Current Events in December 2019

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced a settlement agreement with Mercedes Benz USA worth $20 million over how the company has handled vehicle recalls. 

Regulators charge the company of not complying with the Motor Vehicle Safety Act by not notifying consumers or reporting vehicle safety defects in a timely fashion. The company is also accused of not maintaining a functioning vehicle information number (VIN) recall lookup system, which consumers often use to see if there are any recalls associated with their vehicle.

“Safety is NHTSA’s top priority, and the agency’s reporting requirements help ensure that consumers are protected and given important information about how to get recalls repaired,” said James Owens, NHTSA’s acting administrator. “These laws are critical to ensure NHTSA’s ability to provide oversight, and we expect manufacturers to follow their legal obligations to the agency and to consumers in carrying out safety recalls.”

Settlement terms

Under the settlement, Mercedes Benz USA may pay civil penalties worth $20 million. The company will pay $13 million immediately, but the other $7 million will only be paid if the automaker does not meet the other requirements of the agreement.

For the next year, the company must meet regularly with NHTSA officials to discuss recall execution, reporting issues, and the performance of the VIN lookup tool. The term of these conditions could be extended by another year “under certain circumstances,” NHTSA stated.

Readers can find more information about Mercedes Benz, including consumer reviews of the company, at ConsumerAffairs.

By the year 2030, nearly half of the U.S. population will be obese and a quarter will fit under the classification of being “severely obese,” according to findings from a recent study.

If proven true, researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health say that health care costs associated with treating obesity and chronic disease will skyrocket, especially among low-income consumers. 

“Obesity, and especially severe obesity, are associated with increased rates of chronic disease and medical spending, and have negative consequences for life expectancy,” said senior author Steven Gortmaker. 

Obesity rates could skyrocket across U.S. states

The researchers came to their conclusions after analyzing BMI data from over 6 million U.S. adults who took part in two large-scale surveys. 

Based on the results, the researchers predict that just under 50 percent of consumers will have obesity and that prevalence of the condition will be over 50 percent in 29 states by 2030. Additionally, the team predicts that not one state will have an obesity prevalence under 35 percent for its population. 

Severe obesity will also be a huge problem for the overall U.S. population if current trends continue on their trajectories. The researchers say one out of every four U.S. consumers will fall under this category by 2030 -- with women, non-Hispanic adults, black adults, and those in the low-income category being the most affected.

“Our analysis indicates that the prevalence of adult obesity and severe obesity will continue to increase nationwide, with large disparities across states and demographic subgroups,” the researchers concluded.

Low-income consumers most at risk

The team hopes that the study findings prompt lawmakers to implement policies that can help consumers avoid unhealthy weight gain and promote better habits. This is especially important for low-income consumers because of how widespread obesity is predicted to become among this group and how much it can cost to deal with it.

“The high projected prevalence of severe obesity among low-income adults has substantial implications for future Medicaid costs,” said Zachary Ward, the study’s lead author. “In addition, the effect of weight stigma could have far-reaching implications for socioeconomic disparities as severe obesity becomes the most common BMI category among low-income adults in nearly every state.” 

The full study has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

While researchers have found that everything from exercise to board games can improve older consumers’ thinking skills, a new study found one factor that could be negatively affecting cognition into older age. 

According to researchers from Iowa State University, higher levels of body fat were associated with a decline in thinking skills. The study’s findings point to changes in the immune system as a potential cause. 

Preventing decline

To understand how body fat could affect consumers’ thinking skills, the researchers had over 4,000 middle-aged individuals participate in the study. 

Over the course of six years, the researchers assessed the participants in three main areas: abdominal fat, muscle mass, and subcutaneous fat, which is the fat visible underneath the skin. In conjunction with this information, the participants’ thinking skills were also tested over the course of the study. 

Though our genes are partially to blame when it comes to fat storage throughout the body, the study revealed that higher levels of belly fat were associated with poorer thinking skills, which the researchers referred to as fluid intelligence. However, participants who were leaner and had more muscle content didn’t show the same risk of cognitive decline. 

Staying active

One additional factor that came into play in this study was the immune system, as the researchers found that higher body mass index (BMI) can force the immune system to work twice as hard while also affecting other bodily systems, including overall cognitive functioning. 

