Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 66 model year 2020 GLB250s.
The airbag control unit software may not activate the front seat belts and front passenger airbag properly in a crash.
Failure of airbags and seat belts to function properly can increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will update the airbag control unit software free of charge.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 12, 2021.
Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 367-6372.
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 66 model year 2020 GLB250s. The airbag control unit software may not activate the front seat belts and front pass...
What started out as a bad Friday for United Airlines has started to turn for the better. After a systems outage brought the airline to a nationwide ground stop in both the U.S. and Canada, its fleet is back up in the friendly skies, according to reports from various media sources and the Federal Aviation Administration’s website.
In addition to flights being halted, there were reports that United’s app and website also were crippled, preventing travelers from checking in or boarding flights.
Just before 8 a.m. EDT on Friday, United issued a statement saying that it had “experienced technical system issues” and that all systems were back to normal.
“We are aware of the issue and are working to resolve it as quickly as possible,” the company wrote on Twitter, addressing consumer complaints. “We’re sorry for the inconvenience.”
The end of the summer travel season hasn't reduced the frustrations of travel. American Airlines wrestled with a fuel shortage, and Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Alaska Airlines all suffered technical glitches that caused thousands of flight delays and cancellations. There's the laundry list of incidents about unruly behavior, too.
All of these stress points have put both travelers and airlines in a cautious dance trying to keep things under control. One ConsumerAffairs reviewer recently wrote that the great customer service she used to get from Southwest has declined a bit.
"I used to LOVE Southwest Airlines above all other companies. From the first moments I walked into the baggage line to the plane ride. It was top notch customer service. I even use their credit card. Last year I started noticing a decline in their kindness, but I chalked it up to Covid,” wrote Danielle of Virginia.
“It’s been hard year on us all," she continued. "The last straw was a couple weeks ago (my third trip on Southwest this summer). I had come into the check in baggage line in Reagan DC airport. I checked my bag in at the Kiosk and promptly got in line to give to the lady at desk. There was two lines to choose from, neither was marked clearly so I assumed (as others did) it didn’t matter which one we got into.”
That’s where things went south for Danielle. After more than an hour waiting in line, she said she started feeling anxious that she was going to miss her plane. Apparently, she wasn’t the only person dealing with customer service anxiety.
“There was a lady two people in front of me was being yelled at by TWO Southwest employees because she had used the kiosk and the line she stood in was for full service only," she wrote. "They made her go to other side and re get in line that was wrapped around three times. The Southwest man was non sympathetic to her pleas and the-other coworker was saying hateful remarks behind him. This lady left crying and I’m sure missed her flight. I now just realized and in a panic cause I self checked my bags at kiosk too and was so scared to face the attendant. I walk up to her and she nastily says, 'I really wish YOU people would wait to be called.' And then realized I had tagged my bag. She glared at me and says, 'Did you not just see what happened to the other lady?' And she continued to berate me and be very insulting while taking my bags. ... All she had to do was take my damn bag. She let me go through. But I was almost in tears.”
Danielle said that the flight was OK and that once she was aboard the flight, she had no complaints. Still, everything leading up to that may have hurt her love for Southwest.
“I am completely disappointed, and hurt by this airline," she wrote. "Plane tickets aren’t cheap, it’s stressful to travel anyways, and to be treated like dog poop from the company you used to love sooo much. Is just too much. I am about to throw in my credit card and towel into this airline and find another.”
What started out as a bad Friday for United Airlines has started to turn for the better. After a systems outage brought the airline to a nationwide ground...
Housing vulnerability for renters became a major issue for the Biden administration, but now that eviction protection has effectively ended, millions of renters and their families put at risk by COVID-19 may be in harm’s way, according to a new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
The report -- “Financial conditions for renters before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic” -- concludes that, while several government relief efforts may have helped maintain the financial stability of renters and their families, those same people may now be at risk.
“Today’s report confirms that renters, when compared to homeowners, are more likely to be Black or Hispanic, more likely to have lower incomes, and more likely to be women. They are also at particular risk of falling further behind as the nation recovers from the economic impacts of COVID,” said CFPB Acting Director Dave Uejio in a press release.
“Past recessions and depressions have seen communities of color and low-income communities of all races and ethnicities left behind when the broader economy recovers. We cannot repeat that history. The CFPB is committed to helping renters and their families thrive. We must amplify and protect the modest gains renters made during the pandemic to ensure this nation’s full and equitable recovery from COVID-19.”
