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NEW CONTENT MOVED TO MIDDLEBORO REVIEW 2

Toyota

Since the Dilly, Dally, Delay & Stall Law Firms are adding their billable hours, the Toyota U.S.A. and Route 44 Toyota posts have been separated here:

Route 44 Toyota Sold Me A Lemon



Showing posts with label consumer protection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label consumer protection. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

MERCEDES-BENZ MUSTY SMELL LAWSUIT FILED IN GEORGIA



MERCEDES-BENZ MUSTY SMELL
LAWSUIT FILED IN GEORGIA


Mercedes-Benz owner files lawsuit that alleges the air conditioning system has moldy smell.

By 
, CarComplaints.com 
Posted in News

 — A Mercedes-Benz musty smell lawsuit alleges vehicle occupants are harmed by mold and mildew odors floating from the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Plaintiff Gary Arakelian says the vehicles have design defects that cause the HVAC systems to accumulate mold and emit a moldy and musty smell in the vehicles when the air conditioning systems are on. Arakelian says his health has been harmed because of noxious HVAC odors while driving.
The proposed class-action lawsuit includes Gerogia owners and lessees of the following vehicles.
  • 2004-2012 Mercedes A-Class
  • 2001-2017 Mercedes C-Class
  • 2000-2014 Mercedes CL-Class
  • 2013-2017 Mercedes CLA-Class
  • 2003-2009 Mercedes CLK-Class
  • 2004-2017 Mercedes CLS-Class
  • 2003-2016 Mercedes E-Class
  • 2007-2017 Mercedes GL-Class
  • 2010-2016 Mercedes GLK-Class
  • 2006-2016 Mercedes M-Class
  • 2017 Mercedes OLE-Class
  • 2006-2015 Mercedes R-Class
  • 1999-2017 Mercedes S-Class
  • 2003-2012 Mercedes SL-Class
  • 2004-2016 Mercedes SLK-Class
  • 2002-2013 Maybach 57
  • 2002-2013 Maybach 62
The plaintiff says Mercedes should have known about the alleged musty smells based on customers who complained about mold, mildew and something owners call the “the MB signature smell.” Furthermore, internal testing allegedly conducted by Mercedes-Benz should have proved there were problems somewhere in the air conditioning systems.
Even with that knowledge, the automaker allegedly concealed defects that caused the vehicles to lose value and caused customers to spend money to change the cabin filters.
Owners claim they were told to replace the cabin filters to remedy the musty smells, or in some cases were told all European cars have those smells. But those owners complain filter changes did nothing but make dealers even more money on a problem that should have been repaired long ago by Mercedes.
The plaintiff says Mercedes-Benz has a profitable business by recommending that owners have the cabin filters changed because even if the vehicles are under warranty, Mercedes dealers allegedly tell owners they are responsible for covering the replacement costs.
This isn't the first time the automaker has been served papers for a class-action lawsuit filed by customers who allege abnormal smells coming from the HVAC systems.
A Mercedes-Benz air conditioning odor lawsuit filed in May 2017 alleges numerous Georgia customers suffer with HVAC systems that fail to properly evaporate or drain condensation. This allegedly creates a moist environment for the growth of bacteria, fungus, mold and spores.
The Mercedes-Benz musty air conditioning smell lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California - Gary Arakelian, et. al., v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
The plaintiff is represented by the Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman PC.

Mercedes Benz defends against lawsuit about moldy air conditioners

http://www.wsbtv.com/video?videoId=618437568&videoVersion=1.0


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Thursday, September 28, 2017

Al Franken and Elizabeth Warren | Big Wall Street Banks Hate This Rule





Reader Supported News
28 September 17
It's Live on the HomePage Now: 

FOCUS: Al Franken and Elizabeth Warren | Big Wall Street Banks Hate This Rule
Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Al Franken. (photo: Andrew Harnik/AP)
Al Franken and Elizabeth Warren, Al Franken's Facebook Page
Excerpt: "At this very moment, financial special interest groups are gearing up to unravel a key consumer rule that defends people's legal rights when they sign up for ordinary financial products like checking accounts and credit cards."
READ MORE

