Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com
News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of SacramentoSat, 10 Dec 2016 01:25:21 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/1e592dab1a834e9f02fdb648f19487a6?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngConsumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com
Trader Joe’s Recalls Hummus Over Listeria Concernshttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/12/02/trader-joes-recalls-hummus-over-listeria-concerns/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/12/02/trader-joes-recalls-hummus-over-listeria-concerns/#respondFri, 02 Dec 2016 17:15:52 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=435549Trader Joe’s has removed two brands of hummus from its shelves and issued a warning to customers after the manufacturer issued a recall because of possible contamination with the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium.]]>SAN FRANCISCO (CBS) – Trader Joe’s has removed two brands of hummus from its shelves and issued a warning to customers after the manufacturer issued a recall because of possible contamination with the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium.

The recalled hummus has a “USE BY” dates up through and including 12/15/16. The ID number on the button of the container also is followed by the plant identification code of “C”. The packages also bear the SKU codes of 90642 and 91107.

The company said Trader Joe’s Mediterranean Hummus Snack Pack with Pita Chips (SKU #97136) is NOT part of this recall.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/12/02/trader-joes-recalls-hummus-over-listeria-concerns/feed/0Black Friday Online Sales Hit New Highhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/28/black-friday-online-sales-hit-new-high/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/28/black-friday-online-sales-hit-new-high/#respondMon, 28 Nov 2016 16:56:21 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=434717Holiday shoppers eager to snag big discounts turned to the internet in record fashion this week, one tracking company said, driving online sales on Black Friday to a new high.]]>Holiday shoppers eager to snag big discounts turned to the internet in record fashion this week, one tracking company said, driving online sales on Black Friday to a new high.

Consumers spent $3.34 billion shopping online on Friday, a 21.6 percent increase from the same day last year, according to Adobe, which tracks online retail transactions.

More than ever before, shoppers used their mobile devices to dial up deals online, the firm said, as mobile purchases surged 33 percent on Black Friday to $1.2 billion.

Retailers also racked up online sales on Thanksgiving Day and the day before, the latest evidence that consumers are increasingly turning to online shopping as an alternative to wading into malls packed with holiday season bargain-hunters.

College student Emilia Ollearis works at the Water Tower Place mall in Chicago but is doing virtually all of her shopping online. She said she prefers to go to a store to get a close look at merchandise, but that’s it.

“I’ll go buy it online,” said Ollearis, 24. “I’m not gonna wait in line for it.”

The trend also suggests that consumers are less willing to hold out for potential online deals traditionally found on Cyber Monday, which is the Monday after Thanksgiving and has traditionally been the busiest day of the year for online shopping.

“We had projected Cyber Monday to be a $3.36 billion day, and to win the crown of largest shopping day ever,” said Tamara Gaffney, principal analyst and director at Adobe Digital Insights. “But Cyber Monday may not have as much gas left in the tank.”

The widespread use of mobile phones and access to high-speed internet are likely contributing to more shoppers turning to the internet ahead of Cyber Monday, Gaffney said. Retailers are also increasingly making available online the type of door-buster deals typically reserved for store locations on Black Friday.

Lisa Collins of Gilford, New Hampshire, will buy gifts online if she finds a better price and free shipping. “Never pay full price,” she said.

She felt like prices were better than in past years. “I think there’s better deals. I think they’re paying attention to online sales,” she said.

Tablets had some of the steepest price markdowns online this Black Friday, with an average discount of 25.4 percent, Adobe said. Televisions were down an average of 23.2 percent, while markdowns for toys online were around 15 percent.

All told, shoppers spent $5.27 billion in online purchases on Thursday and Friday, up 17.7 percent from the two-day period last year, Adobe said.

Even as online spending hit new highs this Black Friday, many shoppers across the U.S. still ventured to malls looking for deals. The Mall of America in Minnesota, which opened 24 years ago, reported that Friday was the highest traffic day it can recall.

Courtney Weitz of Meredith, New Hampshire, picked up a few small gifts at Target in Concord early Saturday. She wasn’t able to hit the stores on Black Friday or Thanksgiving because she had to work.

“I checked online and didn’t really find anything I wanted,” said Weitz, 24. “I only came for a Swiffer and toothpaste, and I’m leaving with a bit more than that.”

All told, the National Retail Federation projects that shoppers will spend $655.8 billion in November and December. That would be a gain of 3.6 percent from a year ago.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.)

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/28/black-friday-online-sales-hit-new-high/feed/0Feds Wants Phone Makers To Lock Out Most Apps For Drivershttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/23/feds-wants-phone-makers-to-lock-out-most-apps-for-drivers/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/23/feds-wants-phone-makers-to-lock-out-most-apps-for-drivers/#respondWed, 23 Nov 2016 16:24:54 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=434229The government wants smartphone makers to lock out most apps when the phone is being used by someone driving a car.]]>DETROIT (AP) — The government wants smartphone makers to lock out most apps when the phone is being used by someone driving a car.

The voluntary guidelines unveiled Wednesday are designed to reduce crashes caused by drivers distracted by phones. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also wants automakers to make infotainment systems easy to pair with smartphones.

Traffic deaths spiked 10.4 percent in the first six months of this year. That followed a 7.2 percent increase in 2015. The agency says 10 percent of fatal crashes last year involved distracted drivers.