Comparing renters and homeowners, researchers unearthed some interesting nuances. For example, compared to homeowners, renters are more likely to be Black or Hispanic, younger, and lower-income than other demographic groups.
Prior to the pandemic, renters’ debt obligations were also significantly different from homeowners. As an example, the agency cited the situation in June 2019, when renters were more likely than homeowners to have student debt and to have used some form of alternative financial service, such as payday and auto title loans.
“During the pandemic, despite poor labor market conditions, renters’ financial conditions, on average, appeared to improve as much as, or more than, those of homeowners. Renters’ credit scores grew by 16 points during the pandemic, compared to 10 points for mortgagors and 7 points for other homeowners,” the study reported. The report made special mention that, in situations where renters’ credit scores may have improved, those scores remained substantially below those of homeowners.
The CFPB appears to be as proactive as possible in defending renters in this situation -- at least with credit reporting agencies such as Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. It said it has reminded those companies that they have an obligation to report rent payments and evictions accurately.
“Accurate reporting is now even more essential with the new mortgage underwriting process announced by Fannie Mae last week, which will add rental payments to the evaluation process for mortgage qualification and approval. The CFPB will use today’s report to inform how best to support an equitable recovery for renters and all Americans,” the agency said.
Consumers who encounter rental information errors or other errors on their consumer reports, or believe such errors exist, have rights and recourse. Consumers have the right to:
Review their credit reports from the nationwide CRAs. Normally, consumers can request one free consumer report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide CRAs (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). However, through April 2022, consumers can request a free report weekly.
Dispute errors identified on their consumer reports. Consumers have the right to dispute mistakes on their consumer reports with the CRA and/or the furnisher.
Review their reports from other consumer reporting agencies. For a list of some of the companies offering reports, such as tenant screening reports, please visit the CFPB blog.
If all else fails, the CFPB is open to complaints on its website. The agency says that consumer complaints are important for its enforcement actions and that consumers should feel free to let it know of any issues.
Housing vulnerability for renters became a major issue for the Biden administration, but now that eviction protection has effectively ended, millions of re...
Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)
Total U.S. confirmed cases: 41,796,204 (41,645,545)
Total U.S. deaths: 670,128 (666,806)
Total global cases: 227,185,960 (226,643,823)
Total global deaths: 4,672,629 (4,662,980)
Whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends vaccinated Americans get a booster shot may be determined by the outcome of an FDA advisory committee meeting in Washington today. Various experts are discussing the data and debating the merits for and against.
As the meeting got underway, Dr. Peter Marks, an FDA official, urged the committee members to “follow the science” as they pore over data from various studies. He noted there may be various interpretations of the data.
“We're committed to focusing on the science, and we'll drive our decision-making, and we'll carefully consider those data in the context of the clear and obvious public health need to continue slowing the spread of Covid-19, which at this time is leading to the deaths of close to 2,000 Americans each day," Marks said.
United Airlines has disclosed that about 90% of its employees have now been vaccinated. That news follows the airlines’ mandate that all employees get a vaccination or be placed on unpaid leave.
To show that they have been vaccinated, United’s employees were told to upload an image of their vaccination card. As of Thursday, United said about 20,000 employees had done so. The deadline to receive their first shot is Sept. 27.
So far, United is the only major domestic carrier to mandate vaccinations for its employees. Other airlines have strongly urged vaccinations and offered incentives for their employees to get the shot.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has strongly opposed COVID-19 mask and vaccination mandates in his state, says the Biden administration has cut Florida’s allocation of antibody treatment drugs in half. He said the drugs are critical to reducing COVID-19 deaths.
“This is a dramatic reduction,” DeSantis said at a news conference in Fort Lauderdale, where he appeared with health care providers. “We are facing a massive cut in antibody treatments.”
The Department of Health and Human Services says it faces a shortage of the treatment drugs because of surging demand, especially in Southern states. Officials said 70% of the drugs have been distributed to Southern states, with Florida receiving the most of any state.
Texas: A Texas man has been sentenced to 31 months in prison for allegedly running a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $3.3 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. Federal prosecutors say Fahad Shah, of Murphy, claimed his family business had 100 employees when it had none except for him and his wife.
New Jersey: State health officials report the Delta variant is extremely widespread throughout the state and now accounts for 99% of new cases of the virus. The state reports the seven-day average of new cases is 1,832, up 7% from a week ago and 25% higher than a month ago.