The researchers recommend that consumers stay active, especially as they progress beyond middle age. Exercise routines don’t need to be rigorous to be effective, as consumers can reap the benefits of working out by engaging in many typical day-to-day activities, like carrying grocery bags or taking the stairs. 

“If you eat alright and do at least brisk walking some of the time, it might help you with mentally staying quick on your feet,” said researcher Aurielle Willett. 

BMW of North America is recalling 32,760 model year 2015-2019 X6 sDrive35i, X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6M vehicles with rear seat lower anchor bars used in securing child restraint seats.

The lower anchor bars may become damaged over time when used with an ISOFIX-type, rigid-style connector, child restraint system.

Damaged lower anchor bars may increase the child's risk of injury in a crash.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will weld a reinforcing bracket to the lower anchor bars and the vehicle body free of charge.

Owner notification is expected to begin January 17, 2020.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at (800) 525-7417.

CATSMO of Wallkill, N.Y., is recalling Cold Smoked Salmon that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The following products, which come in a vacuum-sealed plastic package in whole fillets, specialty cuts, 4-oz., 8-oz., or 1-lb. sizes and are either plain or flavored, are being recalled:

The recalled products were sold via direct delivery and in retail stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Minnesota, North Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (845) 895-2296, Monday through Friday, 9am to 4pm (EST).

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling three model year 2019 GLC300s and GLC300 4MATICs.

The electrical connection between the power steering electric motor and the control unit may fail, resulting in the loss of electric power steering assist.

A loss of power steering assist would require a greater steering effort to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric power steering control unit free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 14, 2020.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 367-6372.

In the wake of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ appearance in front of a congressional subcommittee, Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) has gone on record saying that the Department of Education’s revised plan for helping defrauded students is inadequate. 

The biggest burr in Scott’s saddle continues to be that DeVos’ proposal only provides partial relief to students who borrowed money to attend for-profit colleges and wound up defrauded by those very schools. Scott said DeVos’ plan “makes clear that even when borrowers document widespread and pervasive fraud at their institution, the Department will not make them whole.”

A shell game?

“At Thursday's hearing, Secretary DeVos refused to acknowledge serious flaws in her plan to provide only partial relief to some defrauded borrowers while outright denying relief for others.” Scott wrote in a news release. The lawmaker pointed out that the plan that Devos presented at the congressional hearing was discreetly taken down from the Department’s website and replaced by another revised version.

“Unfortunately, rather than fixing the partial relief formula so it is fairer to students, the revised plan only improves the optics of denying defrauded borrowers the relief they deserve. Not one defrauded borrower will receive more relief under the revised plan. In fact, the Department already began notifying borrowers of their relief amount under the old formula.”

Scott says DeVos’ revisions continue to leave questions in their wake. 

“The Department’s decision to rapidly revise its formula, while preserving a predetermined outcome, raises several questions about the validity of its formula and the integrity of the process that produced it. We will be asking Secretary DeVos these questions and expect to get timely and responsive answers.”

Discord between FTC and DOE

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) scored an important victory for defrauded students last Thursday in its case against the University of Phoenix -- a victory that cost the college plenty and got the students who were unfairly strapped by loans to attend the college some much-needed relief.

“After the financial crisis, many wondered whether the FTC would ever act to tame the latest abuses in the industry, despite its clear and unambiguous authority to do so,” FTC commissioner Rohit Chopra wrote when the settlement was struck. He went on to make it known that the agency is policing the for-profit education market for the good of the consumer.

“The Commission has settled charges with the University of Phoenix that it deceived students about their job prospects. The company will pay $50 million in restitution and will cease collection of certain unpaid tuition balances,” he said. 

The settlement also includes a bonus cancellation -- the erasing of $141 million students were on the hook for in unpaid tuition balances. According to one analysis of the situation, students who attended the University of Phoenix were on the hook for almost $36 billion in federal loans dating back to 2014. 

“Many of them struggle deeply to repay: 72 percent of borrowers attending the school made no dent in their student loans at all three years after leaving school. During this time, most of them would have seen their balances balloon” Chopra stated.

Can the FTC keep this going?

Is this the light at the end of the tunnel that swindled students have been hoping for? It could be if Chopra keeps a foot on the neck of those predatory colleges.

