Consumer Reports News

Recall: Britax child safety seat—Harness straps will not properly restrain a child

Britax Child Safety is recalling about 14,220 Chaperone infant car seats because a defect in the harness adjuster can result in ineffective safety harness straps, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported today.

A defective rivet can cause the harness adjuster to detach from the seat, rendering the safety harness straps used to secure an infant in the seat unable to properly restrain the child.

NHTSA is not aware of any deaths or injuries related to the recall.

The Britax recall affects the following Chaperone infant car seat models:

• E9L692J
• E9L692K
• E9L692L
• E9L692M

The harness adjuster is located at the foot of the car seat and can be accessed by lifting the fabric and checking that the adjuster is secured in place by the rivet.

The recalled child safety seats were manufactured from September 2010 through April 2011.

Britax intends to provide consumers and retailers with a remedy kit to ensure the harness adjuster is securely attached by Feb. 6, and will continue to replace seats with detached harness adjusters until that date.

Owners of the recalled car seats whose harness adjuster is detached from the seat are advised to stop using it and contact Britax to have the issue resolved.

Consumers who have a detached harness adjuster or that would like further information about this recall should contact Britax Child Safety at 888-427-4829 or www.britaxusa.com.

For more information and to sign up to receive e-mail alerts about recalls for child safety seats, vehicles, and tires visit www.SaferCar.gov.

Consumer Advisory: Britax Recalling 14,220 Child Safety Seats for Safety Harness Straps That Will Not Properly Restrain Child [NHTSA]

Chevrolet’s new environmental labels germinate a good idea, but don’t go far enough

Consumers are well aware of fuel economy and concerned about tailpipe pollution. But it’s much harder to get information on the whole lifecycle environmental impact of cars: how much energy it takes to produce a car, the pollution generated, and recyclability. Now Chevrolet is taking a step toward making this information more readily available.

Starting with the 2012 Sonic, Chevrolet will begin putting what it is calling EcoLogic labels on the windows of all its models.

So far the label is more self-serving and less useful than it could be, listing some minor fuel-saving features on the car, such as variable-valve timing (which other automakers have had for about 20 years) and electric power steering (not exactly uncommon these days). What it doesn’t highlight is what’s left out, such as the makeup of the paint used to spray the car.

This label also lists the estimated percentage of the car’s content that is recyclable (85 percent) and special processes at the factory that reduce its environmental footprint. In this case, the Sonic’s engine and transmission are built in a landfill-free facility, and the final assembly factory is cooled and heated 20 percent by landfill gas. (Some other automakers, such as Subaru’s Indiana plant, produce all their cars at 100-percent landfill-free facilities.)

Most cars today are highly recyclable. The bigger question may be, how much of cars are actually recycled?

To be more meaningful, the label would have to be tied to industry standards that could, for example, rate the car’s and the factory’s environmental qualifications against its peers. Still, as long as consumers view it with a critical eye on Chevrolet’s marketing claims, it seems like the label could be a good first step toward developing such standards to make all cars’ lifecycle environmental costs more transparent.

Already, the revised EPA window stickers now used on all new cars contain much more information than in years’ past, further empowering consumers to make informed decisions.

Related:
Video: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood explains the new fuel-economy labels

Pet peeve: Fumbling with keyless entry and keyless ignition

Here at Consumer Reports, we’re on record complaining about some of the less well-conceived features of push-button start buttons. Sometimes trying to turn off a car has begun to look like a Three Stooges routine. The same can be said for getting into a car and starting it, thanks to “convenient” new technologies. After driving three cars recently with different combinations of keyless entry and push-button start, it became clear to me that they are not all created equally.

Keyless-entry systems that unlock a car as you walk up to it are especially handy when you’ve got a heavy briefcase under your arm, plus a cup of coffee in one hand and a lunchbox in the other. As long as the keys are in your pocket or briefcase, just reach out a finger and pull the door open. It’s amazing how these systems know whether the keys are inside or outside the car, even preventing the keys from being locked inside.

Keyless ignition systems use the same radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to detect when the key is inside the car to allow you to start it (or turn it off) with a push of a button. The systems are not always intuitive, and they can make it difficult to select the car’s “accessory” ignition position without turning the car completely off.

In the past few weeks, we’ve had quite a few cars with each of these systems at our New York headquarters. The Chrysler 300C, Hyundai Genesis, Infiniti M35h, Nissan Quest, Toyota Avalon, and even the Nissan Leaf all unlock the doors every time you approach with keys in your pocket. Most so-optioned cars even turn on interior and sometimes exterior lights as soon as they spot you, like an obsequious chauffeur.