Virginia: The number of new cases has leveled off in Virginia’s metropolitan areas, but cases are surging in Southwest Virginia. State health officials report cases in that region are up 63% since Aug. 30. Southwest Virginia lags the state in the percentage of people who are vaccinated.
Idaho: Idaho began rationing hospital care amid a significant increase in coronavirus cases. Hospitals throughout the state are now on a “crisis standards of care” footing. “The situation is dire,” said Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen.
Hawaii: Flu season is about to begin, and the state’s program to screen for that virus has turned up plenty of COVID-19 cases. Officials report that over the last few weeks more than one-third of the samples of negative flu tests turned out to be COVID-19.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)Total U.S. confi...
While recent studies have found that following healthy habits can benefit older consumers’ cognitive function, a new study conducted by researchers from Penn State explored another way to boost cognition.
According to their findings, consistently engaging in social interactions with close friends or family members can lead to better cognitive function in older adults. They found that the cognitive boost lasted for up to two days after the social event.
“Our study is one of the first to show that whether you have social interactions on one day can immediately affect your cognitive performance that same day and also on the following days,” said researcher Ruixue Zhaoyang. “The fact that we found that the cognitive benefits of having pleasant social interactions could manifest over such a short time period was a happy surprise and could be a promising area for future intervention studies.”
The researchers had over 300 older adults participate in the study. Over the course of 16 days, participants received notifications on their smartphones several times throughout the day that asked them questions about their social interactions: how they felt about each interaction, how many social interactions they had, and who they interacted with. Each prompt was followed up by cognitive assessments that measured skills like memory and processing speed.
Overall, socializing had a positive effect on the participants’ cognitive function. The researchers learned that when participants interacted with their close friends or family members, they scored better on the cognitive assessments. Additionally, these benefits were seen for up to two days after the initial interaction.
On the other hand, participants who had fewer social interactions didn’t perform as well on the cognitive tests.
The biggest takeaway was that the more often the participants were socializing, the better they were performing cognitively.
Moving forward, the researchers hope that these findings are used to help older consumers sharpen their cognitive skills.
“Our findings suggest that the lack of positive social interactions in daily life could be a critical risk factor for declining cognitive function later in life,” said Zhaoyang. “Older adults who are relatively more deprived in certain social interaction experiences could potentially benefit the most from interventions that help to ‘boost’ their usual levels of social interactions in daily life.”
While recent studies have found that following healthy habits can benefit older consumers’ cognitive function, a new study conducted by researchers from Pe...
The rapid increase in home prices leveled a bit last month, but rents were much higher than in August 2020.
Realtor.com reports the cost of renting a home hit double-digit growth for the first time in two years in August, and it grew three times faster than in March 2020. Rents grew by double-digits in more than half the nation’s 50 largest housing markets, with Tampa leading the way with a 30.6% year-over-year increase.
"Put simply, August trends suggest rents are making up for lost time,” said Realtor.com chief economist Danielle Hale.
Hale notes that rents remained low during some of the worst months of the pandemic. For example, rents grew less than 2% from September 2020 to March 2021. One factor was a migration from urban apartments to suburban single-family homes.
"Now we've reached a stage in the COVID-19 recovery where people are ready to move, and we're seeing urgency to find new living spaces immediately,” Hale said. “A lot of this demand can be attributed to vaccines opening up offices and city-life, young adults feeling more confident to strike out on their own, and homebuyers needing to take a break from the red hot housing market.”
In August, the median rent was a little over $1,600 a month. With many people moving back to urban areas, Hale predicts renters could see even more increases over the next few months.
That could make purchasing a home a little more attractive. Zillow’s latest market report shows home prices leveled off in August, largely due to an increase in homes on the market and some price reductions.
"The strong recovery of inventory and initial lift off the gas pedal for home value appreciation is indicative of balance returning to the market," said Nicole Bachaud, economic data analyst at Zillow. "But, the major demand drivers that have pushed the market to extremes this year are still present — we're moving from a white-hot midsummer to somewhere closer to red hot as we head into the fall."
According to the Zillow report, U.S. home values are up a record-breaking 17.7% from a year ago. That put the typical U.S. home value in August at $303,288. The housing markets that saw the fastest growth are Austin, where the average home increased in value by 44.8%, and Phoenix, where home values grew 31.8%.