“Today’s action is an important milestone for the Commission. It concludes a years-long investigation of a massive for-profit college owned by influential investors, and it returns money to students who have been harmed,” Chopra said, stopping short of asking for an amen. 

“This and other recent actions finding unlawful, deceptive conduct will lay the groundwork for additional recoveries by student loan borrowers and taxpayers. Moving forward, it will continue to be critical to identify emerging unlawful practices in this sector before they inflict pain on individuals, honest businesses, and the country.”

Fiat Chrysler (FCA) has signed a binding merger agreement with Peugeot S.A. (PSA) to combine the two carmakers into the world’s fourth-largest automotive manufacturer. The agreement calls for the two companies to hold equal shares of the new company.

According to the announcement, the deal could close in 12 to 15 months, assuming it is approved by both company boards and by regulators.

“With its combined financial strength and skills, the merged entity will be particularly well placed to provide innovative, clean and sustainable mobility solutions, both in a rapidly urbanizing environment and in rural areas around the world,” the companies said in a statement. 

“The gains in efficiency derived from larger volumes, as well as the benefits of uniting the two companies' strengths and core competencies, will ensure the combined business can offer all its customers best-in-class products, technologies, and services and respond with increased agility to the shift taking place in this highly demanding sector.”

Not a surprise

The merger agreement hardly comes as a surprise, as both companies have openly talked about the possibility for months. Many automotive industry experts have said the union would make sense.

The combined company would offer vehicles across the luxury, premium, mainstream passenger car, SUV, and truck and light commercial product lines. Both brands would increase their international reach since FCA is strong in North and South America and Groupe PSA has a foothold in Europe. 

When it comes to specific brands, the new auto company will offer FCA’s line-up of Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, and Ram trucks, along with Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Fiat. PSA brings to the table its full line-up of brands, including Opel, Citroen, Vauxhall, DS, and Peugeot.

Stronger financially

The merged company is expected to sell 8.7 million vehicles annually, with an operating profit margin of around 6.6 percent. Both companies say the merger would put the new automaker in a strong financial position that would give it significant flexibility and the budget to carry out strategic plans and invest in new technologies throughout the cycle.

"This is a union of two companies with incredible brands and a skilled and dedicated workforce. Both have faced the toughest of times and have emerged as agile, smart, formidable competitors,” said Mike Manley, FCA’s CEO. “Our people share a common trait – they see challenges as opportunities to be embraced and the path to making us better at what we do."

FCA was created by the merger of Chrysler, one of the “big three” U.S. automakers, and Italian carmaker Fiat. Chrysler was founded in 1925 and struggled through the 1970s. However, it enjoyed a rebirth in the 1980s under the leadership of CEO Lee Iacocca. 

Consumers shopping for holiday gifts are presented with a lot of choices. While some might choose to buy a gift card or the latest gadget, others take the holidays as an opportunity to buy a new pet for themselves or their loved ones.

But a recent study from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) shows that many fraudsters are taking advantage of those consumers with online scams. The agency cites a large number of consumer complaints which show that scammers are tricking consumers into paying for a puppy that they never wind up receiving.

Consumers are reportedly drawn to the scam through online ads, and they’re apparently very widespread. The organization says reports of these malicious posts have increased by 39 percent since 2017. 

Red flags

Consumers who want to avoid this scam should carefully scrutinize any online offers and look out for red flags that can point out the presence of a scammer. Some of these signs include:

Asking for money via wire transfer. Many scammers want consumers to send funds in a way that makes it untraceable and unable to be recovered once sent. BBB suggests consumers pay for one of these online purchases with a credit card so that the charge can be disputed if fraud occurs.

Refusing to provide documentation. Since these scammers have no intention of providing consumers with a pet after taking their money, it’s likely that the proper paperwork about the pet will be in short supply. Sellers who refuse to provide documents such as proof of ownership, vaccination records, or even photographs may be trying to sucker you in.

Claiming the pet is available only for a limited time. To create a sense of urgency, some scammers will say the pet that the consumer wants to buy has interest from another buyer and that action needs to be taken quickly to secure it. If you find yourself being pushed to lock in your purchase, it may be time to take a step back and view the transaction with a more critical eye.

For more information about scams, including the latest cons to watch out for, visit ConsumerAffairs scam alert page here.

