CONSUMER REPORTS

Protests in Sri Lanka turned deadly this week as the country faces imminent bankruptcy. In Colombo, the capital city, supporters of the now-resigned Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa reportedly attacked antigovernment demonstrators, which led to multiple deaths and property damage, including the burning of several homes owned by current members of the government. In the days since, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, brother of the former prime minister, has refused calls to resign and authorized the military to shoot protesters on sight should they be deemed a threat.

Fertilizing your yard too often—or at the wrong time—can do more harm than goodBy Mary H.J. FarrellA lush lawn can make your home’s landscaping shine (and make your neighbors green with envy). Bu...

Over 47,000 pickup trucks from the 2021 model year are included in the recallBy Keith BarryFord is recalling certain 2021 F-150 pickup trucks because their transmissions may unexpectedly shift in...

Restaurant brands make new commitment when study finds dangerous PFAS chemicals linked to serious health problems widespread in fast food packaging

An investigation by Consumer Reports found some level of indicators of PFAS in packaging from 24 different restaurant chains.

If the wipers stop working in bad weather, drivers may not be able to see the roadBy Keith BarryFord is recalling over 157,000 F-150 pickup trucks from the 2021 model year because their windshiel...

The Dearborn Public Library is launching a series of “Life Skills” programs to help demonstrate how to perform basic skills.

Some models are so hard to come by that consumers are paying well above the sticker price for themBy Jeff S. Bartlettwith Todd YoungIf you have your heart set on buying a new car this year, be pr...

Porcelain planks with simulated wood grain and texture have their benefits—and drawbacksBy Tobie StangerWood floors are high on the wish list of many a homeowner and buyer. And it’s easy to see w...

These gas sippers are easy on the walletBy Jeff S. BartlettFuel economy is one of the most important factors to consider when buying a new car, because it has an impact on your weekly operating c...

The infant formula recall is not only concerning but also a growing problem as the recall has recently expanded.

These power sources can have many uses, CR saysBy Consumer ReportsElectric cars are becoming a more viable option for many car buyers, with almost 100 pure electric models set to debut by the end...

The designation is further validation of Ford CEO Jim Farley's belief the company can not only compete with Tesla but also beat Elon Musk when it comes to EVs.

We explain how this new electric vehicle bumped the Model 3 from our annual Top PicksBy Jeff S. BartlettIn its annual Top Picks, Consumer Reports highlights the standout cars, SUVs, and trucks ac...

Many stores are offering “buy now, pay later” programs that allow shoppers to pay less up up front. While those programs may sound like a good idea at the time, they could have an impact on your finances.

The mistake was discovered two days later, during a routine bandage change.

Consumer Reports ranked most reliable vehicles and brands you can buy. Tesla came in next to last thanks to subpar scores from its SUVs.

Consumer Reports released their new rankings for car reliability, ranking 28 brands based on how reliable their vehicles are over time.

Lexus, Mazda and Toyota topped the 2021 Consumer Reports Auto Reliability Report, while Jeep, Tesla, and Lincoln ranked in the bottom three.

November is traditionally one of the best months to find deals, but many hot products are in short supply or more expensive than usual.

More than 60 percent of adults say they prefer to sleep on their side, at least for part of the night. To make sure we have it right for the majority of sleepers, we run extensive tests on mattre...

Utility bills typically shoot up this time of year, as homeowners crank up their central air conditioning. To keep costs down, you might try to skimp on the AC—but that can create squabbles in th...

TOWN SQUARE | Your credit report — and credit score — can make the difference between a loan approval or denial and the interest you pay on your loan.

Service providers use their lock on neighborhoods — and a lack of rules — to take advantage of us. Here’s how to spot their tricks.

In May, Tesla announced it would no longer include radar sensors in Model 3 and Model Y vehicles made for customers in North America on or after April 27.

Before you try to take out a mortgage or a car loan, check your credit report. It may have a mistake that could cost you.

For many of us this past year, our backyards took on a profoundly important role. In the era of social distancing, yards were transformed into outdoor oases, and even now, there are no signs that...

Over the past months, with folks working and studying at home, homeowners began to appreciate their central air conditioning systems more than ever. In fact, 14 percent of the members we surveyed...

Advocacy group Consumer Reports has linked the products, which were not previously regulated, to at least 106 infant deaths.

Drivers naturally become concerned about reliability as a car ages, because the risk of inconvenience and unexpected expenses rises while the miles rack up. Most modern cars can make it to 200,00...

Consumer Reports’ tough tests continue to find that some laundry detergents clean only slightly better than water—and that some washers use lots of water yet leave clothes dirty and dingy. Some d...

Two key groups that offer automobile safety ratings are yanking their top endorsements from some Tesla vehicles because the company has stopped using radar on its safety systems.

Consumer Reports and IIHS are taking away top safety endorsements from Tesla, after the company's move from radar to vision-based driver assistance systems.

Two key groups that offer automobile safety ratings have yanked their top endorsements from some Tesla vehicles because the company has stopped using radar on its safety systems.