"Another month of rising for-sale inventory gives shoppers more options to choose from and less competition, which should help reduce bidding wars and further moderate rampant price hikes," Bachaud said. "A slightly less frenzied market means buyers have a much better chance to land the home they're bidding on, and may even see a price drop on their saved listings, but keep in mind the market is still much hotter than normal for this time of year."
The rapid increase in home prices leveled a bit last month, but rents were much higher than in August 2020.Realtor.com reports the cost of renting a ho...
As summer begins to fade into the rearview mirror, gasoline prices have leveled off, even though oil prices have begun to rise again.
AAA’s daily check on prices shows the national average price of regular gas is $3.19 a gallon, just 1 cent higher than last Friday. It’s about a dollar a gallon more than a year ago, when the pandemic had cut into demand.
The average price of premium gas is $3.81 a gallon, a penny higher than a week ago. The average price of diesel fuel is $3.30 a gallon, also 1 cent higher than last week.
The recovery from Hurricane Ida along the Gulf Coast has been slow. AAA reports refinery utilization is down by about 10%, reducing fuel supplies. Gasoline stock levels were down by 7.2 million barrels at the start of the week.
Even though prices are stable at the national level, they appear to be moving higher in parts of the Midwest. In Ohio, the average price of regular has jumped 10 cents a gallon in the last week. It’s 6 cents a gallon higher in Indiana.
“Timing is everything, and while supplies have tightened due to the slow recovery after Hurricane Ida, this is also the point when gas demand starts its seasonal decline,” said Jeanette McGee, a AAA spokesperson. “While there may be some price fluctuation, we expect most motorists to see stability at the pump."
These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to AAA:
California ($4.39)
Hawaii ($4.07)
Nevada ($3.96)
Washington ($3.87)
Utah ($3.78)
Idaho ($3.77)
Oregon ($3.75)
Alaska ($3.69)
Colorado ($3.58)
Wyoming ($3.55)
AAA reports these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:
Texas ($2.81)
Mississippi ($2.81)
Missouri ($2.85)
Arkansas ($2.85)
Alabama ($2.86)
Oklahoma ($2.86)
Tennessee ($2.89)
Louisiana ($2.90)
Kansas ($2.92)
South Carolina ($2.92)
As summer begins to fade into the rearview mirror, gasoline prices have leveled off, even though oil prices have begun to rise again.AAA’s daily check...
General Motors is recalling 402 model year 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibus and model year 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4s.
The rear seat belt retractors may be improperly secured with loose or missing fasteners.
An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors -- as necessary -- free of charge.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 4, 2021.
Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at (800) 222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at (800) 458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380.
General Motors is recalling 402 model year 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibus and model year 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4s. The rear seat belt retractors may be impr...
Wiggle Ltd., of the United Kingdom is recalling about 280 VITUS 14 and VITUS 16 kids bikes.
The bicycles have handbrakes but no footbrakes.
Federal regulations require the bicycles be equipped with both handbrakes and footbrakes.
Sidewalk bicycles with handbrakes but no footbrakes may present a risk of injury to young children who might not be able to stop the bicycles using handbrakes only.
No incidents or injuries are recorded.
This recall involves VITUS 14 and VITUS 16 kids bikes sold in multiple colors with 14-inch wheels for kids ages 3 to 5 years and 16-inch wheels for kids ages 4 to 6 years.
VITUS is printed across the frame of the bicycle.
The bikes, manufactured in China, were sold online at www.wiggle.com and www.chainreactioncycles.com from January 2017 through April 2021 for about $280 for the VITUS 14 and about $300 for the VITUS 16 Kids Bikes.
Consumers should immediately take the recalled bikes away from children and stop using them. Wiggle Ltd. is contacting all purchasers directly and is providing a free replacement wheel with footbrake.
Consumers may contact the company online at www.wiggle.com and click on “Returns” under “Customer Service” at the bottom of the page, www.chainreactioncycles.com and click on “Returning an item” under “Customer Service” at the bottom of the page, or by email at support@wiggle.com if you purchased your bike from Wiggle, and customerservice@chainreactioncycles.com if you purchased your bike from Chain Reaction Cycles.
Include “Vitus 14 and Vitus 16 Kids Bike Recall” in the subject line of your email message, and you will be contacted within 24 hours.
Wiggle Ltd., of the United Kingdom is recalling about 280 VITUS 14 and VITUS 16 kids bikes. The bicycles have handbrakes but no footbrakes. Federal r...