Drivers could still make calls but the phones and automaker systems would lock out the ability to enter text. Internet browsing, video not related to driving, text from books and photos also would be locked out. Navigation systems would be permitted.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/23/feds-wants-phone-makers-to-lock-out-most-apps-for-drivers/feed/0Heinz Homestyle Gravy Recalled Over Mislabeling Concernshttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/22/heinz-homestyle-gravy-recalled-over-mislabeling-concerns/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/22/heinz-homestyle-gravy-recalled-over-mislabeling-concerns/#respondTue, 22 Nov 2016 16:25:25 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=433954Hundreds of cases of Heinz brand gravy are being voluntarily recalled because they may have been mislabeled.]]>DETROIT (CBS) – Hundreds of cases of Heinz brand gravy are being voluntarily recalled because they may have been mislabeled.

The FDA says some jars of what, according to the label, appears to be Heinz Pork Gravy might actually be Heinz HomeStyle Bistro Au Jus Gravy — therefore not labeled as containing milk and soy.

People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk or soy run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/22/heinz-homestyle-gravy-recalled-over-mislabeling-concerns/feed/0Call Kurtis: Deadly Airbags Are Still On The Roadhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/18/call-kurtis-deadly-airbags-are-still-on-the-road/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/18/call-kurtis-deadly-airbags-are-still-on-the-road/#respondSat, 19 Nov 2016 06:42:27 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=433449The Takata airbag recall is so huge that carmakers can't get all the vehicles on the road fixed right away. ]]>

ELK GROVE (CBS13) – The Takata airbag recall is so huge that carmakers can’t get all the vehicles on the road fixed right away.

And with the reported deaths, Elk Grove couple Judi and Jim Braddy say they don’t want to drive their 2013 Volkswagen Golf in the meantime.

Judi says her Golf doesn’t see much time on the road these days.

“If I drive it at all, it’s just to the store and back,” said Judi.

It has been recalled over its Takata airbag, just like 29 million other cars tied to 14 carmakers.

The airbag issue is now blamed for 11 deaths and more than a hundred injuries.

“They have no idea when the part is going to be available,” said Judi.

With seven months left on their lease, Judi and Jim just want it fixed or want to trade in their Golf early.

“My biggest fear is that something could happen to my wife or…granddaughter,” said Jim.

We reached out to Rosemary Shahan, President of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety to get an idea of the size of this recall.

“This is a huge problem for consumers who can’t get their cars fixed,” said Shahan.

She says with the massive repair backlog, anyone who feels unsafe should demand a loaner car.

But what if the car company says refuses?

Shahan says, “I wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

But that didn’t work for the Braddys; they say Volkswagen refused to provide a loaner car.

“Seriously, you can’t provide a rental car?” Judi says she asked the company.

While most carmakers are handling loaner cars on a case-by-case basis, we’ve learned things are different at Volkswagen, who told us they do not have an alternate transportation program.

We asked Volkswagen if they’d take back the Braddy’s leased Golf early, and they replied they do not have an early lease turn-in program concerning this matter.

Jim questions Volkswagen’s business practices.

“How important is taking care of the people who buy your cars?” he asks.

When their lease is up, the Braddys aren’t sure they’ll get another Volkswagen. Until then, their Golf will be seeing a lot of garage time.

“What am I supposed to do in the meantime, just not drive?” said Judi.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates 70 million airbags are or will be recalled by 2019.

To date, just more than 12 million airbags have been replaced. Meanwhile, car manufacturers are waiting on replacement parts and dealerships are taking the heat from angry customers waiting for the backlogged parts.

Last year, California dealers supported AB 287 that would force manufacturers to give you a loaner car. But that portion of the bill was removed by the author before the governor signed it.

“Parts required to complete this recall are not yet available, therefore the dealership is unable to complete the recall repair at this time. Once replacement parts are available, the customer will receive an additional letter directing the customer to schedule this repair with the authorized Volkswagen dealer.

At this time, Volkswagen does not have an alternate transportation program.

The Braddys say Volkswagen couldn’t repair the airbag until March 2017, so they decided to pay more than $1,100 to terminate their lease early. They say they’ll never but another Volkswagen.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/18/call-kurtis-deadly-airbags-are-still-on-the-road/feed/0Call Kurtis: Confusion Over Street Sweeping Tickets In Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/14/call-kurtis-city-writes-tickets-for-street-cleaning-it-isnt-doing/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/14/call-kurtis-city-writes-tickets-for-street-cleaning-it-isnt-doing/#respondTue, 15 Nov 2016 06:41:04 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=432863A Call Kurtis investigation finds the city has written millions of dollars in street cleaning tickets when it was not sweeping the streets.]]>

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A Call Kurtis investigation found the city wrote millions of dollars in street cleaning tickets when it wasn’t sweeping the streets.

We first exposed the problem three years ago. The city promised it would re-evaluate its street signs, but did they? Based on the data we pulled, 44 percent of tickets were written on days when the streets were not swept.

But it turns out there might be confusion about what street cleaning really is. We learned the city’s definition may be a bit different from what you might think.

We caught up with Midtown resident Andrew Shephard on street cleaning day.

“I just got a ticket. I’m annoyed. I’ve paid so many tickets,” he said.

Shephard says this is the 10th ticket he’s received on street cleaning day.

“Sucks I gotta pay $50,” he said.

But looking at the debris on the street, Shephard questions if the city is even doing its job. In 2013, we exposed the city of Sacramento for writing street cleaning tickets when it wasn’t sweeping the streets.

Back then, public works spokesperson Erin Treadwell said it caused them to make some changes.

“It absolutely caused us to pause and go why?” she said.

Then the city quietly took down some street cleaning signs on P Street, which was the focus of our investigation. Treadwell said the city would spend the next couple of months re-evaluating the rest of the city.

Fast forward years later, we wanted to check in on the city’s progress. Did they follow through on their promise?

