Car seat test not Consumer Reports' first mistake

Jim Fitzgerald of the Associated Press writes that the decision by Consumer Reports last week to retract a story about the safety of child car seats is not the first time that the magazine has faced an embarrassing mistake.

Fitzgerald noted that Consumer Reports has faced lawsuits in recent years from Suzuki, Isuzu, Sharper Image, Korbel and others about its articles.

He wrote, “The dog food article apparently did not result in a lawsuit. Consumers Reports reported in 1998 that some dog foods lacked essential nutrients. It backed off soon after, and an official said there was ‘a systemic error in the measurements of various minerals we tested.’

“Last year’s April issue said that while hybrid gas-electric cars and trucks can save fuel, the higher prices and depreciation costs meant none of them were cheaper than their gas-guzzling counterparts over a five-year period. After an arithmetic correction, the Honda Civic and Toyota Prius hybrids came out slightly ahead.”

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