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 205 model year 2015-2016 E400 Coupes, model year 2012-2015 C250 Coupes, C350 Coupes & C63 AMG Coups, model year 2011-2014 E350 Coupes, and model year 2012-2014 E350 Cabrios.
An incorrect front passenger airbag may have been installed during a prior repair.
An incorrect airbag may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag free of charge.
Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 367-6372.
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 205 model year 2015-2016 E400 Coupes, model year 2012-2015 C250 Coupes, C350 Coupes & C63 AMG Coups, model year 2011...
Hopeful international travelers are coping with new reports from the White House. On Wednesday, Biden administration Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients told the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board that the Biden team has zero plans to relax any travel restrictions anytime soon.
Citing the rising COVID-19 delta variant cases in the U.S. and around the world, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo supported Zients, saying that, before the U.S. can fully reopen, it has to prove it can handle the COVID-19 situation at home first, “which requires us to get everyone vaccinated.”
While that’s an obstacle, Reuters reports that the U.S. is working on creating a "new system for international travel" that will include contact tracing when it ultimately lifts the current travel restrictions that keep many travelers from entering the U.S.
For travel companies who feel this development might hinder their return to normal, Zients urged them to pick up the pace on mandating employee vaccinations and sharing contact tracing information so the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can make contact with travelers who have been exposed to COVID-19.
"The American people need to trust that the new system for international travel is safer even as we -- I mean at that point -- we'll be letting in more travelers," Zients told the board.
In response to the White House’s intentions, the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) claimed that the plan to restart international travel is “long overdue.”
“We urge the Biden Administration to finalize this plan as quickly as possible and to otherwise make safely restarting international travel occur by opening borders an immediate priority,” ASTA wrote in a statement.
"The plan should incorporate the common-sense measures we called for along with our travel industry colleagues last week, including expeditiously developing clear vaccination and testing standards, loosening entry restrictions for fully-vaccinated travelers and aligning standards with the governments of our main outbound markets, including Canada, the EU and the U.K. Given its enormous impact on the global economy, an expedited recovery of cross-border travel is critical.”
It’s not exactly news that the travel and tourism industry has been devastated by the pandemic, but ASTA feels that any help the sector has been given by the U.S. and other governments has been “uneven at best.”
"The travel industry as a whole will not recover from COVID until international travel restarts in earnest. We urge the Biden Administration in the strongest possible terms to do its part to make that happen,” the group concluded.
While the U.S. is keeping international visitors at arm's length, countries around the world are forcing Americans into a holding pattern, too.
In late August, after seeing the rise in COVID-19 cases in the U.S., the European Union (EU) recommended that Americans be banned from nonessential travel to its 27-nation bloc, which includes France, Germany and Italy.
The EU's move prompted some countries, like the Netherlands, to reinstate quarantines for American travelers, according to Travel + Leisure's Stefanie Waldek. "It remains to be seen if those restrictions will be lifted in time for Christmas, a traditionally popular period for overseas travel," she wrote.
Nonetheless, Americans hoping to get out of the country for the holidays aren't giving up hope -- just shifting how they approach their travel plans.
Matt Clarke, the VP of marketing at online travel agency Kayak, told Travel + Leisure that, unlike the pre-pandemic era when Americans would book holiday flights weeks or months in advance, he thinks they're patiently waiting for changes to settle in before they leap for the 2021 holidays. "The trend for last-minute bookings is strong," he says.
Hopeful international travelers are coping with new reports from the White House. On Wednesday, Biden administration Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff...
With the Delta variant of COVID-19 still expanding its footprint, the number of concerned Americans is growing, and consumers are reverting back to their old shopping habits from the early days of the pandemic.
A new study by Numerator — a data and tech company serving the market research space — found that 61% of the shopping crowd think the Delta variant will cause a return to lockdowns where they live, and nearly half of consumers believe a return to normal isn't likely to happen until 2022 or later.
There are still believers that things will be OK, but that number is dwindling. According to the study, 20% of the consumers questioned are "highly optimistic" about a return to normal, which is down from about 33% two months ago.
How concerned are people? When COVID-19 cases zoomed upward in August, so did people’s uneasiness. Nearly half (46%) of consumers say they are highly concerned about COVID-19, up 10 percentage points from July 2021. Slightly more than a quarter (26%) rate their concern a 10/10 – a level not seen since March 2021, when that metric hit 25%.