Recently we sat down with a group of Midtown residents consisting of Courtney Chittock, Christopher Hill, Andrew Shephard, and Nicole Velasquez. They say they each received anywhere from 3 to 10 street cleaning tickets in Midtown over the last few years. None of them think the city cleaned the streets on the days they were ticketed.

“You see this big pile of leaves and debris, it’s been there for weeks and weeks and weeks. It just sits there,” said Hill.

During the month of August, Hill took video footage documenting a particular nuisance on his street.

August 4: “Here’s this massive pile,” he says on the video.

August 12: “It’s August 12th,” he says.

August 18: “This pile is still here,” he says.

Chittock thinks the city isn’t doing enough.

“It’s obvious they’re not cleaning the streets,” she said.

And Velasquez challenged one of her recent tickets but lost.

“It’s not in my budget,” she said.

With parking already tough in Midtown, and the city having to pay for the arena, she thinks this is intentional.

“It’s a huge moneymaker,” she said.

We wanted to know just how big of a moneymaker. We pulled two years worth of Midtown street cleaning tickets and found nearly 45,000 tickets worth $2.3 million.

We then wanted to know when the street sweeping was happening, so we requested records for 20 blocks throughout the Midtown area. The city’s street sweeping data only goes back one year, but on those 20 blocks, we found a whopping 44 percent of tickets were written on days when the city didn’t sweep the streets.

We met with the city of Sacramento’s Integrated Waste General Manager Terrance Davis to hear what he had to say.

Kurtis Ming: “We found 44 percent of the time, tickets were being written when the streets weren’t being swept. Forty-four percent. That’s a considerable number.”

Terrance Davis: “I have different data, so I can’t speak to the 44 percent number. The data we analyzed, specifically relative to that, tells a very different picture. If you look, when we’re scheduled to be there, we’re there, by and large, 95-plus percent of the time.”

When Davis’ department scheduled the street sweeper or claw to go by, yes it is 95 percent. But at some points of the year, the street sweeper only comes by every six weeks. He then said when you add in weekly garbage and recycling pickup, which also happens during that four-hour window, that number is also higher than 95 percent.

Ming: “How can you adequately sweep the streets if there are garbage cans and yard waste containers blocking the gutter?”

Davis: “I’ll say in a dense area, there are some operational challenges.”

We pulled city documents from the 1980s showing the original intent of the street cleaning signs. They did not include garbage pick-up. It was to allow the city garden refuse and street sweeping crews’ unhindered access to the gutter to provide more efficient street cleaning.

The city has since changed the definition to include garbage and recycling pickup.

Davis: “It’s a term of art, if you will, that’s been used in other agencies in cities.”

In Evanston, Illinois, street cleaning is conducted from March 1 to December 15 to eliminate litter, debris, and leaves from the streets. And in Washington, DC, they have no parking signs for street cleaning, which is defined as mechanical street sweeping services in residential neighborhoods. Parking restrictions related to residential mechanical street sweeping are lifted when street cleaning services are suspended.

Ming: “So why does Sacramento have a different definition?”

Davis: “I think Sacramento is a little bit unique.”

The city admits the signs can be clearer, something they also admitted to us nearly three years ago.

Ming: “In the meantime, a whole lot of tickets were written when people say services were not performed.”

Davis: “The services were performed.”

Ming: “Street sweeping was not performed.”

Davis: “City services were performed.”

Ming: “The signs don’t say city services, they say street cleaning.”

Davis: “The signs also say no parking between 8 and 12.”

But as soon as we started asking questions again, crews started covering up the words street cleaning with stickers that read “city services.”

Ming: “Why in three years has that not already happened?”

Davis: “It’s been a process.”

Ming; “Why not refund these tickets?”

Davis: “The tickets were written for legitimate violations for parking in zones with restrictions.”

Not wanting to pay for any more street cleaning tickets, Chittock now rides her bike around town.

Chittock: “I got rid of my car,” she said.

Ming: “No more car, no more tickets?”

Chittock: “Yeah, it’s been a change. I had to get a ride here.”

The rest are not willing to do that.

However, Velasquez has a message for the city: “I’ll move my car every week If you follow through with your word,” she says.

If the city refunded fines it collected on days when it was supposed to sweep but didn’t, that could mean $1 million back in the pockets of Midtown residents. That’s the same amount the city of Los Angeles refunded to payees after it reneged on a decision not to charge for parking on days it didn’t sweep.

We reached out to City Councilman Steve Hanson, whose district covers Midtown, for comment. His office said he had no time to talk with us.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/14/call-kurtis-city-writes-tickets-for-street-cleaning-it-isnt-doing/feed/0GM Laying Off 2,000 Workers As Sales Slowhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/09/gm-laying-off-2000-workers-as-sales-slow/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/11/09/gm-laying-off-2000-workers-as-sales-slow/#respondWed, 09 Nov 2016 18:41:36 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=431909Falling demand for cars is forcing General Motors to lay off more than 2,000 workers indefinitely at two assembly plants in Ohio and Michigan starting in January.]]>DETROIT (AP) — Falling demand for cars is forcing General Motors to lay off more than 2,000 workers indefinitely at two assembly plants in Ohio and Michigan starting in January.

The company says it will suspend the third shifts at factories in Lordstown, Ohio, near Cleveland, and in Lansing, Michigan, because customers are shifting from cars to SUVs and trucks.

About 1,250 workers will be furloughed at the Lordstown plant, which makes the Chevrolet Cruze compact car. Another 840 will be idled at the Lansing Grand River factory, which makes the Chevrolet Camaro muscle car and the Cadillac ATS and CTS luxury cars.

GM says the moves are being made to align production to demand for the cars.

