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American Morning
Car Repair Ripoffs; Cell Phone Industry Tops List of Complaints to Better Business Bureau
Aired February 23, 2007 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Showdown. The Senate Democrats with a new plan this morning to get troops out of Iraq. And the new challenge on the home front. Too many broken tanks and trucks and not enough people to fix them.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: X-ray vision. A revealing, new airport scanner unveiled today. Some call it a virtual strip search.
S. O'BRIEN: Disorder in the court. A weeping judge, competing boyfriends, and a new legal battle ahead today over Anna Nicole Smith.
M. O'BRIEN: And we're not going to take it. From JetBlue's high-profile meltdown, to frustrating cell phones and car repair rip- offs, it's "Fight Back Friday." Live from Texas, New York, Los Angeles on this AMERICAN MORNING.
S. O'BRIEN: Good morning, everybody. It's Friday, February 23rd. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
M. O'BRIEN: And I'm Miles O'Brien. Glad you're with us.
S. O'BRIEN: Here's what's happening this morning.
Vice President Dick Cheney is speaking out about China. He's praising and criticizing the Chinese today in Sidney, Australia. Thanking the Chinese for helping get North Korea to end its nuclear programs, but calling China's recent missile test and military build- up "not consistent with China's stated goal of a peaceful rise.
Some new light's being shed on the horn of Africa this morning. Today's "New York Times" is reporting that the U.S. quietly used an airstrip in Ethiopia to launch air strikes last month on terrorist groups in Somalia. And that there is deeper U.S. cooperation with Ethiopia in the ongoing hunt for al Qaeda militants.
Still no suspects under arrest in that deadly train bombing that happened near New Delhi earlier in the week. Pakistan's foreign minister says his country and India must join together to figure out just who was behind that deadly train bombing. India has said it's going to investigate alone.
And this morning, Pakistan is testing long-range nuclear missiles. The Pakistan military says the missiles have a range of more than 1,200 miles.
M. O'BRIEN: A tough sentence for an outrageous war crime. This morning, an Army sergeant is facing a 100-year prison term for raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl, then killing her and her family last year. Sergeant Paul Cortez pleading guilty to avoid the death penalty. At the sentencing, Cortez broke down in tears and apologized for the rape and murders. He will be eligible for parole in 10 years.
Still no verdict in the Scooter Libby trial this morning. A jury will get back to deliberations in a few hours. The former chief of staff for Vice President Cheney accused of lying to investigators who were trying to find the person who leaked the name of a CIA agent. He faces 30 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
No doubt about it this morning. The recalled peanut butter that sickened more than 100 people in 41 states contained salmonella. The tainted Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter was made at a ConAgra plant in Georgia. No deaths linked officially to the outbreak, but a family in Pennsylvania is suing, claiming a relative died after eating tainted peanut butter.
S. O'BRIEN: It's been a rough week, or a little more really, for JetBlue and its passengers. First came the airline's operational meltdown that happened on Valentine's Day. And then following that, the corporate mea culpa. So last week passengers, you'll remember, felt like they were being held hostage on JetBlue planes that were stuck on runways for hours at New York's JFK Airport and then days of flight cancellations followed. And all that got us thinking about ways in which we feel frustrated by how we're treated by businesses sometimes, the lack of customer service at times, and what we can do to fight back.
Before we get to that, first an update on JetBlue's comeback plan. They've been running -- maybe you've seen these -- these full- page ads in major East Coast newspapers. Plus, they've had that online video apology featuring JetBlue's boss, telling customers, "we are committed to you." We "are taking immediate corrective steps to retain your confidence in us." Some of those steps include a passenger bill of rights. The JetBlue CEO, David Neeleman, presented them earlier when we talked to him on AMERICAN MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID NEELEMAN, JETBLUE CEO: If you're on an airplane and, you know, you arrive in a city and you can't get off that airplane within 30 minutes, you get compensation starting at 30 minutes. And if you get to two hours, you get the full credit on your trip back. If you're departing, there's, obviously, a little bit of a different situation. If we're in line with a bunch of airplanes, you start getting compensation at, you know, three hours. And then, you know, four hours you get a free ticket and full credit and then we have to take you off that airplane within five hours.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
S. O'BRIEN: So how's the plan to revive all that goodwill going? Well, it turns out the new passenger bill of rights is retroactive to February 15th. Huh, interesting, since all those people were stuck on planes on February 14th. So anybody who was stuck on those planes or any flights that were delayed or canceled on that day are not covered by that pilot program. And they may not be in the future, too, because that would be considered a weather situation.