Two key groups that offer automobile safety ratings are yanking their top endorsements from some Tesla vehicles because the company has stopped using radar on its safety systems. Consumer Reports pulled its “Top Pick” status for Tesla's Model 3 and Y vehicles built after April 27, while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety plans to remove the vehicles' “Top Safety Pick Plus” designation. The U.S. government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is no longer giving the Models 3 and Y check marks on its website for having forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and emergency brake support.

When you start a weight-loss plan, adopting simple strategies that have been shown to work can help set you up for success. One such tactic is using an accurate bathroom scale to help you track y...

A common concern with cars as they age is dependability—not only that they may not get you to work one day but also that a catastrophic failure could cost thousands of dollars. Major problems are...

Shortages spurred by the pandemic have made used cars more expensive.

Getting exercise through walking is as easy as lacing up your sneakers and hitting the pavement or trail. Doing so is a safe way to get a workout without needing a gym, and it can boost your ment...

Consumer Reports says it was able to easily trick a Tesla into driving in the car's Autopilot mode without a person in the driver’s seat.

Consumer Reports said Thursday that in testing this week it found it could "easily" get a 2020 Tesla Model Y to drive "even with no one in the driver's seat."

DETROIT – When you buy a new car, there are usually a lot of fees you have to pay. Included in that fee is a destination fee, which is the charge for delivering the car from the factory to the dealership. He said Stellantis in particular has had destination charges go up. READ: What Stellantis means for jobs, future prospects in Metro Detroit“When assessing vehicle pricing, we do not look at any single element of the pricing equation. There is no requirement that a destination fee be included in advertising.

Mazda just topped Consumer Reports' annual ranking of the most reliable automotive brands for the first time. BMW, Subaru, Porsche and Honda rounded out the top five spots on the Consumer Reports 2021 Brand Report Card, which was released Thursday. To determine the rankings, Consumer Reports buys vehicles anonymously from dealerships for road testing. Genesis fell 13 places this year "due to declining predicted reliability among its models," Consumer Reports said. Consumer Reports noted that the brand's redesigned sport utility vehicles, the Aviator and Corsair, performed well in road tests but had "much below average reliability."

Baby food from several of the country's largest manufacturers are "tainted" with toxic heavy metals, according to a disturbing new government report. The report, released Thursday morning, says those baby foods have "significant levels" of substances including lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. But one thing Kerner and her husband Bryan, who is a doctor, never worried about was whether the baby food contained toxic metals. The report says "baby foods are tainted with dangerous levels" of "toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury." Several said they are part of the Baby Food Council, a group formed with the goal of voluntarily reducing heavy metals in baby foods.

Baby food from several of the country's largest manufacturers are "tainted" with toxic heavy metals, according to a disturbing new government report. The report, released Thursday morning, says those baby foods have "significant levels" of substances including lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. But one thing Kerner and her husband Bryan, who is a doctor, never worried about was whether the baby food contained toxic metals. The report says "baby foods are tainted with dangerous levels" of "toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury." Several said they are part of the Baby Food Council, a group formed with the goal of voluntarily reducing heavy metals in baby foods.

Microwave ovens will soon have a new safety feature that is long overdue: child-resistant doors. Doctors in pediatric emergency rooms and burn units have long known microwaves to be a fairly common cause of young children getting scalded. It may be that most families attributed the injuries to the hot spills rather than the microwave itself. While pleased that the new standard is coming into play, Quinlan cautions parents and other caregivers to maintain their vigilance. "We think of stoves as getting hot, but we never think of microwaves as getting hot," the doctor added.

Brand new Tesla Model S cars sit on front of a Tesla showroom on August 2, 2017 in Corte Madera, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty ImagesConsumer Reports is no longer recommending Tesla's Model S and is panning the reliability of the new Model Y. The Consumer Reports' annual Auto Reliability Survey, released Thursday, also dropped a Toyota brand from No. Consumer Reports in 2015 ranked the Model S as its top-rated vehicle ever. Of the 26 brands ranked in the Consumer Reports reliability survey, Japanese automakers fared the best.

DETROIT – Mazda beat traditional winners Lexus and Toyota to win top honors as the most dependable auto brand in Consumer Reports' annual reliability survey. Mazda took top honors for the first time in the survey, which this year included Consumer Reports organization members who own more than 300,000 vehicles from model years 2000 to 2020. Consumer Reports said that the Ford Explorer SUV, redesigned for the 2020 model year, is among the lowest-scoring models of any manufacturer with transmission, electronic, and engine issues. Only the company's Model 3 small car was rated as reliable and recommended by Consumer Reports. Nearly half of the new models have much worse than average reliability, Consumer Reports said.