A new report from online real estate marketplace Zillow shows renters spent a combined $4.5 trillion since 2010 to put a roof over their head.

That statistic puts recent changes in the housing market into sharper focus as many prospective buyers can’t find homes they like or can afford. As a result, the demand for rental housing has risen, along with rents.

Zillow reports that U.S. renters will have spent more than $512 billion on housing by the time 2019 ends in a couple of weeks -- the most of any year during this decade. The current median rent is $1,600, a 2.3 percent increase over 2018.

That trend may continue in 2020. Forbes reports that the number of renters has increased by more than 9 million during this decade and now makes up 34 percent of all U.S. households. Renters have increased faster than homeowners, growing more than twice as fast, according to the Census Bureau.

Voluntary renters

Forbes also notes another housing trend that could add to the demand for rental housing. It cites data which shows that more high-income consumers and seniors have voluntarily become renters because they’re able to afford more expensive luxury apartments.

All of this suggests renters may have to pay more next year for housing, but Zillow Group Economist Joshua Clark says that’s not a given.

"While the total amount of rent paid has increased each year this decade, that trend is by no means immutable," he said.  "With rental appreciation expected to decrease in the coming year and a homeownership rate that has been ticking up over the past few years, a small or even negative change in total rental spending could be in the cards in the early 2020s."

Extremely low vacancy rates

But Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies reports that even with recent softening of rental demand, vacancy rates remain “at decades-long lows,” and that affordability is a growing issue. One bright spot, it says, was Minneapolis’ recent move to end single-family zoning, which the center says could greatly expand the supply of rental homes.

Rents and home prices are both going up for the same reason -- declining inventory. In the last year, that factor pushed home rental costs up 6.4 percent in Phoenix, 5.2 percent in Las Vegas, and 4 percent in Charlotte. And because there are fewer homes to purchase, more consumers continue to rent, reducing the number of available units. But the housing market got some good news in that regard this week.

The Commerce Department reports that housing starts rose 3.2 percent in November, the biggest increase in more than 12 years. That suggests builders are in the process of adding to the inventory of available homes, which has been shrinking during this decade.

The Zillow report shows rents were highest -- both this year and throughout the decade -- in the New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco metros. Renters in New York spent $56.6 billion on rent in 2019, compared to $39.2 billion in Los Angeles and $16.4 billion in San Francisco.

The Transportation Department reportedly wants the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to increase oversight of discount airline Allegiant Air, citing a number of in-flight engine shutdowns and other maintenance issues.

Reuters reports it has obtained a copy of the Transportation Department Inspector General’s (IG) 31-page report detailing the investigation’s findings. The report was sent to Congress and has not been made public.

A spokesman for Allegiant Air said the company has not seen the report and would not comment until officials there had an opportunity to review it.

According to Reuters, the investigation began in May 2018, prompted by what the IG’s report termed a “series of in-flight engine shutdowns, aborted takeoffs, and unscheduled landings.” The report said the incidents all occurred on the airline’s MD-80 fleet, which was recently retired. Allegiant replaced the planes with Airbus jets.

Allegiant Air was founded in 1997 and is currently the nation’s ninth-largest carrier. The company is based in suburban Las Vegas and flies a number of popular routes. It also serves secondary airports and is best known for its ultra-low fares.

Readers mention maintenance issues

Allegiant rates 2.5 stars from people posting reviews at ConsumerAffairs. No one mentioned in-flight incidents like those described in the report, but several mentioned that there seemed to be a lot of delays related to maintenance issues. Some like Tracy, of Denair, Calif., appeared to be concerned.

“What are the chances of three times in a row, in a two month period, there are hours of delay for maintenance problems,” Tracy wrote in her ConsumerAffairs post. “I am deeply concerned about the safety of this airline.”

2016 FAA audit

In 2016, Allegiant announced that the FAA audit of its operations had turned up several "minor" issues. The findings were "minor with non-regulatory issues observed, or with non-systemic regulatory issues observed,” the airline said at the time.

The FAA said its audit discovered "several element design" and "element performance deficiencies." The audit, called a Certificate Holder Evaluation Process, is conducted regularly for all commercial carriers.

