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Apple recalls older three-prong AC power adapters
Apple is recalling a batch of three-prong AC wall plug adapters. The company is aware of six incidents worldwide in which the adapters broke, creating a risk of electrical shock. As a precaution, Apple is allowing customers to exchange the potentially faulty plugs for a new version. It's not clear, though, just how many devices that could be.
HP is recalling more laptop batteries over fire concerns
HP is expanding its recall of laptop and mobile workstation batteries because of concerns over "fire and burn hazards." HP actually announced the broader recall in January, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission didn't post it on its website until this week because of the government shutdown.
Dell recalls hybrid laptop power adapters over shock risks
Dell's Hybrid Power Adapter is a clever way to keep your laptop running when you're far from a wall outlet, but some models pose a safety risk. The PC maker has issued a recall for versions of the combo power brick and battery bank made between January 2017 and March 2017 after 11 reports of them breaking and exposing their internal components, creating a shock risk. About 8,900 of the adapters are affected in the US, plus another 475 in Canada.
Toyota recalls another 1.7 million cars over faulty airbags
The problems with Takata's potentially defective airbags persist years after they began. Toyota has recalled another 1.7 million cars worldwide, 1.3 million of them in the US, over possible faults in their airbag actuators. The new effort covers vehicles made between 2010 and 2015 and comes just weeks after Toyota issued a repeat recall for 65,000 cars after concerns an initial fix still wasn't safe.
Segway Ninebot fire risk caused a Lime recall and new charging policy
Lime revealed that in August it removed a number of Segway Ninebot scooters from its fleet of rentals following the discovery of a manufacturing defect that could cause batteries to catch fire. Now, after what it calls an "unconfirmed report" that another model may be similarly vulnerable, all Ninebot scooters are being charged at Lime facilities while it investigates.
Ford will keep GT supercar from catching fire with a software update
If you're driving in your fancy Ford GT supercar on Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca you definitely don't want to see is fire erupting from the engine behind you. Turns out, neither does Ford, especially after one burst into flames earlier this year in Germany. The American car manufacturer has issued a recall for its beautiful flying-buttressed supercar. and will fix the erupting-into-flames issue via a software update. Approximately 200 of the 2017-18 Ford GTs are affected in this recall. The issue arises from hydraulic fluid which may leak from the valve block assembly due to high pressure onto the exhaust. So far, only one owner has been affected by the issue. The driver, who goes by muc.collector on Instagram, was driving casually through Munich, Germany when his car caught on fire. Luckily neither the 52-year-old driver, nor his son, were injured. The car itself only had 43 miles on the odometer, meaning it was likely mechanical issue, and wasn't caused by a crash or reckless driving. Ford was kind enough to replace the driver's GT free of charge, though. View this post on Instagram First supercar I saw when I visited Munich a month ago... | #Ford #GT #FordGT #V6 #EcoBoost #MucCollector A post shared by cem (@itsme.cem) on Sep 17, 2018 at 12:35pm PDT But considering that each Gorilla-Glass-windshielded GT retails for $450,000, it's probably best that Ford deals with the problem sooner rather than later.
Toyota recalls 2.4 million hybrids over stalling risk
Toyota is facing a fresh setback after having to deal with a long line of faults relating to its hybrid cars over the past few years. Some Toyota Prius or Auris cars manufactured between 2008 and 2014 could be at risk of stalling when entering a fail-safe driving mode. The Japanese carmaker is now recalling 1.25 million cars in Japan, 830,000 in North America and 290,000 in Europe in order to fix the issue.
Toyota recalls over a million hybrid vehicles due to fire risk
Toyota is recalling more than a million Prius and C-HR hybrids worldwide due to a fire risk. Around 192,000 Prius vehicles in the US and more than 550,000 cars in Japan are involved in the recall, which is related to wiring connected to the power control unit. Insulation may wear down over time, potentially leading to a short circuit that could ultimately cause a fire.
Apple will repair defective iPhone 8 logic boards for free
We haven't seen reports of widespread problems with the iPhone 8, but Apple revealed late Friday that it's opening a Logic Board Replacement Program. According to the company "a very small percentage" of phones sold between September 2017 and March 2018 -- the first six months they were on sale -- have a manufacturing defect that can lead to restarts, freezes or a failure to start. Of course, when you sell as many phones as Apple does, even a small percentage can add up very quickly, as we've seen with previous iPhone flaws like the "no service" iPhone 7 bug or iPhone 6 Plus "touch disease." This does not apply to the iPhone 8 Plus or any other model, and owners of devices purchased during that period can hit Apple's website to check if their device is impacted -- if it is, then Apple will replace the phone for free (FYI: physical damage like a cracked screen will need to be fixed first, and that could cost you). If you'd rather wait, then the replacement program will be in force for three years from the first retail sale of a device, and does not extend its warranty.
Ford recalls 50,000 hybrid and EV wall-charging cords
A few months after Ford announced that it's ending production on all cars but the Mustang, it's got other bitter news for owners of some of its older hybrids and EVs -- but don't worry, it's not for any of the vehicles themselves. The automaker is recalling approximately 50,000 120-volt charge cords that were bundled with its 2012-15 Ford Focus Electric, 2013-15 Ford Fusion Energi and 2013-15 Ford C-MAX Energi autos.
