Explosive For Inflation
By 10.27.14
Takata, the Japanese/German auto-parts maker, that supplied airbags used in millions of recalled vehicles employed an unusual explosive chemical to inflate the safety devices, which may have contributed to the spraying of metal shrapnel at vehicle passengers. [More]
Evenflo Agrees To Recall 202,000 Rear-Facing Infant Car Seats Over Tricky Buckle
By 10.24.14
Earlier this year, both Graco and Evenflo recalled almost six million car seats, all told, due to a safety buckle that regulators said could be tricky to open in the case of an emergency, and hamper attempts to get kids out of the car safely. And now, despite pushing back against a recall for additional rear-facing infant seats that use the same buckle, but that the companies argued don’t pose the same risk, Evenflo says it’s agreed to recall 202,000 more car seats. [More]
North Carolina Food Firm Shuts Down Two Weeks After Major Recall For Listeria Contamination
By 10.23.14
Just two weeks after recalling more than 150 food products for possible listeria contamination, a North Carolina-based food distributor is reportedly closing its doors. [More]
Audi Recalls 850,000 Vehicles For Glitch That Could Prevent Airbag Deployment
By 10.23.14
Airbag woes continued for car manufacturers around the world today as Audi announced it would recall 850,000 vehicles with possibly defective airbags. [More]
Why Doesn’t Tesla Just Use Dealerships To Sell Its Cars?
By 10.23.14
Earlier this week, auto dealers in Michigan successfully manipulated the state’s lawmakers to clarify that the only way any car company can sell any vehicles in Michigan is through franchised auto dealers. A handful of other states have similar laws banning Tesla or any other car company from selling their products straight to consumers. So why doesn’t Tesla just give in and work with dealers? [More]
Uber France Cancels Promo With Free Car Rides From Beautiful Ladies
By 10.22.14
Ride-sharing service Uber is currently trying to take over France. As in many areas where the app is trying to expand, French authorities have imposed restrictions and even a €100,000 fine on the company for being an unregulated taxi service. Uber’s response was an poorly thought-out promotion in the city of Lyon where passengers could go for 20-minute rides in cars chauffeured by beautiful ladies. [More]
Michigan Joins List Of Tesla-Hating States; Bans Direct Sales Of Cars
By 10.21.14
Even though only a few dozen Teslas have been sold to people in Michigan, and even though the electric vehicle maker has no storefront display operations in the state, the home of America’s auto industry has decided it needed to pass a law actually banning carmakers from selling automobiles to Michigan consumers without first going through a franchised dealership. [More]
NHTSA Urges Owners Of Vehicles With Defective Airbags To Get Them Fixed, Even Though No Parts Are Available
By 10.21.14
Federal safety regulators are asking millions of vehicle owners to immediately fix their defective airbags, but it may do little to actually remedy the problem. With more than 14 million cars equipped with faulty Takata airbags, car manufacturers say they don’t have enough replacement parts on hand, meaning consumers consumers will have to wait and decide for themselves whether they want to keep driving affected vehicles. [More]
