Ah, fall: the time of year when you need neither the air conditioning nor the heat on in your car, but just need to roll the window down a few inches to feel that lovely autumn breeze. Unless you are one of the 6.5 million people in the world who own certain model Toyota and Scion cars, in which case rolling down that window might just smell like your driver’s side door catching fire. [More]
recalls
Del Monte Recalls Granny Smith Apples Sold At 7-Eleven And Coremark
By 10.15.15
Fruit in convenience stores is a healthy snack option, but maybe not such a healthy option when potentially contaminated with bacteria that could make you sick. Del Monte Granny Smith (green) apples distributed to convenience stores in the central and mountain regions of the country may have Listeria bacteria, and have been recalled. [More]
Federal Trade Commission Opens Probe Into Volkswagen’s “Clean Diesel” Advertising
By 10.15.15
The list of state and federal agencies probing Volkswagen’s recent emissions scandal grew by one Wednesday: The Federal Trade Commission announced it has opened an investigation into the company’s advertisements that touted “clean diesel” vehicles, despite the fact the cars contained “defeat devices,” which are designed to cheat emissions tests. [More]
Dole Recalls Bagged Spinach Over Salmonella Concerns
By 10.14.15
If you recently purchased some Dole brand bagged spinach at the supermarket, it’s time to go check out the bag to see if it’s among the spinach being recalled for possible salmonella contamination. [More]
VW Moving Forward With New Emissions System, Electric Power For Future Models
By 10.14.15
Volkswagen’s immediate future is in a bit of a holding pattern. The company has a plan for how to properly handle diesel emissions in new vehicles, but it can’t implement it right away. Meanwhile, its 2016 lineup of diesels has yet to win approval from the Environmental Protection Agency. [More]
October Food And Supplement Recall Roundup: Beware Of Surprise Cheese Curls
By 10.14.15
In this month’s Recall Roundup for food and supplements, dried fruit doesn’t declare its sulfites, tortilla chips may have some cheese curls mixed in, sausage patties may have bonus metal shards, and plenty of pet food and treats may contain foodborne illnesses that can make you and your furry friends sick. [More]
VW Fix Could Take Two Years Or More; Dealer Profitability Is Main Focus
By 10.8.15
Executives for Volkswagen’s U.S. operations told lawmakers during a hearing on the company’s deceptive emission systems, that he’s confident the 500,000 so-called “clean diesel” vehicles secretly set up to cheat on emissions tests can be fixed with little disruption for owners. [More]
Volkswagen’s U.S. Chief To Be Grilled On Capitol Hill Tomorrow
By 10.7.15
Several weeks after Volkswagen admitted that millions of its so-called “clean diesel” vehicles were secretly set up to cheat on emissions tests, U.S. lawmakers are getting their first chance to directly question the carmaker about the scandal. [More]
Volkswagen Recall Repairs Could Start In January, Might Take All Year To Complete
By 10.7.15
The new head of embattled car manufacturer Volkswagen says the company might not be able to start recalling diesel cars that cheat on emissions tests until January, and that it might take most of 2016 for all repairs to be completed. [More]
Aspen Foods Recalls 561,000 More Pounds Of Stuffed Chicken Breasts
By 10.5.15
After what we’re guessing were a fraught couple of weeks of discussions between Aspen Foods and the U.S. Department of Agriculture after the government agency warned consumers not to eat the company’s products, stuffed chicken breasts produced since August have officially been recalled. This recall of 561,000 pounds of chicken breasts follows the recall of almost 2 million pounds earlier this year. [More]
CPSC: 129,000 Dishwashers Recalled Over Power Cords That May Burst Into Flames
By 10.2.15
Because washing dishes shouldn’t result in a fiery inferno, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is recalling 129,000 dishwashers in the U.S., after reports that power cords used for multiple brands can overheat and burst into flame. [More]
Thirteen Manufacturers Recall 1.3 Million Bikes Over Quick-Release Lever Crash Hazard
By 9.30.15
Thirteen companies are recalling nearly 1.3 million bicycles equipped with front disc brakes and quick-release levers that can cause the front tire to lock up or completely separate from the bike, posing an increased risk of injury to riders. [More]
Ousted Volkswagen CEO Might Still Get $67M Payday, Plus Company Car
By 9.24.15
If I got fired — sorry, had to resign — from a CEO job because my company’s stock value had tanked in the middle of a worldwide product recall scandal, the most I’d expect to walk away with is my fancy CEO nameplate and the framed picture of my teacup basset hound “Drooly” that I keep on my desk. But the recently exiled CEO of Volkswagen could be wiping away his tears with a payout worth upwards of $67 million. [More]
New York Is Now Investigating Volkswagen Recall
By 9.22.15
While federal regulators have yet to publicly confirm a reported criminal investigation into Volkswagen’s alleged attempt to deceive consumers and emissions tests, New York state is letting it be known that it plans to hold the carmaker accountable. [More]
NHTSA Chief: Regulators “Questioning Everything” About Vehicle Recalls, Safety Issues
By 9.22.15
Recent high-profile recalls from the likes of Volkswagen, General Motors and other automakers have changed the way federal regulators view safety issues within the auto industry. Instead of viewing some recall initiatives as isolated incidents, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is now going to take a closer look at issues.
[More]
Justice Dept. Considering Criminal Charges Against Volkswagen
By 9.21.15
Many people who heard about last week’s recall of 500,000 Volkswagen diesel vehicles because the carmaker installed software that tricked emissions tests have asked, “Isn’t this a crime?” That’s a good question, and one the Dept. of Justice is reportedly looking into. [More]
Yes, Owners Of Recalled Volkswagens Can File Deceptive Marketing Complaints With The FTC
By 9.21.15
While Volkswagen and the EPA say the recently recalled VW and Audi diesel cars are safe to drive while waiting for the problem to be fixed, a number of car owners feel like they were tricked by the company’s “clean diesel” branding and slogans like “this ain’t your daddy’s diesel.” So what can these consumers do? One option is to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. [More]
VW To Stop Selling Vehicles Affected By Emissions System Recall
By 9.21.15
Two days after the Environmental Protection Agency took the unusual action of issuing a motor vehicle recall for nearly 500,000 Volkswagen and Audi sedans that used software to circumvent emissions tests, the car maker says it will stop selling all vehicles equipped with the same kind of diesel motors as those involved in recall. [More]