GM also announced it would invest more than $900 million at a Toledo, Ohio, transmission plant, the Lansing Grand River factory and a casting plant in Bedford, Indiana, to prepare for future new vehicles.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – We all know adding guacamole costs extra but now it could cost you a small, delicious fortune.

Due an avocado growers’ strike in Mexico, prices for the popular superfood are spiking.

Across the country, supplies are low. What was once a $40 case of avocados is now costing businesses up to $90.

California’s avocado season already peaked in July.

Agriculture officials say usually 40 million pounds of avocados are imported from Mexico a week. But that number has recently plummeted to just 13 million pounds.

Stores and restaurants are now using the smaller avocados while they last.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/25/avocado-prices-skyrocketing-due-to-strike-in-mexico/feed/0REI To Close On Black Friday, Pay Employees For The Dayhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/24/rei-to-close-on-black-friday-pay-employees-for-the-day/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/24/rei-to-close-on-black-friday-pay-employees-for-the-day/#respondMon, 24 Oct 2016 13:41:19 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=428766Specialty outdoor retailer REI will keep its stores closed on the day after Thanksgiving for the second straight year, even though it's one of the busiest shopping days of the year. It will also again pay employees for the day off in a campaign that encourages people to spend time outdoors.]]>NEW YORK (AP) — Specialty outdoor retailer REI will keep its stores closed on the day after Thanksgiving for the second straight year, even though it’s one of the busiest shopping days of the year. It will also again pay employees for the day off in a campaign that encourages people to spend time outdoors.

Online shoppers can put items in their cart, though no orders will be processed that day.

CEO Jerry Stritzke told The Associated Press that the company’s move last year, which it dubbed #OptOutside, gained momentum on social media from various outdoor groups. He said he saw more than 20,000 social media posts from REI’s 12,000 employees. Many had their first Black Friday off in more than 20 years, he said.

REI, which has 149 stores, is now working with more than 275 organizations from the nonprofit, private and public sectors, including the National Parks Service, to push the idea.

The Thanksgiving weekend has been fiercely competitive, as many stores that were opening earlier and earlier on Friday are now open on Thanksgiving itself. That has hurt business on Black Friday, which had been the traditional kickoff to the holiday shopping season. But there’s also been a backlash, as employees have complained that stores are putting profits over workers celebrating the holiday.

Some stores such as Office Depot and hhgregg that have opened on Thanksgiving in the past are not doing so this year, saying workers should have family time. But many retailers also say being open on Thanksgiving doesn’t make good business sense. Still, the tide hasn’t quite turned. Macy’s says it will open an hour earlier than last year on Thanksgiving. Many mall anchors like Kohl’s and J.C. Penney have not announced their plans yet.

But REI’s decision to close on Black Friday sets itself apart, and it’s something Stritzke hopes to make a tradition. Stritzke said that in previous years, it was one of the company’s top five busiest days of the year.

“We recognized the opportunity we had as a co-op to lead with our values, and do the right thing for our 12,000 employees,” he said in an email to The AP. “We got to send an important message that we’d rather invite people to go outside with us rather than be fighting it out in the aisles.”

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/24/rei-to-close-on-black-friday-pay-employees-for-the-day/feed/0Toyota Recalls 340,000 Hybrid Priuses For Defective Parking Brakeshttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/12/toyota-recall-hybrid-brakes/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/12/toyota-recall-hybrid-brakes/#respondWed, 12 Oct 2016 21:02:45 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=426785Toyota Motor Corp. recalled 340,000 gas-electric hybrid Prius cars around the world Wednesday, 212,000 of them in Japan and 94,000 in North America, for a defect in their parking brakes.
]]>TOKYO (AP) – Toyota Motor Corp. recalled 340,000 gas-electric hybrid Prius cars around the world Wednesday, 212,000 of them in Japan and 94,000 in North America, for a defect in their parking brakes.

Toyota acknowledged receiving reports of crashes, injuries and deaths. The Japanese automaker refused to provide details, saying it was still looking into the reports.

Toyota said the parking brake cable can disengage unexpectedly, causing the brakes to stop working properly. So if the car is left in any gear other than park, it could start rolling away, and possibly crash.

Toyota said 17,000 Prius vehicles were recalled in Europe, and the rest in Australia and other regions. The problem models were manufactured from August 2015 through October 2016.

The company said all the vehicles were manufactured at its Tsutsumi plant in Toyota city, Japan, the company’s headquarters, one of a handful of plants around the world that make the Prius.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/12/toyota-recall-hybrid-brakes/feed/0Samsung Urges People To Stop Using Galaxy Note 7http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/10/samsung-urges-people-to-stop-using-galaxy-note-7/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/10/samsung-urges-people-to-stop-using-galaxy-note-7/#respondTue, 11 Oct 2016 00:54:06 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=426334Samsung said it is halting sales of the star-crossed Galaxy Note 7 smartphone after a spate of fires involving new devices that were supposed to be safe replacements for recalled models.]]>SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Samsung said it is halting sales of the star-crossed Galaxy Note 7 smartphone after a spate of fires involving new devices that were supposed to be safe replacements for recalled models.

Separately, South Korean safety authorities said they found a new product defect in the Note 7 and urged consumers to stop using them. The officials did not publicly identify the defect.

In a statement issued late Monday, Samsung Electronics Inc. said consumers with original Note 7 devices or replacements they obtained after the recall should turn off the power and seek a refund or exchange them for different phones.

Officials from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission echoed that advice in their own statement, adding that they are continuing to investigate at least five incidents of fire or overheating reported since a formal recall was announced Sept. 15.