Reuters says the IG’s report found that engine shutdowns on the now-discontinued MD-80 aircraft occurred at least 21 times between 2014 and 2018, forcing the planes to make unscheduled landings. The report also faulted regulators for allegedly not adequately tracking the risks from a mid-air engine shutdown.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning consumers of an outbreak of a potentially drug-resistant bacteria that has been tied to puppies at pet stores. 

The agency says that 30 people from 13 states have been infected with a strain of Campylobacter jejuni, which is usually tied to cases of food poisoning. Interviews with infected individuals show that 88 percent of them had been in contact with a puppy. Of that number, 71 percent said their contact happened with a puppy from a pet store. 

Initial findings indicate that national pet store chain Petland is tied to the infections. Eighty percent of infected consumers who had contact with a puppy at a pet store said it was at a Petland location, and five of them were Petland employees. 

Symptoms of the infection can include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, which can last for up to a week. It can take 2-5 days for symptoms to manifest. Consumers can take an antibiotic treatment to aid recovery, but the CDC says that is only necessary for consumers who are at high risk of infection and have a weakened immune system.

The CDC stated that an investigation into the outbreak is still ongoing and that it will provide more information as it becomes available. 

Pet owners beware

Consumers who may have bought a puppy for the holiday season are being advised to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after touching their pet, cleaning up after them, or handling pet food. 

Pet owners should also not let their puppy lick unprotected areas of open skin, including around the mouth or face. Consumers who are worried that their pet might be a source of infection should visit their veterinarian as a precautionary measure.

“Puppies and dogs can carry Campylobacter germs that can make people sick, even while appearing healthy and clean. People who own or come in contact with puppies or dogs should take steps to stay healthy around their pet,” the CDC said.

In a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Netflix shared how many subscribers it has in several global regions for the first time. While the bulk of its subscriber base is still made up of consumers from the U.S. and Canada, the report shows that the streaming giant is growing quickly in other global markets.

In the two-year period between 2017 and 2019, Netflix increased its subscriber base in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa from just over 26,000 to over 47,000. In Latin America, that number jumped from under 20,000 to over 29,000; and in the Asia-Pacific region, it went from around 6,500 to nearly 14,500. 

Revenue generated from foreign markets also made a big leap in those two years. In those same three markets, overall revenue jumped from $4,081,357 to $7,080,948 from 2017 to 2019. In contrast, revenue generated in the U.S. and Canada moved from $6,660,859 to $7,379,300 over the same time period.

Expanding services and content

The findings underscore how Netflix has become more of a global giant as a streaming service. It is currently working on several initiatives that company officials hope will generate more excitement and draw in more subscribers. 

Earlier this month, the company said it was testing a new yearly subscription plan that could save consumers up to 50 percent if they paid in advance for a full year of service. The company also recently offered $2 billion in debt to fund content creation on its platform.

These initiatives and competitive pricing have made Netflix a hit with many consumers. In a recent ConsumerAffairs review of the service, Sally from Sarasota, Florida said that it can be a great alternative to cable TV. 

“Unless you have cable to access movies, Netflix has proven a winner with our family. Their list of outstanding movies, past and present, are always available, and at a reasonably low price,” she said.

To read more consumer reviews about the service, check out ConsumerAffairs’ page here.

Over the summer, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology discovered that vehicles equipped with smart technology could be at risk of getting hacked, and that could potentially cause city-wide traffic jams. 

Now, researchers from Michigan State University are looking at other ways consumers’ cars could be subject to similar cybersecurity attacks. 

“Automotive cybersecurity is an area we don’t understand well in the social sciences,” said researcher Thomas Holt. “While there are groups of computer scientists and engineers digging into some of the issues, the social aspects are extremely relevant and under-examined. As the technology gets greater market share, it’s critical to get ahead of the curve before there are issues we can’t rein in.” 

Prioritizing safety

The researchers were most interested in discovering the weaknesses inherent in today’s vehicles, even those with smart technology, and how consumers can go about protecting themselves from hackers. 

Holt and his team utilized a criminal justice lens when doing their work and determined that the two biggest threats to consumers following a cyberattack are their physical safety in their vehicles and maintaining the privacy of their personal information. 

With that in mind, they discovered there are three main things that go into hackers successfully completing their cyberattacks. After acquiring a target and mustering the motivation, the third biggest risk factor is a software guardian, or lack thereof. 