As Senator, my job is to work for Minnesotans—not Wall Street CEOs and deep-pocketed bankers. And that’s why I’m going to fight back against an urgent threat to Americans' constitutional rights. At this very moment, financial special interest groups are gearing up to unravel a key consumer rule that defends people’s legal rights when they sign up for ordinary financial products like checking accounts and credit cards. Republicans in the Senate could take a vote as soon as this week to totally scrap the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s “forced arbitration” rule, which strengthens the ability of consumers to band together in class-action lawsuits after they’ve been wronged.
The big banks and financial institutions—including Equifax, the massive credit bureau that put 143 million Americans’ private information at risk—want to stop you from joining forces with other Americans to hold them responsible for their actions. That’s because when these guys mess up and try to cover their tracks, they know the only thing that can hold them accountable is your collective power as consumers.

We can’t let Wall Street get away with this one. I’m going to be standing up for the CFPB rule, and I sure hope you’ll join me.
VIDEO ON LINK

or as long as I’ve been in the Senate, I’ve been fighting to end forced arbitration, which is a practice often used by big companies to strip Americans of their legal rights and prevent them from seeking justice in the court system. I strongly support a recently issued rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau—or CFPB, for short—to help protect Americans' constitutional rights when they sign up for credit cards, checking accounts, or take out a payday alone, for example. Giant financial institutions and the big Wall Street banks hate this rule, because it means they won’t be able keep as many Americans locked out of the courts, and now they’re wielding their influence and power to get Congress to kill it. In fact, there was already a vote in the House of Representatives that took the first step towards dismantling the CFPB arbitration rule.
If we don’t push back, Wall Street could get its way. Thats why I'm ratcheting up the fight with my colleague U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. I hope you watch our video, and join us in making your voices heard.


Here's How to Support Puerto Rico as It Recovers From Devastating Hurricane Maria
Remezcla
Excerpt: "With the island expected to go without power for months, Puerto Rico now needs our help. The US territory is in the midst of a financial crisis and already struggling in many ways."
READ MORE
Become a Fan of RSN on Facebook and Twitter



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Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Toyota frame rust settlement could cost the company $3.4 billion




Toyota frame rust settlement could cost the company $3.4 billion


capsatwww.Crackwheels.comSenior PakWheeler


As many as 225,000 steel frames under Toyota Tacoma and Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs may need to be replaced, says a lawyer who helped settle a class-action lawsuit against Toyota over the frames' potential for rusting.

The repair is an expensive, labor-intensive process that requires nearly the complete disassembly of the vehicle.

The proposed legal settlement could cost Toyota as much as $3.4 billion for the repairs, according to court documents.

Several time-lapse videos on youtube.com show the job requiring as many as four technicians and two service bays. The repair can take from almost two days to a week, depending on a dealer's ability to put more than one technician on the job.

About 1.5 million vehicles are covered under terms of the proposed settlement, which includes 2005-10 Tacoma midsize pickups, 2007-08 Tundra full-size pickups and 2005-08 Sequoia large SUVs. Vehicles are covered up to 12 years from the day of sale.

https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/t/toyota-frame-rust-settlement-could-cost-the-company-3-4-billion/573458


THERE ARE SO MANY VIDEOS ON YOU TUBE, THESE ARE JUST 2:




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Monday, July 3, 2017

NHTSA's Fantasies: Older-Driver Foot Movements



Welcome to NHTSA's Mad Hatter's Tea Party where reality and software defects don't exist for a regulatory body that has long since stopped protecting consumers!