So imagine my surprise when I walked up to our $56,000 Audi A6 and the doors remained resolutely locked, making me shuffle my bags around and set the coffee cup on the roof to fish for the keys. Then, once I got settled inside, keys in my hand, I had to find someplace to stash them before I could press the start button, since there’s no slot or keyhole in which to put them. (Good thing there are two cupholders!) Of course, using a key fob or even a key to manually unlock a car isn’t a major imposition, but these systems confound me when they go just half way.

Of course, the Audi makes you reverse the process when you get home. While other premium cars have a simple rubber button on the exterior door handle that locks the car with an easy bump of a knuckle, you have to add the Audi’s keys to the pile of stuff in your hands and free up a couple fingers to lock the car. If you’ve been so obsessive as to stow them in your briefcase or purse, you now have to fish them out again to lock the car. There is an upgrade package for the A6 that adds this one-touch lock feature, but at $56,000, shouldn’t this increasingly common feature have been included?

It seems like this reversal of common sense may be a German trend, as I found our Mini Cooper Countryman (made by BMW) and Volkswagen Passat require the same ridiculous routine. Of course, it may just seem that way given the vehicles I’ve been rotating through.

Regardless of country of origin, I ask automakers who went to the trouble of providing a push-button start to allow me to also lock and unlock the doors either by proximity or by touch. Let me keep the key in my pocket, because I don’t like it when it rattles in the cupholder.

Better yet, there are a couple of automakers, such as Cadillac and Mazda, who actually give you keyless entry without push-button start. Instead, there’s an intelligent tab on the steering column that you twist to start or stop the car—without ever taking your keys out of your pocket or bag. This approach works quite well, with familiar motions just like turning a key.

Hey, Moe! Either require the driver to hold the key fob, or not. Going halfway is like a poke in the eye.

Best new car deals for January

Often a slow period at dealerships, January can be a good time to buy a new car. As the end of the month approaches, dealers may be more willing to negotiate. Analyzing prices nationwide, we have compiled a list of 2011 and 2012 models that offer the best discounts. Prices on the models selected are between 10 percent and 15 percent below MSRP, and all models meet our stringent standards to be recommended.

Buying a 2012 model instead of a leftover 2011 might get you the latest safety features and technology and more inventory to choose from at the dealership. However, buying a 2011 model may get you the best price as dealers are more willing to negotiate an outgoing 2011 model. Consider this carefully though, as a 2011 model will have already depreciated a full year’s worth by the time you drive it home; buying a leftover may make sense only for high-mileage drivers and those who plan to hold onto a car for many years.

The models listed below are just a few of our Best New Car Deals, meaning there are notable discounts on models that meet Consumer Reports’ criteria to be recommended. These vehicles scored well in our testing, had average or better reliability in our subscriber survey, and performed well in government or insurance-industry safety tests, if evaluated.

See our full list of deals on both 2011 and 2012 models.

The full pricing information is available to online subscribers through the model overview pages. Consumer Reports also has a "Build & Buy" service that lets you configure a new vehicle online via the model overview pages and then purchase from dealers in your area who have agreed to meet certain guidelines of conduct intended to make the process transparent and hassle-free. Available to online subscribers, the service is completely free and you are under no obligation to buy.

See all current Best Deals, or use our New Car Selector to create your own list of vehicles by sorting and filtering by the factors that matter most to you.

Best deals on used vehicles under $10,000

With a tight economy, every penny counts when you’re looking to buy a car. To get the most for your money, consider buying used. Even though it may not be factory fresh, you can get a pre-owned model that is efficient, safe, and likely reliable. To make it easier to find what you’re looking for, we have identified some of the best used deals under $10,000.

Typically the winter months are a slow time for car buying and that’s why it’s a perfect time to get a good deal on a used car. The key to savings with buying used is that the original owner takes the initial depreciation hit, as new cars lose much more value in the first and second years than those that follow. If you can focus on models made in the last few years, you’ll find that many have the latest safety equipment (such as curtain air bags and stability control) and are still affordable.

When shopping, look for cars that scored well in Consumer Reports’ tests when new, have proven reliability, and perform well in government and insurance industry crash tests. Before handing over the cash, have the vehicle inspected by a trained and trusted mechanic to make sure there are no hidden problems—this is a particular concern these days, as many car owners admit to scrimping on maintenance and repairs.

Check out our top deals on recommended vehicles from the 2006 model year. All models have 75,000 miles and we ranked the vehicles in order of the price you might be able to get when buying from the dealer. The models listed below are between 30- and 55-percent less than the retail price when the vehicle was new. Plus, all of the models have at least average reliability according to our latest subscriber survey.

As the chart illustrates, the difference between trade-in value and buying the used-car from a dealership is the potential negotiation range. The last two columns show the potential savings as a percentage when comparing buying from a private owner versus a dealership. Your local pricing may vary, due to availability and quality, but these figures demonstrate the possible savings and can inform your negotiation.

See our complete list of used-car deals across a variety of vehicle categories.