News in Brief June 24 – Trader Joe's, Volkswagen and More

Trader Joe’s Accused of Skimping On Canned Tuna

Trader Joe’s has been hit with a proposed class action claiming that it under filled its store-brand canned tuna. According to the complaint, government testing found that 5 oz. cans of Trader Joe’s tuna only contained 3 oz. of the product. This isn’t the first lawsuit we’ve seen accusing a company of giving consumers less than they pay for, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

Lawsuit: Acura Bluetooth Devices Can Drain Car’s Battery

A proposed class action filed against Honda Motor Company is claiming that Acura (Honda’s luxury vehicle marque) sold cars with potentially defective Bluetooth devices. The complaint says that Acura’s Bluetooth HandsFreeLink system can drain the vehicle’s battery and could even shut down moving cars. The possible defect could also end up costing Acura drivers, as maintenance and repairs would reportedly end up totaling close to $1,000 on average.

Volkswagen to Settle Emissions-Cheating Claims

Volkswagen has agreed to pay close to $10 billion to settle the lawsuits that hit after the emissions scandal. It’s worth noting that the $10 billion figure wasn’t officially released by the court, but due to the journalistic wizardry of the media, we have a number to attach to the settlement. At any rate, the settlement will allow affected VW vehicle owners to either sell their vehicle back to Volkswagen or have the company fix the cars so that they are compliant with the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards. It also offers “substantial monetary compensation,” reports say. Part of the settlement will be used in an attempt to offset the environmental damage the vehicles may have caused.

Post Foods Faces Three Lawsuits Over “Natural” Claims

Post Foods is facing three lawsuits (in California, New York and Washington D.C.) claiming that the company is deceiving consumers by calling its Shredded Wheat products “all natural.” According to the lawsuits, Shredded Wheat cereals contain glyphosate – a weed killer that the World Health Organization says is likely to be carcinogenic. We mentioned glyphosate when Quaker was hit with an eerily similar lawsuit. It looks like the new “natural” food lawsuit game is underway.

Maserati Recalls Vehicles with Potentially Defective Gearshifts

Maserati has announced that it will be recalling 13,000 vehicles with potentially defective gearshifts. According to the announcement, every 2014 Quattraporte and Ghibli vehicle contains the same type of gearshift that sparked the recall of more than 1 million Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler vehicles just a few months back. The gearshifts reportedly snap back into their central position after shifting – potentially leaving the vehicles in drive when the driver thinks they’re in park.

Fiat Chrysler Sued For Jeep Cherokee Defect

So, the gearshifts you just read about? Fiat Chrysler is seeing the legal repercussions of those now. Allegedly, the shifter defect can cause vehicles to roll away – and, in some cases, cause injuries and even death. (Star Trek’s Anton Yelchin reportedly died when his Jeep rolled into him.) Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 owners are now looking for class certification and compensation for damages.

Toshiba False Ad Lawsuit Denied Certification

A proposed class action claiming that Toshiba deceptively advertised its LED TVs was dismissed on Thursday. The suit claimed that Toshiba should have disclosed that its flat screens actually used LCD technology instead of LEDs. Judge Dolly M. Gee found that Toshiba’s advertising wouldn’t have been misleading to consumers or a key factor in their choice of televisions.