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The traction control system does not function when cruise control is activated.

April 26, 2024
Chrysler is recalling 26,776 model year 2024 Pacificas and Voyagers.

The traction control system (TCS) does not function when cruise control is activated, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will update the TCS software free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed by May 17, 2024.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 22B.


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The product did not undergo USDA inspection

April 26, 2024
ConSup North America of Lincoln Park, N.J., is recalling approximately 85,984 pounds of ready-to-eat sliced prosciutto ham.

The product, imported from Germany, did not undergo inspection by the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

The following item, produced from September 25, 2023, through March 6, 2024, is being recalled:

5.29-oz. plastic packages containing Stockmeyer PROSCIUTTO Product of GERMANY with lot codes 09118-3A, 09118-3B, 09120-3A, 09120-3B, 13133-3A, 13133-3B, 13104-3A, 13104-3B, 13105-3A, 13105-3B, 13109-3A and 13109-3B and BEST BEFORE: dates of 4/28/2024, 5/26/2024, 7/7/2024, 8/4/2024, 8/11/2024 and 10/7/2024.

The recalled items were shipped to retail locations in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but discard or return it to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact the firm at (973) 628-7330 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


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Here are some questions you should ask your advisor

April 26, 2024

Now that the U.S. Department of Labor has finalized its rule requiring financial planners who help clients save for retirement to meet fiduciary standards, consumers relationship with these professionals will change.

But how? Stephen Kates, principal financial analyst for Annuity.org, see the changes affecting savers two main ways.

Right now, a fee-only financial advisor working with a client on an on-going basis is acting as a fiduciary, but a broker advising a client on whether to rollover their 401(k) to an IRA is not, Kates told ConsumerAffairs.

An insurance professional selling annuities is not required to take a holistic view of a consumers entire financial picture during the transaction.

But once the new rule takes effect, they will. In drafting the rule, federal officials claimed that some retirement planners steered clients into instruments that paid them a commission. A fiduciary advisor is one who is being paid to provide the best, objective investment advice, based on the individual.

Everyone will be a fiduciary now

These interactions will change, and all these professionals will be required to act in a fiduciary standard, Kates said. This will be beneficial to consumers because they will not have to worry about one type of advisor acting with a different standard of care than another. Simply, more conversations and advice will be covered under the fiduciary standard.

But there may also be a downside. Kates says it's possible the new rule will reduce some consumers' ability to receive advice because it probably will come with a fee. Financial planners have to earn money somewhere and if they arent getting commissions then they are likely to charge a fee for their advice, just as an attorney does.

The additional compliance burden that this places on advisors of all kinds will mean that many lower income and less wealthy consumers may no longer meet the threshold for the work required, Kates said. Independent professionals without support or back-office teams will be the most impacted.

Generic and formulaic advice

He says the free advice may become more generic and formulaic. It could, he says, price less wealthy savers out of the system. That, of course, assumes the final rule takes effect. Kates says Novembers election could derail it.

Even if the new rule does take effect, Kates says the questions consumers should ask any financial professional remain the same. Here are his suggested questions:

• How are you compensated in our relationship? If you are compensated on product sales or money movement, explain to me how that will impact your decisions when giving advice.
  

• How have you helped people like me in the past, and how many clients do you work with on an on-going basis?
  

• What kind of financial services do you offer or not offer?
  

• What information do you need to offer me the best advice possible?
  

• What are the alternatives to [proposal] and how and why would the results be different?
  

Kates says you can use SEC.gov or FINRA.org to research the companies and individuals you are working with to verify their credentials and experience. The ConsumerAffairs research team can also help.

They analyzed 12 national firms providing retirement planning advice as selected the four best. Youll find their report here.


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Finally, no more vouchers!

April 26, 2024

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has put its John Hancock on a new rule that forces airlines to play nice when someones flight is significantly delayed, canceled altogether, and a number of other mishaps that are out of a travelers control.

Its a rule that requires airlines to provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed and to do it promptly.

Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them - without headaches or haggling, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers.

The agency has been persistent in trying to make the airlines understand that the customer comes first. Little by little, DOT has pushed for parity in refund policies and taking away airlines preference to call their own shots.