U.S. Department

of Transportation
National Highway
Traffic Safety
Administration
NHTSA
Older-Driver Foot Movements
DOT HS 812 431                    July 2017
(183 pages)



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Monday, June 26, 2017

Takata seeks US bankruptcy protection after air-bag recall














Takata seeks US bankruptcy protection after air-bag recalls

Monday, June 26, 2017


Takata Corp filed for bankruptcy in the US, more than eight years after initial recalls involving its defective air bags spiralled int
o the biggest safety crisis in automotive history. 
PHOTO: REUTERS


[TOKYO] Takata Corp filed for bankruptcy in the US, more than eight years after initial recalls involving its defective air bags spiralled into the biggest safety crisis in automotive history.
The Tokyo-based supplier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware, listing more than US$10 billion in liabilities, according to court filings. Takata entered the bankruptcy filing with a plan to sell the company.
Key Safety Systems Inc, a US air-bag maker, is set to take over Takata for about 180 billion yen (S$2.22 billion), people familiar with the matter have said.
Shares and bonds of Takata - whose products are used by carmakers including Honda Motor Co and Ford Motor Co - have slumped as investors anticipated an imminent bankruptcy filing by the manufacturer of faulty air-bag inflators linked to at least 17 deaths worldwide.
In the US alone, about 43 million air bags inflators are currently subject to recall, and only about 38 per cent have been repaired as of May 26, according to data on the US Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website.
In Japan, the recall affects close to 19 million vehicles and is 73 per cent complete, a spokesman at the country's transport ministry said this month.
The challenges for Takata's acquirer will be manifold. The Japanese parts maker posted its third-straight annual loss even without including the full costs of repairing millions of air bags, which automakers are now paying for. It will have to stem an exodus of talent at Takata, even as it works to regain trust and demonstrate to automakers the process won't result in disruption of supplies.
Japan Credit Rating Agency on June 20 cut Takata's credit rating to the lowest level before default citing the increasing likelihood that the component maker will file for bankruptcy protection.
Even so, Key Safety, the world's fourth-largest air-bag maker bought by Ningbo Joyson last year, would gain greater access to Japanese automakers and the combined entity would pull closer in market share to leader Autoliv Inc.
Takata's biggest customer Honda first started recalling Accord and Civic models in 2008 to replace the supplier's air bags. The company's air-bag inflators used ammonium nitrate as a propellant that can be rendered unstable after long-term exposure to heat and humidity, leading them to rupture and spray metal shards at vehicle occupants. More than a dozen other automakers including Volkswagen AG, Toyota Motor Corp and General Motors Co have also recalled vehicles fitted with the Japanese company's devices.
In January, Takata admitted to hiding the deadly risks of its exploding air bags for about 15 years in an agreement to pay US$1 billion to US regulators, consumers and carmakers. Auto manufacturers including Toyota, Subaru Corp, Mazda Motor Corp and BMW AG reached settlements worth US$553 million to resolve economic-loss claims tied to the air-bag recalls.
Takata, founded by the Takada family in the 1930s as a textile maker, produced parachutes for the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. In 1960, it started manufacturing seat belts for local automakers, which were leading the country's industrial expansion.A few years later, Honda asked Takata to look into manufacturing air bags.
Juichiro Takada, who had taken over from his father and company founder Takezo Takada in 1974, initially hesitated. Air bags deploy in controlled explosions, and he judged the risks of making them to be too great.
Eventually though, Takada relented. By 1989, air bags had become standard in all US cars. And in 1990, Takata produced its first air bag. In the early 2000s, Takata started using ammonium nitrate as propellant.
The parts maker went public in 2006, with the Takada family and trust retaining a majority stake. Shigehisa Takada, 51, took over the reins of the company when his father died in 2011. As recall followed recall, he apologised in written statements and newspaper ads, but he didn't make a public apology until June 2015, after the annual shareholder meeting.
BLOOMBERG
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/transport/takata-seeks-us-bankruptcy-protection-after-air-bag-recalls

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Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Second Chardon High School graduate dies day after TOYOTA PRIUS crash that killed classmate



Condolences to the family and friends
of the two deceased, Dominic Ricci and
Jackson Condon for their tragic loss.

 We will never know the cause of this tragic crash.


Second Chardon High School graduate dies day after crash that killed classmate

Posted on June 7, 2017

A second Chardon High School graduate died one day after he was involved in a crash that also killed his classmate.