Still, JetBlue is claiming that business may be better than ever and their bookings remain steady, apparently. So that's where it all stands.
Now we'll get back to "Fight Back Friday," which is what we're calling it today throughout the morning. We're going to have some reports on the most common complaints that just make you angry. Make your blood boil. We're going to have some specific advice to help you fight back. We're calling it "Fight Back Friday." Ali Velshi is talking about cell phones this morning. Gerri Willis takes a look at home repairs. And Greg Hunter tells us how you can avoid getting ripped off when you take your car in for service. We're going to check in with them straight ahead.
Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: A busy weekend ahead for Senate Democrats. They're poised to unveil a tough new measure opposing the Iraq War as early as next week. As CNN reported earlier this week, the new legislation would limit the U.S. mission to training Iraqi soldiers and fighting al Qaeda, but otherwise would reduce U.S. combat forces in Iraq. The measure will face strong opposition. This past Saturday, you'll recall, Senate Republicans blocked a non-binding measure opposing the Bush troop build-up in Iraq.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are taking a heavy toll on the equipment U.S. troops need to do their job. AMERICAN MORNING'S Sean Callebs is at a military repair depot in Texas where they're fighting a war of attrition with wrenches, hammers, and welding torches.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This morning on AMERICAN MORNING, we're going to be focusing on work going on here at the Red River Army Depot. It is an instillation that handles a large percentage of the service and the maintenance of vehicles used by all branches of the military, whether it be regularly-scheduled routine maintenance or something more significant, like this. The side of a humvee that has simply been ripped by an IED. The bullet-proof window alone weighs 85 pounds.
Well, with the war effort going on in Iraq, you can imagine, this facility is overwhelmed. Some 4,000 employees will be examining how this work is affecting training going on at military bases, as well as the war effort. How do employees here continue their work without compromising the integrity of the vehicle or the safety of America's fighting men and women overseas?
Sean Callebs, CNN, at the Red River Army Depot.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: Did you catch all the drama in the courtroom. It was a three-ring circus once again as the judge made his ruling in the Anna Nicole Smith case. Now, this morning, one of the men who's claiming to be the father of Anna Nicole's five-month-old daughter, Dannielynn, is going to be in a Florida court demanding a DNA sample from the baby. And this after the judge effectively ruled that Anna Nicole should be buried in the Bahama's next to her son. CNN's Susan Candiotti has the story of the day in court. And it was just odd.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): To call this a courtroom drama is an understatement. And in the starring roll, Broward County District Judge Larry Seidlin (ph), crying at times, as he issued his ruling a day early on who gets to bury Anna Nicole Smith.
JUDGE LARRY SEIDLIN, BROWARD COUNTY FAMILY COURT: Richard Milstein, esquire, as a guardian alidum (ph) for Dannielynn Hope Marshall Stern, is awarded custody of the remains of Anna Nicole Smith.
CANDIOTTI: Seidlin passed over Smith's estranged mother, Virgie Arthur, and Smith's long-time companion, Howard K. Stern. But in releasing the body, the judge made his wishes tearfully clear.
SEIDLIN: I want her buried with her son in the Bahamas. I want them to be together.
CANDIOTTI: That guardian says he'll abide by the judge's wishes.
RICHARD MILSTEIN, ANNA'S BABY'S GUARDIAN: We're going to be moving forward and making final arrangements. But no matter what occurs, there will be a need to bury Miss Smith in a dignified, expedited manner.
HOWARD K. STERN, SMITH'S BOYFRIEND: I just want to say that I'm very grateful that Anna Nicole's wishes are going to be carried out.