As a result of refund policies differing from airline to airline, it was difficult for passengers to know or assert their refund rights and the DOTs complaint box was getting stuffed by travelers who felt mistreated by the airlines refund rules.

Under the rule, passengers are entitled to

With the new DOT mandate, any airline passenger will be entitled to a refund for:

Canceled or significantly changed flights: Passengers will be entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered, the agency said in its announcement.

The key phrase there is significantly changed. In the past, that phrase could mean anything, but now it's defined as a flight where thedeparture or arrival times are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; situations where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability.

Significantly delayed baggage return: Now, anyone who files a mishandled baggage claim is entitled to a refund of their checked bag fee if the bag is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 15-30 hours of their international flight arriving at the gate, depending on the length of the flight.

Extra services not provided: Theres an unexpected addition to the DOTs rule in that any passengers who paid for an extra service such asseat selection, Wi-Fi, or in-flight entertainment will be entitled to a refund for that fee if an airline fails to provide this service.

In addition, the DOT is also proposing that airlines be banned from charging an extra fee to sit next to a young child traveling with them, and it also has expressed a desire to improve the rights ofpassengers who use wheelchairs.

This is part of a wave of our national pushback against companies playing games with our money, whether its add-in airline fees or hotel junk fees or surprise medical bills,"U.S. PIRG Education Fund Consumer Watchdog Teresa Murray said."This is great for consumers, so we can make informed decisions about how we spend our hard-earned money.

Industry players have said its impossible to provide complete pricing, that it was too complicated. Weve never believed that. If they want to sell airline tickets, they must now do it with transparency.

And, youll get it simple and fast, too!

DOTs final rule also makes it simple and no-nonsense for passengers to receive the money they are owed. With this rule in place, airlines and ticket agents have to issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.

Its got to be the full amount, too, including government-imposed or airline-imposed fees and taxes. The only thing that wont be reimbursed is the value of any portion of a flight that was already used.

No more Well give you a voucher or 20,000 miles, either. Now, airlines will have to pay in either cash or the original form of payment, such as credit cards or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation, the agency said.


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The agency believes there are minimal health risks for consumers at this time

April 26, 2024

Outbreaks of bird flu (H5N1) were first detected among dairy cattle across the country in late March.

Now, as the virus continues to spread, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued an order to hopefully prevent the spread. Moving forward, all dairy cattle must be tested for bird flu before traveling between states.

USDA has identified spread between cows within the same herd, spread from cows to poultry, spread between dairies associated with cattle movements, and cows without clinical signs that have tested positive, the USDA wrote in a statement.

The novel movement of H5N1 between wild birds and dairy cows requires further testing and time to develop a critical understanding to support any future courses of action. This Federal Order is critical to increasing the information available for the USDA. Requiring positive test reporting will help the USDA better under this disease and testing before interstate movement will limit its spread.

New requirements

The Federal Order by the USDA requires the following criteria before dairy cattle are able to move between states starting on Monday, April 29:

• Dairy cattle must receive a negative influenza A test at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network lab
  

• Dairy cattle moving between states must follow all Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) guidelines
  

• Labs that receive positive influenza A tests for dairy cattle must report them to the USDA and APHIS
  

The effect on dairy milk

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been conducting an ongoing investigation into the bird flu outbreaks, primarily with the intention of ensuring that consumers stay safe when exposed to potentially contaminated dairy products.

The FDA and USDA have indicated that based on the information currently available, our commercial milk supply is safe because of these two reasons: 1) the pasteurization process and 2) the diversion or destruction of milk from sick cows, the FDA explained.

Recent reports have shown that pasteurized milk samples found on store shelves have traces of the virus. However, the FDA explained that the pasteurization process doesnt completely sterilize the milk; rather, it kills off the traces of the virus that would be harmful to consumers.

The FDA encourages consumers to steer clear of raw milk, as this type of milk doesnt go through the pasteurization process. Any remnants of the bird flu virus in raw milk products can be dangerous for consumers.

The agency is continuing to do more research related to the bird flu, consumer dairy products, and the risks to consumers health. However, at this point, the FDA maintains that the commercial milk supply doesnt pose a risk to consumers health.


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