Delta: better or worse than the original? The Delta variant is definitely creating anxiety. The study found that half (50%) of all consumers are more concerned about the Delta variant than the original strain. In addition, 3 out of every 5 consumers (61%) think the Delta variant has the capability to push where they live back into lockdown status.
How worried are people about becoming infected? If you think that getting vaccinated eases the stress level, think again. Numerator’s study shows that 48% of vaccinated consumers are worried about being infected, 66% of vaccinated consumers say they’re worried about the Delta variant, and 62% stress over their adult family and friends becoming infected.
Please, no more mandates or closures. Among consumers who opt not to get the vaccine, the greatest concerns are focused on mandates, closures, and lockdowns. According to the study, 44% are worried about reimposed or extended mask mandates, 43% are concerned about new or extended lockdowns or restrictions, and 32% are concerned about the impact on students returning to schools.
Getting back to normal might take longer than expected. If these numbers sound like a repeat of late 2020, they essentially are. Nearly half of consumers (48%) believe a return to normal won't happen until 2022 or later, up from 23% in July and 18% in June.
The study showed that consumers are less comfortable with indoor activities, particularly shopping maskless. Underneath that conclusion, the numbers look like this:
Consumers indicating they are comfortable shopping inside a store without a mask dropped 15 percentage points from July to August.
Comfort levels decreased significantly in August for attending a concert or show (-13%), gathering maskless with friends and family (-11%), attending in-person classes (-11%), and eating inside a restaurant (-9%).
More than half of consumers (53%) say they prefer to wear masks in public at this point in time (63% of vaccinated consumers vs. 25% of unvaccinated consumers).
Slightly under half (46%) of consumers say they prefer to shop at retailers that require masks (56% of vaccinated vs. 22% of unvaccinated).
Over 2 in 5 (43%) think proof of vaccination should be required for public indoor spaces (60% of vaccinated vs. 12% of unvaccinated).
With the Delta variant of COVID-19 still expanding its footprint, the number of concerned Americans is growing, and consumers are reverting back to their o...
Facing government mandates, automakers have committed to an electric vehicle future, despite the fact that consumers have yet to fully embrace these vehicles. But industry executives remain hopeful that consumers will eventually come around.
The CEO of Pendragon, a major car dealer group, agrees that consumers remain hesitant about EVs but sees signs of increased EV adoption. On CNBC this week Bill Berman said he is a big fan of EVs but understands why some people aren’t.
“People’s hesitancy ... around electric is multifaceted,” Berman said. “First off, it’s unknown — no one’s ever driven an electric car so there’s a lot of uncertainty that goes along with that. There’s range anxiety which most consumers call out. Even though … most consumers drive less than 50 miles a day, knowing that you can’t easily refuel your vehicle creates hesitancy.”
Doris, a Nissan Leaf owner from Hastings, Florida, has been living with what she describes as limited range in her EV.
“Purchased with 7,000 miles on it December of 2012,” Doris wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “Had about 70 miles range driving in Florida. Now has 80,000 miles, had the battery repaired under warranty in 2016. It has iffy 50 miles range. Really have to observe speed and estimated range.”
It’s worth noting that Doris’ review suggests she still likes EVs but would like to have something with more range.
While car dealers would undoubtedly like to see consumers buy more EVs, the numbers have moved sharply higher since 2011. The Department of Energy reports sales increased from around 17,000 in 2011 to 361,315 in 2018. But sales dipped slightly in 2019.
J.D. Power’s 2020 Mobility Confidence Index Study flashed a caution sign to the auto industry. It warned that manufacturers are plowing ahead producing cars that, so far, most car buyers have not asked for.
Despite improvements in technology and expanding charging infrastructure, the survey found that even consumers who have previously owned an electric vehicle aren’t always interested in buying another one. They cited the limited driving range, the high maintenance cost, and the purchase price as their main objections.
Berman said he believes improvements in charging stations hold a key to overcoming hesitancy among consumers. But he notes there are challenges in getting there because most homes aren't equipped for rapid charging.
“It’s kind of the proverbial ‘chicken and egg’ but as more electric vehicles are sold and more infrastructure is put in — whether it’s in North America, Europe, or the U.K. — I think adoption rates will rise,” he said.
Facing government mandates, automakers have committed to an electric vehicle future, despite the fact that consumers have yet to fully embrace these vehicl...
A recent study found that climate change may impact whether people decide to have kids in the future. Now, researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine explored what impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on consumers considering expanding their families.