“No one should have to be concerned their phone will endanger them, their family or their property,” said Elliot Kaye, chairman of the safety commission, in a statement. He called Samsung’s decision to stop distributing the device “the right move” in light of “ongoing safety concerns.”

NEW OVERHEATING INCIDENTS

The announcement follows several new incidents of overheating last week and deals a further blow to the world’s largest smartphone company. Leading wireless carriers have already said they would stop distributing new Note 7 phones as replacements for the earlier recall.

Samsung said it would ask all carriers and retailers to stop selling the phones and providing them as replacements for recalled devices. It said consumers should return their phones to the place where they purchased them. They can also get information from the company’s website .

Analysts say the new problems pose a crisis for the South Korean tech giant, which is locked in fierce competition with Apple and other leading smartphone makers.

“This has been a real black eye on the product,” said Ben Bajarin, a consumer tech industry analyst with the Creative Strategies firm.

WHAT’S CAUSING THE FIRES?

The new reports also raise questions about the cause and extent of the problem. Samsung blamed the battery problem on a manufacturing defect, although the company hasn’t said which of its two battery suppliers made the faulty batteries or clarified whose batteries are used in which Note 7 smartphones.

“What’s happened in the last few days just complicates things enormously,” said analyst Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research. “It calls into question their ability to manage quality control and everything else that goes into that.”

Samsung gave no indication that it knows what caused the latest problems.

“We are working with relevant regulatory bodies to investigate the recently reported cases involving the Galaxy Note7,” the company said in its statement, adding that “consumers’ safety remains our top priority.”

Earlier, a spokesman for the U.S. safety commission said his agency is investigating five Note 7 incidents reported since Sept. 15, although he said investigators had not confirmed whether all five involved recall replacements. But four consumers have told the Associated Press that their replacement phones caught fire — including two in Kentucky, one in Minnesota and one in Hawaii.

AFTER THE FIRE

Dee Decasa of Honolulu had just visited the Samsung website on her new Galaxy Note 7 when it began smoking Sunday morning. She was double checking that the replacement phone she received was OK. She took a screen shot of the page confirming her new phone was fine.

“Then boom, there was like a pop. I had it in my hand and then smoke started spewing out this green yucky thing,” said Decasa, a bookkeeper.

She screamed for her husband and ran out of her bedroom. He grabbed an aluminum pan from the kitchen and told her to the put the phone in there. They called 911, and the phone was still sizzling when a policeman came about 20 minutes later.

Decasa said she thought “What happened? We were reassured these were the replacement ones.” No one was injured.

Her husband said the plastic protective case his wife had around her phone may have protected her. Part of the plastic case appeared to have melted and got stuck to the aluminum pan.

The Decasas said Samsung is sending a representative to Honolulu Tuesday to meet them and examine her phone.

A BLOW TO SAMSUNG

The Note 7 is not Samsung’s most popular device; Samsung sells far more units of its Galaxy S7 phones than the more expensive Note 7 device. But analysts say the issue could hurt the company’s reputation and overall standing with consumers.

Samsung sells about a third of all high-end smartphones priced above $400, while Apple sells slightly more than half, according to Credit Suisse investment analyst Kulbinder Garcha. He predicted in a report Monday that the new Note 7 problems will help Apple increase its share of the market.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/10/samsung-urges-people-to-stop-using-galaxy-note-7/feed/0Nestlé Issues Voluntary Recall Of Drumstick Ice Cream Over Listeria Concernshttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/10/nestle-issues-voluntary-recall-of-drumstick-ice-cream-over-listeria-concerns/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/10/nestle-issues-voluntary-recall-of-drumstick-ice-cream-over-listeria-concerns/#respondTue, 11 Oct 2016 00:40:30 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=426331Food company Nestlé has initiated a voluntary recall of their Drumstick Clubs after they received positive test results for Listeria from equipment used to manufacture the cones. ]]>Food maker Nestlé has initiated a voluntary recall of their Drumstick Clubs after they received positive test results for Listeria from equipment used to manufacture the cones.

Included in the recall are the Drumstick Club 16-count Variety Pack and the 24-count Vanilla Pack with cones marked for easy individual sale. The two pack sizes contain 4.6 fl.oz. cones and were manufactured in Bakersfield, California and distributed nationally.

So far, there have been no positive test results in the cones themselves and no illnesses have been reported, according to a statement from the company.

Listeria can cause serious and even deadly infections. It primarily affects the elderly, pregnant women, newborns and people with weak immune systems.

The product identification codes for the recalled ice cream can be found on the back of the packages and on the individually marked vanilla cones from the 24-count pack.

The two packs being recalled carry distinct UPC codes as well as a “best before” date and production code. To see a full list of packages included in the recall, click here.

The company says no other production codes, sizes or varieties of Nestle Drumstick products are affected.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/10/10/nestle-issues-voluntary-recall-of-drumstick-ice-cream-over-listeria-concerns/feed/0Subaru Recalls Nearly 600K Cars Due To Fire Risk From Overheating Windshield Wiper Motorshttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/30/subaru-recalling-nearly-600k-cars-due-to-fire-risk-from-overheating-windshield-wiper-motors/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/30/subaru-recalling-nearly-600k-cars-due-to-fire-risk-from-overheating-windshield-wiper-motors/#respondFri, 30 Sep 2016 19:24:33 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=424429DETROIT (AP) – Subaru is recalling nearly 593,000 vehicles, some for a second time, because windshield wiper motors can overheat and increase the risk of a fire. The recall affects certain Legacy and Outback cars […]]]>DETROIT (AP) – Subaru is recalling nearly 593,000 vehicles, some for a second time, because windshield wiper motors can overheat and increase the risk of a fire.