A software guardian works to protect systems from hackers, and it is their responsibility to ensure all systems are secure and tight. 

Ultimately, according to the researchers, while vehicle manufacturers can assume some responsibility when it comes to this role of protecting cars’ computer data, the job isn’t theirs alone. Consumers also need to be more mindful of potential threats. 

“Where we found holes was surprising: there’s no one technically responsible for these vehicles’ central computer systems,” said Holt. “The automotive and equipment manufacturers need to recognize that as it stands, they serve as the guardians in the space, and the onus is on them. They need to take the lead in thinking more critically about data flows, and how to communicate security with dealerships.” 

To help ward off potential hackers, the researchers recommend that consumers don’t put off any system upgrades on their vehicles, as keeping the computers as up to date as possible is the best way for these security guardians to do their jobs -- especially as vehicles become more technologically advanced. 

“We need to improve the presence of software guardians and better resources; we also need to think about developing policies to protect users, vehicles, and customers,” said Holt. “There are real benefits to smart cars and autonomous features, but we need to get ahead of the risks before the benefits are lost.”

While obesity continues to affect all age groups across the country, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that this health issue often goes hand-in-hand with its direct opposite -- undernourishment. 

According to the researchers, low- and middle-income nations are struggling with these competing nutrition issues, as residents are either not getting enough nourishment or are dealing with obesity. 

“We are facing a new nutrition reality where major food system changes have led the poorest countries to have high levels of overweight and obesity along with undernutrition,” said researcher Barry M. Popkin. 

“Our research shows that overweight and obesity levels of at least 20 percent among adults are found in all low-income countries. Furthermore, the double burden of high levels of both undernutrition and overweight occurs primarily in the lowest-income countries -- a reality that is driven by the modern food system. This system has a global reach and is preventing low- and even moderate-income countries and households from consuming safe, affordable, and healthy diets in a sustainable way.” 

Conflicting struggles

To understand the severity of this problem, the researchers evaluated survey responses from both low- and middle-income countries that spanned three separate decades, though they focused their findings primarily on the 1990s and 2010s. 

The researchers discovered that low- and middle-income countries have been struggling rather consistently since the 1990s when it comes to dealing with both forms of malnutrition. In both the 1990s and the 2010s, nearly 40 percent of the countries involved in the study had residents that dealt with both undernourishment and obesity. 

Malnutrition has only continued to persist, especially in recent years and in the poorest parts of the world. Over a dozen new countries -- those with the lowest incomes -- reported dealing with both ends of the malnutrition spectrum during the 2010s. 

The researchers cite rapidly changing food habits and the over-availability of ultra-processed foods as two factors contributing to these nutrition trends. Moving forward, they hope that these findings incite change once more in the food industry, and a greater emphasis is placed on balancing nutrition in low- and middle-income nations. 

“Emerging malnutrition issues are a stark indicator of the people who are not protected from the factors that drive poor diets,” said Popkin. The poorest low- and middle-income countries are seeing a rapid transformation in the way people eat, drink, and move at work, home, in transport and in leisure. These changes include disappearing fresh food markets, increasing numbers of supermarkets, and the control of the food chain by supermarkets and global food, catering, and agriculture companies in many countries.” 

is recalling 193 model year 2019 Ram 1500 trucks.

The vehicles may have been built with a contaminated electric power steering (EPS) gear that may short circuit, potentially resulting in an intermittent loss of power steering assist.

An intermittent loss of power steering assist may cause an inconsistent steering effort, especially during lower speed maneuvers, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPS gear assembly free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 3, 2020.

Owners may contact customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VB8.

BMW of North America is recalling 7,910 model year 1999 323i and 328i vehicles with Non-Azide Driver airbag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata at one specific inflator production facility.

The inflators do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the airbag cushion to underinflate.

In a crash necessitating airbag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants.

Additionally, an underinflated airbag may not properly protect the occupant.

These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.

What to do

BMW recommends that owners do not continue to drive their vehicles.

The automaker will mail interim notices informing owners of the safety risk on or before December 31, 2019. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available.

Dealers will inspect the driver airbag inflators and replace them, as necessary, free of charge.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at (800) 525-7417.