According to their findings, about half of the mothers in New York City who were trying to have more kids before the pandemic put their plans on hold at the beginning of stay-at-home orders.
“Our findings show that that initial COVID-19 outbreak appears to have made women think twice about expanding their families and, in some cases, reduce the number of children they ultimately intend to have,” said researcher Linda Kahn, Ph.D. “This is yet another example of the potential long-lasting consequences of the pandemic beyond the more obvious health and economic effects.”
For the study, the researchers surveyed over 1,100 mothers in New York City. All of the women had at least one child at the start of the study, and they were surveyed in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic about their plans for subsequent children.
Ultimately, the researchers learned that the pandemic changed the way many women were thinking about their families and their plans for more children.
Just about half of the women in the study reported actively trying to conceive before the start of the pandemic. However, as infection rates rapidly increased, these plans were paused. It’s also important to note that less than half of the women in this group thought they’d reconsider and start trying to get pregnant again when the pandemic began to get under control.
Additionally, nearly 40% of women changed their minds entirely about expanding their families once the pandemic started. These decisions may have long-term impacts on fertility rates and population growth.
The researchers also learned that financial status played a big role in many women’s decision to get pregnant. The pandemic significantly impacted consumers’ employment status and finances, both of which are important factors to consider when thinking of adding another child into the family.
Though the team plans to do more work in this area to better understand how the vaccine may or may not play a role in women’s decision to have more kids, these findings highlight yet another way the pandemic has impacted consumers’ lives.
“These results emphasize the toll the coronavirus has taken not only on individual parents, but perhaps on fertility rates overall,” said researcher Melanie Jacobson, Ph.D.
A recent study found that climate change may impact whether people decide to have kids in the future. Now, researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine...
A new study conducted by the American Heart Association explored how consumers’ hormone levels may affect their heart health.
According to the study's findings, elevated levels of stress hormones may increase the long-term risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
“Previous research focused on the relationship between stress hormone levels and hypertension or cardiovascular events in patients with existing hypertension,” said researcher Dr. Kosuke Inoue. “However, studies looking at adults without hypertension were lacking. It is important to examine the impact of stress on adults in the general population because it provides new information about whether routine measurement of stress hormones needs to be considered to prevent hypertension and CVD events.”
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 6,000 participants enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Over the course of three months, the team tracked the participants’ stress hormones -- norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, and cortisol -- through urine samples. The team followed up with medical exams for several years to better understand how the participants’ stress hormones impacted their heart health long term.
Ultimately, the researchers learned that elevated stress hormone levels can have long-term effects on consumers’ heart health.
The biggest health risks occurred as hormone levels doubled. Each doubling of cortisol increased the risk of cardiovascular events -- like heart attack and stroke -- by 90%, whereas each time all four stress hormones doubled, the risk of high blood pressure increased as much as 31%.
“The stress hormones norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, and cortisol can increase with stress from life events, work, relationships, finances, and more,” said Dr. Inoue. “And we confirmed that stress is a key factor contributing to the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular events.”
Moving forward, the researchers hope that these findings lead to more consumers receiving the proper testing and prevention measures to identify those who may be at the highest risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
“The next key research question is whether and in which populations increased testing of stress hormones could be helpful,” said Dr. Inoue. “Currently, these hormones are measured only when hypertension with an underlying cause or other related diseases are suspected. However, if additional screening could help prevent hypertension and cardiovascular events, we may want to measure these hormone levels more frequently.”
A new study conducted by the American Heart Association explored how consumers’ hormone levels may affect their heart health. According to the study's...
Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)
Total U.S. confirmed cases: 41,645,545 (41,371,382)
Total U.S. deaths: 666,806 (664,019)
Total global cases: 226,643,823 (225,988,972)
Total global deaths: 4,662,980 (4,652,516)
Pregnant women appear to be avoiding COVID-19 vaccinations. As a group, they have one of the lowest vaccination rates in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Sept. 4, the agency said only about 25% of pregnant women ages 18 to 49 had received at least one vaccine dose.
The CDC says all women in that age group have a 61% vaccination rate. Doctors interviewed by The Texas Tribune say there’s no single reason pregnant women have avoided vaccination, although they suggest vaccine hesitancy and misinformation have played a role. Doctors say it’s a cause for concern.
“We’re just seeing a lot more of them progress [to serious illness] very quickly,” said Dr. Manisha Gandhi, chief of maternal-fetal medicine at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “This variant is much more aggressive, [and] pregnant women are getting sicker much faster.”
