Product Recall

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an auto defect recall for 2011 and 2012 model year Ford F-Series pickup trucks, which apparently have defective automatic transmission interlocks. NHTSA officials say the faulty transmission interlocks can be found in about 16,091 pickup trucks. Drivers can shift the trucks from "park" into rear without stepping on the brakes increasing the risk of car accidents or even injury to nearby pedestrians.

These auto defects are also in violation of federal safety standards. The recall affects the 2011 model year Ford F-150 pickup trucks and 2012 model year Ford F-250, F-350, F-450, and heavy duty F-550 trucks, all manufactured last September. Ford will start notifying owners to bring their recalled trucks to dealerships. The affected brake shift interlock switches will be inspected and replaced at no cost to consumers.

Read the rest »

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an auto defect recall for certain Nissan 2010 and 2011 model year sedans because of vehicle defects that could potentially cause the vehicles to stall or crash. According to Consumer Reports, about 33,800 cars are involved in this recall. NHTSA reports state that these vehicles may have faulty battery terminals that cause an unexpected engine stall while the cars are in motion. Also, the defect may prevent an engine restart, increasing the risk of a car accident.

Read the rest »

A Nebraska-based meat packer is recalling more than 40,000 pounds of ground beef products that were shipped to institutions and distributors in California and other states over food poisoning concerns. According to an Associated Press news report, the meat, produced by Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. was also shipped to 15 other states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted tests on samples, which detected the presence of the deadly E. coli bacteria in the ground beef products. Other states affected by this recall include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Read the rest »

The manufacturer of a defective child seat, which caused several skull fractures and head injuries among young children, has made no effort to improve their products or make them safer, according to consumer safety advocates. A Reuters report states that despite facing several lawsuits from parents of injured children, South Africa-based Bumbo has done little to reconfigure these seats or make them safer.

Read the rest »

Ford Motor Company and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have issued an auto defect recall for 2010-2011 model year Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans because of defective wheel studs. According to Consumer Reports, the vehicles involved in this recall may have defective wheel studs that can break and cause the wheels to separate from the cars, increasing the likelihood of a car crash. This problem could involve as many as 128,615 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan cars that are equipped with 17-inch steel wheels.

Read the rest »

A California food company has issued a recall for 6,141 cartons of cilantro in seven states over food poisoning concerns. According to an Associated Press news report, Salinas-based Pacific Cilantro recalled the herbs in seven states after U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspectors found salmonella in a sampling of the products. So far, no illnesses or fatalities have been reported. The recall has been issued in seven states including California, Arizona, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Indiana, South Carolina and Missouri, as a precaution. Those who have these products in their homes are asked to return them. The herbs were grown by Salt River Farming in the Phoenix area.

Read the rest »

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an auto defect recall involving approximately 7,365 Nissan Rogue vehicles due to power steering issues. According to a report in Consumer News, the vehicle recall involves Rogue crossover vehicles manufactured from August 2010 to October 2010. The report states that the electric power steering circuit board was installed improperly. This manufacturing defect puts an additional strain on the circuit board, and could result in a sudden loss of power steering, if the board breaks.

Read the rest »

Honda Motor Company has issued an auto defect recall along with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for about 126,000 Goldwing motorcycles because of possible brake defects. According to Consumer Reports, Honda has identified an issue with the motorcycles' secondary brake master cylinders that may cause the rear brakes to drag, increasing the risk of a collision. Riding a motorcycle with a rear brake that is stuck may also generate enough heat to pose a fire risk.

Read the rest »

A California farm is voluntarily recalling bags of chopping romaine lettuce due to food poisoning concerns. According to an Associated Press news report, True Leaf Farms of Salinas is recalling 90 cartons of lettuce, which is believed to have been contaminated with listeria bacteria. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified the company that a sample taken as part of a random check tested positive for listeria. The recall covers products with a "use by" date of September 29, 2011 and a bag and box code of "B256-46438-8."

Read the rest »

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc. is recalling its f&e-brand organic baby spinach over food poisoning concerns. According to an Associated Press news report, this food recall was issued due to concerns that the spinach could be contaminated with listeria, a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children or those with weak immune systems. The company, which is based in El Segundo, California, said the recall was issued after one bag of spinach tested positive for listeria. The products involved in this recall have an "enjoy by" date of August 1, 2011 and were sold in Fresh & Easy stores in California, Nevada and Arizona.

Read the rest »