A steering wheel light bar and cluster icons indicates the status of Super Cruise™ and will prompt the driver to return their attention to the road ahead if the system detects driver attention has turned away from the road too long. General Motors' Super Cruise system topped Consumer Reports testing of assisted driving technology, leaving Tesla's Autopilot "a distant second," the consumer research nonprofit reported Wednesday. Super Cruise on a Cadillac CT6 sedan scored 69 out of 100 points in Consumer Reports' testing. Tesla's Autopilot on a Model Y was second at 57, followed by Ford Motor's Co-pilot 360 system at 52 and Audi's Pre-sense at 48. Consumer Reports evaluated 17 systems as part of its testing.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The airline industry could run into turbulence on Capitol Hill next week as a U.S. Congressional panel tackles passenger complaints about unpleasant airline experiences, holding a hearing that will include budget airline Spirit Airlines Inc (SAVE.N) and passenger advocates. FILE PHOTO: A Spirit Airlines Airbuys A320-200 airplane sits at a gate at the O'Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois October 2, 2014. Airlines have shrunk the average space between seats and seat width over the last decade to pack more passengers on planes. U.S. airlines revenue from baggage and reservation change fees increased from $5.7 billion in 2010 to $7.6 billion in 2018. Unlike other large airlines, Spirit also charges for bottled water and soft drinks, but their base fares are often significantly cheaper than rivals.

Overall, Tesla climbed eight spots to rank 11th out of 33 auto brands, according to Consumer Reports. In addition, the Consumer Reports auto team made the Model 3 a "Top Pick" among vehicles with a sticker price between $45,000 and $55,000. "We saw a marked improvement in reliability in both the Tesla Model 3 and the Model S," said Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing for Consumer Reports. Noticeably better quality in the new Model 3 cars helped Tesla show the biggest improvement among automakers in Consumer Reports' latest brand rankings. In addition, the Consumer Reports auto team tests dozens of new vehicles at the firm's test track in Connecticut.

Power and The Car Connection carefully analyze and rate nearly every car model that comes on the market each year, and car owners would do well to heed their findings. Consumer Reports rated this sedan 50/100 for its 2021 edition and put it on the list of popular cars to avoid buying. Consumer Reports handed the 2020 Pathfinder a score of 54/100, with a predicted owner satisfaction score of 1/5. Consumer Reports included the 2021 EcoSport among its 10 least reliable cars for the year and gave the model a grade of 45/100. The publication gave it low marks across the board, including a 3/10 for performance and a 4/10 for comfort and quality.

Scott Olson/Getty Images(CNN) - Most drivers with advanced auto safety technologies in their cars say the features have helped keep them out of crashes, according to a new survey from Consumer Reports. Such safety systems use a variety of cameras and sensors to detect other vehicles, pedestrians and lane markings. Of car owners whose vehicle had this technology, 60% said it had helped them avoid a crash. Rear cross traffic alert systems, which alert drivers to vehicles approaching from either side as the vehicle is backing up, were credited with avoiding crashes by 52% of vehicle owners. The systems should be standard equipment on every new car, said William Wallace, a safety policy advocate for Consumer Reports.

(CNN) Most drivers with advanced auto safety technologies in their cars say the features have helped keep them out of crashes, according to a new survey from Consumer Reports. About 57% of respondents said features like automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning and lane keeping assistance have helped prevent collisions. The responses covered about 72,000 vehicles with the features, according to the consumer advocacy group that publishes Consumer Reports magazine. Such safety systems use a variety of cameras and sensors to detect other vehicles, pedestrians and lane markings. Of car owners whose vehicle had this technology, 60% said it had helped them avoid a crash.

A new investigation may have you rethinking some of your vitamins. Consumer Reports finds certain ingredients in dietary supplements sold around the country can carry major health risks. Dana Jacobson reports on the dangers of a virtually unregulated, yet growing industry.

Consumer Reports' Dan DiClerico shares tips for optimal food storage in your fridge that will help extend its shelf life.

The new cover story in Consumer Reports out Tuesday is called, “What you don’t know about your doctor could hurt you.” The magazine reports how "thousands of doctors across the U.S. are on medical probation for reasons including drug abuse, sexual misconduct and making careless -- sometimes deadly -- mistakes. But they are still out there practicing." Dr. Holly Phillips joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss the investigation and offers tips on choosing the right doctor.

Prepared foods at grocery stores is now an almost $29 billion industry, growing twice as fast as overall grocery sales. A new Consumer Reports investigation looked at six major supermarket chains to learn whether the prepared foods are fresh, healthy and save money. The magazine analyzed food samples in a lab for calories, fat, saturated fat and sodium. Trisha Calvo, Consumer Reports deputy content editor of health and food, joins “CBS This Morning” to discuss the findings.

DETROIT – These days it seems everyone is on a mission to stop people from texting and talking on the phone while driving. While those habits can be hazardous, drivers have also spotted a long list of other disturbing, distracted driving behaviors. Their responses covered a wide variety of dangerous choices drivers are making while on the road. Take a look at this list:Applying makeupBreast feedingBrushing teeth, flossingChanging clothesChanging a diaperDog in the lapEating cereal with milkEating spaghetti or noodlesFingernail paintingHolding a babyPlaying a musical instrumentWatching videoWhile some of the behaviors might make you laugh in disbelief, distracted driving is a serious issue. READ: Teens take part in anti-distracted driving programFor drivers 15 to 19-years-old involved in fatal crashes, 21 percent of the distracted drivers were fiddling with their cell phones, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.