Scientists are not in agreement whether healthy people need a COVID-19 booster shot, but Pfizer has submitted data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration making a case for its product. The company said a third shot six months after the second restores the vaccine efficacy to 95%.
Pfizer's report, based on real-world data from Israel, said the two doses of the vaccine become less effective as time passes, with efficacy dropping to around 84% four months after the second shot.
An FDA advisory panel meets tomorrow for what may be a spirited debate about booster shots. Some scientists question the need for healthy people to receive another dose.
Many Americans refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19. But a growing number of parents are so eager to have their children get the shot that they are competing to have them enrolled in clinical trials that are administering the different vaccines to children under age 12.
The Wall Street Journal quotes Rachael DiFransico, mother of 14-month-old daughter Sybil, who was recently enrolling her child in a vaccine trial in Cleveland.
“This trial is our best shot at getting the vaccine as quickly as possible,” said DiFransico. “We want some semblance of normalcy for her.”
Wisconsin: State health officials say COVID-19 cases spiked this week, with 3,400 confirmed positive test results on both Tuesday and Wednesday. There was some good news, however, as the positivity rate fell last week to below 8%. The Wisconsin Hospital Association reports 1,054 COVID-19 patients are currently being treated in hospitals, with more than 300 in intensive care.
Alaska: The state’s largest hospital has shifted to crisis standards of care, prioritizing resources and treatments on the basis of the predicted outcome. “While we are doing our utmost, we are no longer able to provide the standard of care to each and every patient who needs our help,” Dr. Kristen Solana Walkinshaw, chief of staff at Providence Alaska Medical Center, wrote in a letter to Alaskans.
California: Officials in Los Angeles County are imposing more requirements to visit indoor public places. Consumers will need to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination at indoor bars, wineries, breweries, nightclubs, and lounges throughout the county.
Florida: Cases of the coronavirus have surged throughout the state over the summer, and a report from AARP, the senior advocacy group, says the state’s nursing home population has been hit especially hard. “These sadly predictable data trends are also preventable,” said AARP’s state director, Jeff Johnson. “Our most vulnerable residents deserve to be protected from this devastating disease. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to get vaccinated.”
Delaware: The Newark City Council plans to reintroduce limits on large gatherings after cases of the virus spiked at the University of Delaware. The measure was first implemented in August 2020.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)Total U.S. confi...
There’s more bad news for Chevrolet Bolt owners. General Motors says some owners of the recalled electric vehicle (EV) should not only leave the cars parked outside, they should keep them at least 50 feet from other vehicles.
The reason is a risk of fire caused by two defects in the battery that powers the car. The defects are behind the recall of 142,000 of the EVs sold since 2016. In August, GM added 73,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. and Canada to the recall list. The company previously recalled 69,000 2017-2019 models.
The late August recall was triggered by two reports of Bolt battery fires in vehicles that had already received a repair. In late July, GM engineers said they had identified a second “rare manufacturing defect” that increases the vehicles’ risk of catching fire. Although officials didn’t say exactly what the defects are, it said the problem stems from the cells that make up the Bolt’s battery pack.
“With this expansion, all Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles are now recalled due to the risk of the high-voltage battery pack catching fire,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement at the time. “The recall applies to all Bolt vehicles, including those that may have received an earlier recall repair for the fire risk issue.”
GM says it is currently working with its battery supplier, LG Corp., to repair or replace the battery packs. Until then, it has warned owners of the recalled vehicles to take the following precautions:
Park the vehicles outside a safe distance from structures
Limit battery charges to 90% capacity
Recharge more frequently to so that the battery does not drop below 70 miles of range
Park at least 50 feet from other vehicles
GM says the battery defect is rare, but the company has confirmed at least 10 fires caused by overheating batteries.
There’s more bad news for Chevrolet Bolt owners. General Motors says some owners of the recalled electric vehicle (EV) should not only leave the cars parke...
General Motors is recalling 32,894 model year 2013 Buick Regals, Chevrolet Malibus and Buick Lacrosses sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia or Wisconsin.
These vehicles may have rear toe links that received excessive electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris.
Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately to fracture.
A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners free of charge.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 27, 2021.
Owners may contact Buick customer service at (800) 521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at (800) 222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212330130.
General Motors is recalling 32,894 model year 2013 Buick Regals, Chevrolet Malibus and Buick Lacrosses sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, th...
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