The recall affects certain Legacy and Outback cars from the 2010 to 2014 model years. The company says that due to contamination, parts in the wiper motor cover can interfere with one another. If snow or ice stops the wiper arms from stopping in the proper position, the wiper motor could overheat. That could disable the wipers and melt the cover.

Dealers will replace the wiper motor bottom cover at no cost, but a schedule for the recall isn’t finished. Some of the vehicles were recalled in 2011 for a similar problem.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/30/subaru-recalling-nearly-600k-cars-due-to-fire-risk-from-overheating-windshield-wiper-motors/feed/0Mall Operators Working To Implement Security Measures Without Interfering With Shopping Experiencehttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/30/mall-operators-working-to-implement-security-measures-without-interfering-with-shopping-experience/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/30/mall-operators-working-to-implement-security-measures-without-interfering-with-shopping-experience/#commentsFri, 30 Sep 2016 15:31:00 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=424382More sophisticated cameras. Security robots. Customers feeling shaken by recent attacks at U.S. malls may not notice huge changes - but mall operators are testing and putting in place new technologies and other measures to offer people more protection without intruding too much on their shopping time.]]>NEW YORK (AP) – More sophisticated cameras. Security robots. Customers feeling shaken by recent attacks at U.S. malls may not notice huge changes – but mall operators are testing and putting in place new technologies and other measures to offer people more protection without intruding too much on their shopping time.

Mall executives say shoppers have been adamantly opposed to airport security tactics like metal detectors. So they’re trying other things, and increasingly using mass notifications that let them send text and email alerts to tenants within seconds in case of a crisis.

Concerns about safety have been heightened by the attacks. Those included a shooting in the makeup area of a Macy’s store near Seattle, where five people died, as well as stabbings at a Minnesota mall where ten people were injured before a police officer shot the assailant.

Justin Dye, 41, of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, said he has felt more on edge when he goes to his local mall.

“You’re not paranoid. But you are alert of the people around you,” he said. The father of two said he now looks for where the exits are, and in a store he scouts for dressing rooms or back offices should he need to hide. “I’m always thinking about if something could happen, where would I go, and what should I do?” he said.

The recent attacks are “awful tragedies,” and at the top of retailers’ minds, said Lisa LaBruno, a senior vice president at the Retail Industry Leaders Association trade group. She was attending an already-scheduled meeting about security this week with store executives. “They are committed to reassessing the situation and identifying ways in which they can mitigate risks.”

Still, she and other industry experts acknowledge that mall and store operators don’t have much control over actually stopping any incident from happening. They do say they hope to minimize any threat and focus on keeping people safe.

Shopper surveys done every April by the International Council of Shopping Centers show that people aren’t interested in metal detectors or similar tactics, the trade association said. “They don’t want to be impeded as they go about their lives,” said Malachy Kavanagh, a spokesman for the mall association.

Dye’s among those who doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of metal detectors; he said he’d rather see more armed security guards at shopping centers.

The mall group spent $2 million to develop terrorism training programs after the Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S., and shopping centers have made more changes since then. A 2007 shooting in Omaha, Nebraska, when a 19-year-old man fatally shot eight people was an impetus for malls to alter their approach. Malls began working with the Homeland Security Department on plans for first responders enter the building to try to stop the shooter, rather than wait for backup as had been the practice.

In the past two years, retailers and malls have offered enhanced training for workers – some use videos of active-shooter scenarios; others have store associates act out the parts. At Macy’s, for example, active shooter training has been a requirement for all employees since 2014. Mall operators are also running more evacuation drills, and are collaborating with police departments that may train at malls when they’re closed.

Technology is key too, though experts say there isn’t one single thing that can thwart an attack.

Kavanagh says Homeland Security officials are working with malls on testing cameras with facial recognition that can detect people with criminal records and also cameras that read license plates and send alerts if a criminal or someone on a terrorist watch is around. DHS is also looking at creating virtual walls in open spaces to block drones equipped with handguns and other weapons, he said.

“As technology progresses, there has to be a counter-measure,” Kavanagh said.

Colin J. Beck, a sociology professor at Pomona College and author of “Radicals, Revolutionaries and Terrorists,” said that it’s hard to protect malls from being targets. But he says measures like automatic scanning of license plates and faces in public spaces open up “questions of infringement on constitutional rights and potential abuse.”

Some measures had a bumpy beginning. Security robots made by startup Knightscope read license plates, can identify a vehicle parked in a certain location for too long or sense intruders at odd hours.

But the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, California, scrapped a pilot test of the 300-pound robots this summer after one of them knocked over a 16-month-old. (The toddler was OK).

Stacy Dean Stephens, vice president of sales and marketing at Knightscope, said the company has since made improvements and expects to have several large mall developers in California start using the robots later this year.

“We learned an awful lot from the incident, and have moved on,” he said.

One of the most-used tactics is the mass notifications which can be used for weather, power outages or more serious scares. Pocketstop, a Dallas-based company that sends such notifications, said business among shopping centers is up 33 percent over the past 12 months.

While less than 1 percent of the incidents involve a shooting or attack, it’s on top of stores’ minds, said CEO Daniel Wagstaff.

By next year, the company will launch a notification service for customers using the mall’s Wi-Fi. Wagstaff said the move is tricky.

