For all those states currently placing either limits on or banning outright the direct sale of Tesla cars to the consumers, the Federal Trade Commission has a few pennies for your thoughts. Namely, that by claiming that such regulations protect consumers, they’re actually protecting the industry itself, to the detriment of consumers. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
GM Confirms It’s Being Probed On Multiple Fronts Over Ignition Recall
By 4.24.14
While there have been numerous reports of agencies poking their noses into General Motors’ long-delayed ignition-related recall tied to at least 13 deaths, today the car maker game some indication of just how many investigations it faces. [More]
Fitbit Sends Out Recall Notification That Resembles A Phishing Notice
By 4.24.14
When the Fitbit Force was recalled back in March, it looked like it should have been the easiest recall in history. Once a customer removes the Bluetooth-enabled fitness-tracking wristbands from the packaging and syncs the device to a computer or smartphone, the company has the customer’s contact information and can easily drop them an e-mail. Six weeks later, that’s what the company has done…but many customers didn’t get the notice, as we learned yesterday. Why? [More]
There’s A Potentially Itchy Black Market For The Recalled Fitbit Force
By 4.23.14
After Consumerist played a large role in getting the Fitbit Force recalled, I set up a Google alert to let me know when news about the product hits the Interweb. Since the official recall almost six weeks ago, I sort of expected to see a decrease in mentions of the product. I didn’t expect to see sales listings from a small, disingenuous Fitbit Force black market. [More]
GM Shipping Kits To Finally Repair Ignition Defect Responsible For 13 Deaths
By 4.23.14
Amid probes from legislators, regulators, lawyers and criminal investigators into how General Motors managed to get away with allowing more than a million vehicles to hit the road with defective ignition switches tied to at least 13 deaths, the car maker has finally begun shipping out kits to its dealerships so they can start fixing the problem. [More]
GM Asks Bankruptcy Court To Block Ignition-Related Lawsuits
By 4.22.14
A few weeks back, new General Motors CEO Mary Barra hedged on whether her company would hide behind the shield of its 2009 bankruptcy in order to block lawsuits tied to the ongoing ignition-related recalls, telling lawmakers only that “we have civic responsibilities as well as legal responsibilities.” In the weeks since, GM has made it very clear that it will do everything it can to use its own financial incompetence and ineptitude to put up a wall against these lawsuits. [More]
Why Every Driver Should Care About The GM Ignition Recall
By 4.21.14
The massive ongoing recall of General Motors vehicles with faulty ignition switches (and the dozen years the company spent not issuing a recall) has made headlines, launched lawsuits, angered legislators, but many consumers who don’t own a recalled car have shrugged and said, “Glad I don’t drive one of them.” [More]
Kraft Recalls 96K Pounds Of Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs Because You Shouldn’t Be Surprised By Cheese Filling
By 4.21.14
While I’ve been known to enjoy the occasional hot dog with cheese, I’ve never quite understood the appeal of those hot dogs that come pre-loaded with cheese inside the wieners. And while I’d be a bit annoyed to find out that someone at the factory had goofed and put cheese dogs in the packaging of regular ol’ hot dogs, it would be a much bigger problem for those who are allergic to dairy. [More]
Uber To Tack On $1 “Safe Rides Fee”
By 4.18.14
Getting a ride via UberX, a service that pairs up those in need of a lift with pre-screened drivers in the area willing to give them that lift, is getting slightly more expensive, as the company adds a one dollar Safe Rides Fee. [More]
Volkswagen Recalls 26,000 New Vehicles Because Bursting Into Flames Is Not Cool
By 4.17.14
Brand new isn’t always better. That certainly seems to be the case with more than 26,000 new Volkswagen vehicles being recalled. [More]
Court Denies Bid To Keep Recalled GM Cars Off Road
By 4.17.14
A U.S. District Court judge in Texas has put the brakes on an attempt to compel General Motors to tell owners of recalled vehicles to keep their cars parked pending repairs. [More]
GM Test Drivers Knew Of Ignition Problem In 2006
By 4.17.14
Another data point on the General Motors ignition recall timeline has been filled in with the latest revelation that test drivers for the car maker’s Cadillac division spotted the problem eight years ago, possibly leading to a hush-hush design tweak in the switch. [More]
So Your Mother Accidentally Stole Someone’s Car — Now What?
By 4.16.14
Because the Consumerist team is strong in the ways of the Force, I know you’re probably thinking something like, “How can someone accidentally steal a car?” Maybe if that person thinks they’re actually just moving the car they were told to move, because hey, these keys work so it must be the right one. Except that it wasn’t. [More]
Just What Tourists At The Empire State Building Needed: A Ford Mustang Blocking The View
By 4.16.14
In a publicity stunt that rivals its original stunt from 50 years ago, Ford perched a shiny yellow Mustang on the observation deck of the Empire State Building. [More]
GM Asks Courts To Stop Ignition-Switch Lawsuits Because It Hasn’t Been GM Since 2009
By 4.16.14
The investigation into GM’s massive manufacturing defect, cover-up, and long-delayed recall is still ramping up, but the lawsuits are already well under way. Or at least, they’re trying to be — but those lawsuits might be over before they start. GM is now relying on their bankruptcy, bailout, and restructuring to claim protection for any errors, small and large, that the company made prior to 2009. Including an error that’s killed at least thirteen peopler. [More]
Record Players For Cars Seemed Like A Good Idea In 1956
By 4.15.14
The history of consumer goods is littered with brilliant ideas that weren’t quite ready for public consumption yet. In the ’50s, if you wanted to listen to some music in your vehicle, your choices were listening to the radio or forcing your family members to sing. Until the invention of the Highway Hi-Fi in-car record player changed all that. Or could have, if it had caught on with the public. [More]
BMW Recalls 156,000 Vehicles, Because No One Likes When Their Car Won’t Start
By 4.10.14
If we had a penny for every vehicle recalled so far this week, we’d buy all of our loyal readers an ice cream cone. Okay, maybe not, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been an overabundance of recalls lately. And we can add one more company to that list: BMW. [More]
Guy Games Uber’s Referral System, Racks Up $50K In Free Rides (That He Didn’t Get To Keep)
By 4.10.14
Much like taking out your parents’ Porsche for a joyride, you can’t get away with doing something you’re not supposed to be doing forever. Like gaming the Uber car service’s referral system by signing up strangers so you can rack up $50,000 in ride credits. [More]