A second Chardon High School graduate died one day after he was involved in a crash that also killed his classmate.






CHARDON TOWNSHIP, Ohio - A Chardon High School graduate died one day after he was involved in a car crash that killed his classmate.
Jackson Condon, 17, died just before 4 p.m. Wednesday at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, the State Highway Patrol said in a news release. Condon was flown via helicopter to the hospital after he was critically injured in a Tuesday crash on Ohio 44 at Hosford Road.
Dominic Ricci, 18, of Middlefield, was also killed in the crash. Ricci was a passenger in a 2010 Toyota Prius that the Condon was driving, the Highway Patrol said.
The Prius failed to stop at the intersection of Ohio 44 just after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and crashed into a commercial truck, the Highway Patrol said. The truck's driver, a 46-year-old man, was not injured.
Chardon Local Schools Superintendent Michael P. Hanlon Jr. said Ricci and the Condon were recent graduates of Chardon High School. Counselors and schools personnel were available Tuesday and Wednesday at the school, he said in a statement.
"The thoughts and prayers of all of us at Chardon Schools are with the families of these two outstanding young men during this difficult time," Hanlon said in the statement. "Our entire school community will continue to support the families, and each other, in coping with this terrible tragedy."
The crash happened nine days after another Chardon High School student died from injuries he suffered in a crash in Hunting Valley.
Zachary St. Jean, 16, was critically injured May 25 when his car went off the side of a road and struck a fence. He died May 28, officials said.

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/06/chardon_high_school_graduate_s.html


Toyota: Software to blame for Prius brake
problems
February 4, 2010 7:04 p.m. EST

(2010 Toyota Prius)
(excerpt):
Toyota officials described the problem as a "disconnect" in the
vehicle's complex anti-lock brake system (ABS) that causes less
than a one-second lag. With the delay, a vehicle going 60 mph will
have traveled nearly another 90 feet before the brakes begin to
take hold.







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Volkswagen customers face thousands in repairs after high-pressure fuel pump fails





Volkswagen customers face thousands in repairs after high-pressure fuel pump fails

By Anchor / Consumer Reporter  Global News
WATCH: Volkswagen owners faced with huge repair bills were getting nowhere with the company, until “Consumer Matters” stepped in to help. Anne Drewa reports.

 VIDEO ON LINK

Danny Foster says he’ll never purchase another Volkswagen again after his high-pressure fuel pump failed on his diesel 2010 Golf TDI.
“How many other people like me are out there getting that same treatment, that initial contact and being told you are out of luck,” said Foster.
Foster said he was driving home last month when the warning light started flashing and the engine lost power. The Metro Vancouver resident was forced to have the vehicle towed to a nearby VW dealership.
That’s where Foster received some bad news from the mechanic.
“He says, ‘your high-pressure fuel pump has failed, there’s metal fragments throughout the fuel system and we are looking at a minimum of $8,000 to repair your car,’” said Foster.
When the high-pressure fuel pump failed, Foster’s vehicle had about 132,000 kilometres on it, 10,000 kilometres past the extended warranty. Making matters worse, Foster’s vehicle is impacted by the Volkswagen emissions scandal, which means if his vehicle is inoperable, he won’t be eligible to sell it back to VW.
He said he reached out to Volkswagen Canada for help, but got nowhere.
“It’s just like talking to somebody who says, ‘Sorry, it sucks to be you,’” Foster said.
Consumer Matters reached out to Volkswagen Canada on Foster’s behalf. The next day, Foster said he received a call from Volkswagen Canada informing him that the costs to his damaged high-pressure fuel pump would be covered.
“I get this call that VW Canada will cover 90 per cent of the repair and the dealership will cover the other 10 per cent.”
It was a similar experience for VW customer Peter Gill. Back in February, the high-pressure fuel pump on his diesel 2011 Jetta TDI failed. The vehicle had 123,000 kilometres on it and was 3,000 kilometres past its warranty.
Gill was told it would cost him a minimum of $8,000 for the repair. When he reached out to VW Canada for assistance, he says he was stonewalled.
“I was just being moved around and around,” he said. “Eventually there was a final decision and he said, ‘There is nothing we can do.'”
Consumer Matters reached out to Volkswagen Canada and shortly after Gill got a phone call from the company.
Gill said he was told by VW Canada, “We’ve reconsidered your application and will cover you for 100 per cent of the cost.”
Consumer Matters reached out to VW Canada and asked if it had plans to extend the warranty on the high-pressure fuel pump.
In a statement, spokesperson Thomas Tetzlaff said:
“In the case of the high-pressure fuel pump, we have not seen an unusual failure rate in Canada. In addition, we have found that the cause of failure is often attributable to outside factors. We will continue to evaluate claims for goodwill repair assistance on a case-by-case basis.”
Still, Foster said his trust in Volkswagen is shattered. His final repair bill for the high-pressure fuel pump, now covered, came to just over $6500, about $1500 less than the price he was initially quoted.
“That trust is broken between me and Volkswagen,” he said. “I’ll be giving them back their car and it will be my last Volkswagen.”

