Just when you thought car buying couldn’t get any more fraught with peril — Auto dealers succeeded in stalling popular, common-sense auto safety legislation pending in California that would have prohibited them from renting, selling, leasing, or loaning unsafe, recalled used cars at retail to consumers. They complained that it is impossible for them to…
MINI Cooper. Owners/lessees and certain prior owners/lessees of the 2007-2009 MINI Cooper R56 (“Cooper Hardtop”) and 2008-2009 MINI Cooper R55 (“Cooper Clubman”). A defect with the timing chain tensioner can cause sudden engine failure at even high speeds. The Timing Chain Tensioner is a component that maintains proper tension of the guide rails against the…
Jeep Liberty or Jeep Cherokee. Owners/lessees and certain prior owners/lessees of 2005-2007 Jeep Liberty or Jeep Cherokee models should be aware of a potential window mechanism defect. There appears to be a defect in the window regulators, lift plates and related mechanisms that causes the windows to bind, stick, tip forward, chatter and fall to…
Ford Ecoboost. Owners/lessees and certain prior owners/lessees of 2010-2013 Ford vehicles containing a 3.5L V6 Ecoboost Engine should be aware of a potential engine defect may cause the vehicle to suddenly limp or stall. Ford’s Ecoboost engine utilizes a “Charge Air Cooler” to cool the engine and conserve gas. As moisture collects in the cooler,…
Ford Fusion and C-Max Hybrids. Owners/lessees of Model Year 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid and C-Max Hybrid vehicles should be aware that independent testing performed by Consumer Reports indicates that the Vehicles’ EPA-reported gas mileage far overstates the actual mileage achieved by the Vehicles. Ford marketing materials assert that the Vehicles have an EPA-reported gas mileage…
BMW. Owners/lessees and certain prior owners/lessees of certain BMW vehicles should be aware of a potential design defect that allows water to enter the vehicle’s trunk and potentially damage electronics. Because of the design of the vehicles’ drainage system, as well as certain other design issues, water may enter into and collect in your trunk,…
Lemon Alert: 2011-2012 Ford Focus/Fiesta transmission cases are piling up, but Ford is fighting consumers seeking buybacks. The transmissions all seem to exhibit the same problems: a shudder going from 1-2 gear; an grinding/rubbing noise on turns, and just all around poor transmission performance
World’s Largest Debt Collection Operation Settles FTC Charges, Will Pay $3.2 Million Penalty Largest Civil Penalty Ever Obtained by the FTC Against a Third-party Debt Collector The world’s largest debt collection operation, Expert Global Solutions and its subsidiaries, has agreed to stop harassing consumers with allegedly illegal debt collection calls and to pay a $3.2…
Here is a great article about how the US Supreme Court is destroying consumer protections and allowing lawbreaking employers to steal wages. http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jul/06/business/la-fi-scotus-employees-20130706
Chrysler Group LLC has announced it will recall 840,000 vehicles across the globe due to flaws in the active-restraint head rests. The recall covers 2011-2013 Chrysler Sebring, Chrysler 200, Dodge Avenger and Jeep Liberty vehicles, as well as 2011-2012 Dodge Nitro SUVs. The company said the microcomputer in the headrests may have faulty components, causing…