“The last thing we want to do is promote fear in our consumer. We want people to be safe, but we don’t want to scare people,” he said.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/30/mall-operators-working-to-implement-security-measures-without-interfering-with-shopping-experience/feed/1Bank At Wells Fargo? You’ll Want To Do These 4 Things Soonhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/28/bank-at-wells-fargo-youll-want-to-do-these-4-things-soon/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/28/bank-at-wells-fargo-youll-want-to-do-these-4-things-soon/#respondWed, 28 Sep 2016 18:41:20 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=423986Attention, Wells Fargo customers: It’s time to sit down and make sure no funny business went on with your accounts.]]>NEW YORK (AP) — Attention, Wells Fargo customers: It’s time to sit down and make sure no funny business went on with your accounts.

Wells Fargo, which has been fined $185 million by regulators who said bank employees opened millions of unauthorized accounts to meet sales goals, has promised to contact all customers and invite them to review their accounts.

“You must be proactive,” said Pamela Banks, the senior policy counsel at the nonprofit advocate Consumers Union. That means going through several years of statements, credit reports and accounts on your own.

After reviewing more than 90 million accounts, Wells Fargo said more than 2 million bank and credit card accounts may have not been authorized.

Any unauthorized accounts may have racked up fees. And credit card accounts opened in your name may affect your credit score, the all-important number that determines what kind of interest rate lenders will charge you for a home or car loan.

Wells Fargo has been ordered by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to refund customers going back to 2011, and the company said it has already given back $2.6 million in fees for products that were sold without authorization.

Here’s what all Wells Fargo customers should do:

1. CHECK YOUR ACCOUNTS

Call Wells Fargo, or head to a nearby branch, and ask to review all accounts opened in your name. You can also do this online if you’ve set up online banking for your Wells Fargo accounts. If there is any issue, let the bank know quickly. Make sure to go through your account history carefully for at least the last five years. Look for any unusual transactions or fees, since employees were transferring money between accounts without permission from customers, according to the CFPB. If you didn’t get a refund you feel you deserve, report the issue to the CFPB on its website , or call 855-411-2372.

If you have a private student loan from Wells Fargo, scrutinize those statements as well, said Banks. In August, the CFPB fined Wells Fargo $3.6 million for charging its student loan customers illegal fees, not correcting errors on credit reports and other violations.

2. SCOUR CREDIT REPORTS

Everyone should check their credit reports at least once a year. But if you haven’t been doing that, now is the time, especially if you’re a Wells Fargo customer. You can get free credit reports once every 12 months from each of the major reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian, TransUnion — at AnnualCreditReport.com .

The reports list all your creditors, so review them for any unauthorized credit cards that may have been opened or unpaid fees that may have been reported to the credit agencies. You should also look for inquiries made by Wells Fargo for new credit cards. Those inquiries stay on credit reports for 24 months and can slightly hurt credit scores for 12 months, said John Ulzheimer, who used to work at a credit bureau and is now president of The Ulzheimer Group, a credit consulting firm.

If you spot any Wells Fargo-related problems on your credit reports, ask the bank and the credit agencies to fix them.

3. THINK BEFORE CLOSING CREDIT CARD ACCOUNTS

According to bank, Wells Fargo employees applied for about 565,000 credit cards that consumers may not have authorized. Wells Fargo said it will contact those people to see if they want to keep the credit card accounts open.

Your immediate reaction may be to just close such an account, but a credit card account that was opened and never used may have actually helped your credit score, said Ulzheimer. That’s because having more unused credit available boosts a credit score — and so closing that account may hurt it. Higher credit scores can mean paying lower interest rates, so if you plan to apply for a mortgage or another loan soon, it may be best to keep it open until then, said Ulzheimer.

Bank accounts, however, have no effect on credit scores, so those can be closed.

4. CONSIDER DITCHING WELLS FARGO

The scandal is a good excuse to shop for other banks, said Ken Tumin, founder and editor of bank comparison site DepositAccounts.com . “This shows you that loyalty doesn’t buy you anything,” he said. Research other banks and credit unions — you might find that they are offering lower fees or paying higher interest rates, Tumin said.

Going forward, Wells Fargo said it has reformed its practices so the issue will not recur. Among the changes: It will automatically email or send a letter to customers when an account is opened or a credit card application is filled out. The bank also said it will end its sales quota system at year’s end.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/28/bank-at-wells-fargo-youll-want-to-do-these-4-things-soon/feed/0Apple Warns Against Scams Involving iTunes Cardshttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/09/apple-warns-against-scams-involving-itunes-cards/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/09/apple-warns-against-scams-involving-itunes-cards/#respondFri, 09 Sep 2016 23:07:08 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=420470Apple is warning consumers about scam artists who pressure their victims into transferring money by purchasing iTunes gift cards after the fraudsters spin a bogus story about unpaid bills or a relative who needs bailing out of jail.]]>SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple is warning consumers about scam artists who pressure their victims into transferring money by purchasing iTunes gift cards after the fraudsters spin a bogus story about unpaid bills or a relative who needs bailing out of jail.

Authorities have previously warned about similar scams involving pre-paid debit cards. But in recent weeks, the IRS and the Federal Trade Commission have said criminals are using the popular Apple gift cards as an easy and difficult-to-trace method of transferring cash.

Apple posted a warning on its website Friday, advising that iTunes cards should only be used for online purchases of digital music, books or apps, and not for transferring money. Apple also said it’s advising retailers to be alert for people buying them in large quantities.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/09/apple-warns-against-scams-involving-itunes-cards/feed/0Flying Soon? Leave This Recalled Phone At Home, FAA Warnshttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/08/flying-soon-leave-this-recalled-phone-at-home-faa-warns/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/08/flying-soon-leave-this-recalled-phone-at-home-faa-warns/#respondFri, 09 Sep 2016 01:57:10 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=420284Aviation safety officials took the extraordinary step of warning airline passengers not to turn on or charge a new-model Samsung smartphone during flights following numerous reports of the devices catching fire.]]>WASHINGTON (AP) — Aviation safety officials took the extraordinary step of warning airline passengers not to turn on or charge a new-model Samsung smartphone during flights following numerous reports of the devices catching fire.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued the warning Thursday night, citing “recent incidents and concerns raised by Samsung about its Galaxy Note 7 devices.” It is extremely unusual for the FAA to warn passengers about a specific product.