LARRY BIRKHEAD, SMITH'S FORMER BOYFRIEND: We all loved Anna. And it's in her best interest to come together and get this thing worked out for her best interest and lay her to rest.
CANDIOTTI: But despite this seemingly united front, Anna Nicole's remains will stay put while her mother files an appeal, arguing she's the legal next of kin because her granddaughter is to young. A baby who's biological father is still unknown. It is Howard K. Stern or Larry Birkhead.
SEIDLIN: You too are the primary potentials here, to submit to a DNA and find out who the father is. It's enough boloney here.
CANDIOTTI: A Florida family court judge, down the hall from Seidlin, will reenter that fray this morning.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Ft. Lauderdale.
(END VIDEOTAPE) S. O'BRIEN: That judge's behavior does not make one confident in our legal system. It was a complete freak show yesterday.
Anyway, in our 8:00 hour this morning, we're going to be talking to senior legal analyst Jeff Toobin about what went on in court and then also we'll discuss some of the actual legal maneuvers that happened as well.
Ahead this morning, a big chunk of the country is going to be slammed by a major winter storm today. Rob Marciano's watching it for us. He'll have the latest on its path straight ahead.
Plus, some worker are putting the finishing touches on new homes in New Orleans. They're not ordinary homes, though. We'll explain, straight ahead.
And a CNN security watch. The so-called x-rated x-ray machine gets cleaned up a little. Are critics satisfied? We'll take a look straight ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. The most news in the morning is right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: Welcome back to the most news in the morning.
Two residents, two keys, and a whole lot of hope. The first homes built in New Orleans lower Ninth Ward since Hurricane Katrina are now ready for move-in and the new owners have the keys today. The new houses are elevated against flood waters and designed to withstand 106-mile-an-hour winds. People rebuilding are hoping that this is going to spark a revival in that devastated neighborhood. And some of the residents say they're just happy to be back home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GWENDOLYN GUICE, RESIDENT: This is my hood (ph). And I didn't feel comfortable nowhere else I went.
I'm going to build my neighbor's home right there. See where those - the little porch lights sitting there. They're going to rebuild them also for my neighbors. They're coming. They're coming. They're coming. They're coming. I'm so glad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
S. O'BRIEN: They're coming, she says. That women right there. Her name is Gwendolyn. She says that she and her neighbor have been friends for 25 years and they're very eager to be back home.
And some people are more than willing to go back to the lower Ninth Ward. Lots of others are not. And the question many people are asking today is, did Hurricane Katrina wash away an important part of New Orleans' African-American culture? CNN's Susan Roesgen takes a look for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): This is a New Orleans tradition that goes back more than 100 years. African- American men who parade as Mardi Gras Indians. But after Hurricane Katrina, half the Indians are gone. Too many African-Americans all across the city evacuated and haven't come back, in spite of the hope that they would.
MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS: This city will be chocolate at the end of the day.
ROESGEN: Last year, Mayor Ray Nagin predicted that African- Americans would be the dominant majority again in New Orleans, but so far it hasn't happened. Before Katrina, African-Americans made up 67 percent of the city's population. Today, that number is just 52 percent. And what used to be the most powerful voting block in the city is missing.
SILAS LEE, POLITICAL ANALYST: That democratic base is now disbursed, whereas before it was centralized in specific areas of this city. Now that base is disbursed between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, as well as Texas and Georgia. Therefore, the ability to do the traditional get out the vote activities is this there.
ROESGEN: Political analyst Silas Lee says more white, moderate candidates will have a much better chance of getting elected now. And although the city has had only African-American mayors for 29 years, Lee says Ray Nagin may be the last for a while when his term is up.
Also, the shift to a more conservative political base could mean trouble for liberal white politicians like Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu. Unless more African-Americans return, their political hold on this city, like the Mardi Gras Indian, is in danger of fading away.
Susan Roesgen, CNN, New Orleans.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
M. O'BRIEN: It's about quarter past the hour. Rob Marciano at the Weather Center. Apparently Chad took the day off or sick. Which one is it?