© 2017 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3454109/volkswagen-customers-face-thousands-in-repairs-after-high-pressure-fuel-pump-fails/

CANADA: This is “why” you don’t want any modern diesel vehicle with a Bosch CP4.1, or Bosch CP4.2 High Pressure Fuel Pump.

They “self-destruct” and send metallic particles throughout the entire diesel fuel system – necessitating 
complete replacement.  Any “cleaning” of existing components has to be done meticulously, or a second 
failure will occur not long thereafter.
On the larger V6 and V8 diesel engines (using the Bosch CP4.2 HPFP), “the cost” usually runs $10K – $16K.
The “older Bosch CP3 HPFP” is generally trouble-free.
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Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) protects YOU!



Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is the federal agency that investigated the Wells Fargo Scandal & Abuse and SHUT IT DOWN TO PROTECT CONSUMERS! .
CFPB works for YOU!

 Republicans have been targeting CFPB since its inception because they don't want you to be protected.

 There are HEROS in Congress doing their jobs, working to protect ALL Americans and not Corporations. Please remember their names and support them!

 Please stand with them!




The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the first line of defense between the middle class and the big banks’ unfair financial practices.
From the moment Elizabeth Warren came up with the idea and I helped get it passed into law, Republicans in Congress fought to dismantle the CFPB, the watchdog of Wall Street. Refuse to confirm its director. Slash its budget. Paralyze its ability to act. And simply abolish it all together.
But the CFPB prevailed, and since its creation, has returned roughly $12 billion to millions of consumers. From student loan borrowers to homeowners to low-income consumers exploited by payday lending schemes, the CFPB has safeguarded consumers and fought for their protection.
Now, the CFPB is once again under attack from President Trump and the Republicans in Congress, and we must defend it with everything we’ve got.

Sign my petition: Tell Congress to defend and protect the CFPB!
When the economy collapsed in 2008, it became clear that protecting consumers from predatory and unfair lending practices was critical to keeping the economy strong. The CFPB reflects a core Democratic value:  America's strength depends on there strength of working families.
Wall Street lobbyists and their Republican allies in Congress want to gut the CFPB. We need to stand up and ensure working families are getting a fair deal on mortgages, student loans, credit cards, and more.
Onward!
Jeff



 
 
Paid for by Jeff Merkley for Oregon.



The financial crisis of 2008 hurt so many Americans – many lost their homes, their retirement, and decades' worth of savings.
We cannot go back to the days of risky Wall Street investments and the excessive risk-taking of "too big to fail" banks before Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act.
This critical reform includes the introduction of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), an independent agency that has fought on behalf of average Americans who were victims of underhanded financial practices. The CFPB won billions of dollars for the elderly, student loan borrowers, and homeowners – and continues working every day to protect our financial future.
We must protect the American public and ensure consumers are treated fairly in the financial marketplace. Tell Congress to support and defend the CFPB!






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