Gmail's merciful 'undo send' feature comes to Android
Gmail's desktop 'undo send' feature is a godsend for the mashy-handed, letting you recall an email for a short time after you've sent it out into the internet ether. Now -- finally -- it's available on Android with the latest Gmail update (version 8.7).
Tesla recall covers 123,000 pre-April 2016 Model S EVs
While Tesla's current-day Model 3 production tries to keep up with demand, the company is dealing with an issue affecting earlier cars. Today it announced a recall affecting every Model S built before April 2016. That adds up to about 123,000 vehicles worldwide that it plans to retrofit with new power steering bolts because it has "observed excessive corrosion in the power steering bolts, though only in very cold climates, particularly those that frequently use calcium or magnesium road salts, rather than sodium chloride (table salt)." According to Tesla, it's initiating this recall (similar to others it has done in the past) even though it estimates that fewer than 0.2 percent of vehicles will exhibit this issue. In an email to owners it explained that if the bolts fail then the steering would still work, but with lost or reduced power assist. I've experienced this while driving and can attest that it's something you should probably hope to avoid. There's a sizeable thread on Tesla Motors Club showing at least one vehicle this happened to, but with less than an hour of service it should be preventable on other cars.
AmazonBasics power banks recalled over fire hazard concerns
AmazonBasics is great choice for everything from HDMI cables to coathangers and a whole lot more. Apparently "whole lot more" also extends to unintentional fire sources. The shopping juggernaut has recalled a half-dozen power banks sold between December 2014 and July 2017, according to The Verge, over worry that the units would overheat, melt and set themselves ablaze.
Lenovo recalls some Thinkpad X1 laptops due to overheating risks
Lenovo has just issued a recall for some of its 5th-generation X1 Carbon laptops. The company says that a limited number of the machines may have a loose screw that can damage the battery, leading to overheating and a possible fire hazard. Lenovo urges owners of these devices made between December 2016 and October 2017 check their serial number on the support page to see if their own X1 is affected. X1 Carbon laptops made after November 2017 are not affected, according to the company.
HP recalls laptop batteries due to overheating issues
If you've got an HP notebook or mobile workstation computer, you'll want to check out the latest battery recall from the company. Lithium-ion batteries for affected HP laptops were shipped between December 2015 and December 2017. There have been eight reports of the battery packs overheating, melting or charring, three of which include reports of $4,500 in property damage and one report of a first degree burn to a hand.
Netgear recalls Arlo outdoor camera power adapters over fire risks
If you bought one of Netgear's Arlo outdoor cameras and then snapped up an extra power adapter just in case, you may want to sit up and take notice. Netgear and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are recalling Arlo's aftermarket power adapter after receiving seven reports of the cord overheating and melting, in one case leading to a fire. Only 7,700 affected adapters were sold in North America between June and October, but that still presents a sizeable risk.
Honda will use targeted Facebook videos to encourage recall repairs
As the Takata airbag recall -- the largest ever US auto recall -- continues, Honda has been looking for new ways to reach customers who haven't yet brought in their vehicles for repair. And the company's next move, as Reuters reports, is to target Honda owners through Facebook. Using the tool that allows advertisers to target particular subsets of Facebook accounts, Honda will match email addresses of those with recalled vehicles to Facebook users. According to the Associated Press, at least some of the messages geared towards those Facebook accounts will be videos from Honda owners who were injured from the faulty Takata airbag systems. You can see one of the public service announcements below.
Tesla recalls 11,000 Model X SUVs for seat issues
Tesla is no stranger to voluntary recalls. The company issued notices to 90,000 Model S sedan owners for possible seatbelt defects back in 2015, another for 2,700 Model X SUVs in 2016 for a third-row seat problem, and one for 53,000 S and Model X SUV earlier this year over potential parking brake issues. It's the price of doing business -- and better that the company jumps ahead with a voluntary recall than a legally-mandated one after tragedy. Today, the automaker issued another for about 11,000 Model X's released last year, this time for the second-row seats.
Honda sets aside $605 million to settle Takata airbag claims
The Takata airbag scandal affected several companies, but Honda felt its impact the most. Now, the Japanese automaker has agreed to a $605 million settlement to pay for buyers' claims related to the deadly airbags in the US. The money Honda set aside will go towards paying for all the out-of-pocket costs and lost wages customers might have incurred from having to get their Takata airbag-equipped cars repaired. According to Financial Times, part of that amount will also be used to create an outreach program designed to speed up the pace of the recall as well as the replacement of recalled parts.
Samsung is giving Note 7 owners a hefty discount on the Note 8
If you were one of the millions of people who had to give up the recalled Galaxy Note 7, fret not, because Samsung has your back. Today, as part of its Unpacked 2017 event in NYC, the company revealed that those of you who owned the previous model will get a hefty discount on the new Note 8. The only thing you have to do is trade in your current device and, depending on the brand and condition of it, you can get up to $425 off the latest Note smartphone. If you're interested in the juicy mea culpa offer from Samsung, you'll be able to take advantage of it on Aug. 24th, the day pre-orders go live on its website.