Passengers were also urged not to put the phones in checked bags.

Samsung recently stopped selling the phones and recalled more than 2 million of them after reports that the phones have spontaneously caught fire. In one case, a family in St. Petersburg, Florida, reported a Galaxy 7 phone left charging in their Jeep caught fire, destroying the vehicle.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/08/flying-soon-leave-this-recalled-phone-at-home-faa-warns/feed/0Study: More People Still Prefer Reading Books In Print Format Over Digitalhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/02/study-more-people-still-prefer-reading-books-in-print-format-than-digital/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/02/study-more-people-still-prefer-reading-books-in-print-format-than-digital/#respondFri, 02 Sep 2016 14:47:09 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=419130Adult readers in the U.S. still strongly favor paper over e-books, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center.]]>NEW YORK (AP) — Adult readers in the U.S. still strongly favor paper over e-books, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center.

Around 65 percent of those surveyed had read a paperback or hardcover over the past year, compared to 28 percent who had read an e-book, Pew reported Thursday. Around 40 percent only read print books, while just 6 percent favor e-books exclusively. Fourteen percent said they had listened to an audio book, up two percentage points from 2015, but the same as in 2014.

E-book sales surged after Amazon.com introduced its Kindle reader in 2007. But they began leveling off a few years ago and have even declined for some major publishers. Those who do read e-books prefer a tablet computer (15 percent) or cellphone (13 percent) rather than a dedicated device such as the Kindle (8 percent).

Overall, 73 percent of Americans 18 and older read a book over the past year, up one percentage point from 2015 but below the 79 percent recorded for 2011. Women were more likely to have read a book (77 percent) than men (68 percent).

The Pew report is based on a nationwide telephone survey of 1,520 American adults, conducted March 7-April 4.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/02/study-more-people-still-prefer-reading-books-in-print-format-than-digital/feed/0Samsung Recalls Galaxy Note 7 After Battery Explosionshttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/02/samsung-recalls-galaxy-note-7-after-battery-explosions/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/02/samsung-recalls-galaxy-note-7-after-battery-explosions/#respondFri, 02 Sep 2016 13:34:51 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=419074SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Samsung Electronics recalled all of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones on Friday after finding batteries of some of the flagship gadgets exploded or caught fire. Samsung’s Note 7s are being […]]]>SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Samsung Electronics recalled all of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones on Friday after finding batteries of some of the flagship gadgets exploded or caught fire.

Samsung’s Note 7s are being pulled from shelves in 10 countries, including South Korea and the United States, just two weeks after the product’s launch. Customers who already bought Note 7s will be able to swap them for new smartphones in about two weeks, said Koh Dong-jin, president of Samsung’s mobile business.

He apologized for causing inconvenience and concern to customers.

The recall, the first for the new smartphone, comes at a crucial moment in Samsung’s mobile business. Apple is scheduled to announce its new iPhone next week and Samsung’s mobile division was counting on momentum from the Note 7’s strong reviews and higher-than-expected demand.

Samsung said it had confirmed 35 instances of Note 7s catching fire or exploding. There have been no reports of injuries related to the problem.

The company said it has not found a way to tell exactly which phones may endanger users out of the 2.5 million Note 7s already sold globally. It estimated that about 24 out of 1 million units may have a faulty battery.

After complaints surfaced online, Samsung found that a battery cell made by one of its two battery suppliers caused the phone to catch fire. Koh refused to name the supplier.

“There was a tiny problem in the manufacturing process, so it was very difficult to figure out,” Koh told reporters at a news conference. “It will cost us so much it makes my heart ache. Nevertheless, the reason we made this decision is because what is most important is customer safety.”

Customers’ reports of scorched phones prompted Samsung to conduct extra quality controlling tests and delay shipments of the Note 7s this week before the recall.

South Korean high school teacher Park Soo-Jung said she had rushed to buy the new phone, pre-ordering and then activating it on Aug. 19, its official launch date.

The 34-year-old living in the port city of Busan said that she was bruised when she rushed out of bed after her phone burst into flames, filling her bedroom with smoke stinking of chemicals.

She’s having second thoughts about buying another newly released device, especially after losing all her personal data stored in the destroyed Note 7, she said.

“If the exploded phone had burned near my head, I would not have been able to write this post,” she said in a popular online forum Thursday, where she shared a photo of the scorched Note 7 and described dousing the flames.

China is not affected by the sales suspension. The company said it used a battery made by another supplier for the Note 7s sold in China.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/02/samsung-recalls-galaxy-note-7-after-battery-explosions/feed/0Insurance Industry Releases Ranking Of Best Car-Seat Anchorshttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/01/insurance-industry-releases-ranking-of-best-car-seat-anchors/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2016/09/01/insurance-industry-releases-ranking-of-best-car-seat-anchors/#respondThu, 01 Sep 2016 17:17:02 +0000Consumer News – CBS Sacramentohttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=418920New rankings from the insurance industry show that the Audi Q7, Lexus RX and Toyota Prius have the easiest-to-use anchors for child seats.]]>DETROIT (AP) — New rankings from the insurance industry show that the Audi Q7, Lexus RX and Toyota Prius have the easiest-to-use anchors for child seats.