(WEATHER REPORT)
M. O'BRIEN: How much privacy are you willing to give up in order to fly safely? Are you willing to endure a virtual strip search? Today in Phoenix, they're rolling out a new x-ray machine that is great at spotting guns and bombs and your private parts. CNN homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): The x-ray isn't what it used to be. The controversial Backscatter technology, once called an electronic strip search because it produced explicit images of the human body, has been burred up and toned down. But the Transportation Security Administration says Backscatter can still detect plastic weapons and other threats that conventional magnetometers cannot.
ELLEN HOWE, TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: We're comfortable that this machine will provide both privacy for the public and enhance security at the checkpoints.
MESERVE: Starting today, passengers undergoing secondary screening at the Phoenix Airport will have a choice -- a pat-down or a Backscatter body scan.
HOWE: The whole process takes about 45 seconds. You have two scans. It's very low-dose radiation. It can see through the clothing, but not though the skin. And it's equivalent to the amount of radiation that you would get say in two minutes in an airplane flight at altitude.
MESERVE: To address privacy concerns, the TSA employees who view the images will be in a different room from the people being scanned. Only men will view male images, women will view women.
But privacy advocates are concerned that those more detailed, embarrassing images are being stored inside the machine.
MARC ROTENBERG, ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFORMATION CENTER: It captures an image of a person as if they were wearing no clothes and in quite a bit of detail.
MESERVE: But the manufacturer says this machine has been modified and only generates an outline. Never an explicit image. And nothing is saved.
JOE REISS, AMERICAN SCIENCE & ENGINEERING: It's absolutely not like a digital camera. The machine is actually designed explicitly so that it can store or save any images.
MESERVE: Backscatter machines could be powered up at Los Angeles International Airport and New York's JFK before the end of the year if this pilot program in Phoenix shows the public will accept Backscatter, and that the $100,000 machine provides better security than an old-fashioned, cost-effective pat-down.
Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Phoenix.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: Coming up this morning, it's "Fight Back Friday." Everything that drives you crazy. The contractor who doesn't show up, the cell phone network that keeps dropping your calls, bills you just can't get resolved and your power company taking forever to get your lights back on. Well, this morning we're giving you the tools to fight back. We'll explain straight ahead. You're watching AMERICAN MORNING. The most news in the morning is right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: Welcome back.
You know, we call it is service economy, but too often it seems like a lack of good customer service economy is what we're dealing with. After the service meltdown at JetBlue, CNN decided to devote the entire day to help you fight back on those customer service outrages with some specific advice to help you. Two of our "Fight Back Friday" warriors this morning, Gerri Willis. She's got some tips for homeowners, Ali Velshi is tackling those frustrating cell phones. Let's start with Gerri. She's in Hartsdale, New York, which is just north of New York City.
Hey, Gerri, good morning.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
I'm standing in a kitchen here in north of New York City. And you know it's right here in the home that so many people feel really protected. But, in fact, this is where you can encounter some of the most frustrating consumer problems as these two people encountered.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIS, (voice over): This week, we heard about a homeowner in Florida who went without electricity for 15 years after Hurricane Andrew damaged her home. She says contractors took advantage of her, leaving her home only half repaired when insurance money ran out. She was so embarrassed by it all, she didn't want to show her face, but she talked with our affiliate WFOR.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's been many -- a long, long time. And I really can't say too much because it just gets to be very difficult to express.
WILLIS: This is, obviously, an extreme case. But every day power problems can drive homeowners to distraction. Whether it's an ice storm, a wind storm or a summer heat wave, power outages are more and more frequent. They're lasting longer and just getting through to the power company can be nearly impossible. In last summer's heat wave, at least 100,000 people lost power in Queens, New York. Some for up to 10 days.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's 50 percent complete sheer anger, where you just want to kill somebody, and the other 50 percent is just complete depression.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIS: So how do you fight back against the utility companies? Well, I've got to tell you, your options are limited. As soon as that power goes out, you need to call your utility company immediately. Keep bugging them. The likelihood with a big lack of power is that you won't get a hold of anybody directly right away. You'll get a recorded message.
Keep picking up that phone. Keep calling. And if it expands into several days, well, then you're going to have to call the public utilities commission for real help.
But remember, last summer what happened in Queens, they had the power out there for 10 days and they managed to get money out of the utility there, as much as $350 to pay for food spoilage.
Now we're going to have more on just these kinds of topics on "Open House" Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. We'll cover a host of issues. Join us then. And we'll have more on "Headline News" at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Join us for "Open House."
S. O'BRIEN: All right, Gerri, thank you very much. We sure will.
Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Well, can you hear me now? Ali Velshi is helping us fight back against lousy cell phone service. He's down stairs, our man on the street, and we did not rely on a cell phone for this live shot, if you know what I mean. Right, Ali?
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, you know, there are 230 million cell phone users in the United States, so that makes complaints about cell phone the top of the list according to the Better Business Bureau. Everybody's got a beef about this.
What are the main complaints? Well, according to the Better Business Bureau, the number one complaint is about billing. The next biggest thing is about service or reception. And the third biggest thing is about contracts. I'm going to talk about those throughout the course of the show, but let's talk about billing. The thing that gets people in the neck about cell phone service.
Now mainly the billing errors that people complain about are things that they don't recognize, charges that take place when they're not on the phone. Unexplained fees and surcharges. What do you do about this?
Well, the first think you do is you make your voice heard. When you call the phone company to resolve your problem, find out before you go through your litany of complaints if the person you're talking to can actually help you. If they can't, make sure you get to the person who can resolve the problem. There's a lot of sort of talking you down at the cell phone companies. You want to make sure somebody can actually fix your problem.
Now you want to escalate to someone who can. A lot of complaints have been about the fact that people get transfers from one customer service agent to another without actually having someone who can resolve the issue, reverse the charges, or make the situation better for you. So you want to ask to be escalated to someone who can solve your problem. It is an increasingly difficult thing to do, particularly with a lot of service call centers where they're not built for that escalation.
Now they will often solve your problem if they think that they are going to lose you as a customer. And one of the biggest problems is the cell phone industry is churn. People going from one company to another. They want your commitment. They want your contract. They want you to stay with them. So if they really think in the end that they're going to lose you, you might actually get resolution to your problem.
The bottom line is, a lot of people don't get resolution to their problems. And if you don't get a resolution, you can debate, you can do all sorts of things. You can escalate it, you can complain, but the only agency that the cell phone companies have to answer to is the Federal Communications Commission, the FCC. You can file a complaint with the FCC. They may not resolve your immediate complaint or your particular complaint, but they do compile the information. And when they do see a trend about things that need to be changed, they do address those.
I'll be back to talk about service and dropped calls and dealing with your contract a little later on "Fight Back Friday."
Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: It's enough to be give a headache, Ali. All right, thank you, though. We appreciate the important tips.
If you want to save some money on your home phone, you might want to say good-bye to your phone company. Do you still use the old- fashioned phone company?
S. O'BRIEN: No. because of you I switched.
M. O'BRIEN: Did you?
S. O'BRIEN: I did.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes. I use the cable thing.
S. O'BRIEN: It took a lot -- we had a lot of drama. I lost my number. Had a -- but now it works.
M. O'BRIEN: But it's great. And it's a flat fee. And you can go with the voice-over-internet protocol types, like Vonage.
S. O'BRIEN: Right.
M. O'BRIEN: It starts at about $15 a month. It's unlimited calling, unlimited long distance.
S. O'BRIEN: It's cheap. Cheap, cheap, cheap.
M. O'BRIEN: It really is cheap and it's all - or you can bundle it with your cable service. There are a lot of alternatives to the phone companies out there.
S. O'BRIEN: But if you lose your cable service you lose your phone.
M. O'BRIEN: Right. You need to have a backup -- you need to have power.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes.
M. O'BRIEN: Which is the one nice thing about plain old telephone service, it has a separate power source.
S. O'BRIEN: But if you can get two lines, you're good.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: If you want to look online for some of our tips that we have today, be sure to check out the web page. For all the tips that you're hearing all through the day today, go to cnn.com/am.
Top stories of the morning are coming up next.
Texas Governor Rick Perry fires back, talking about his order to vaccinate school girls for cervical cancer.
And then the tragic result of a high-speed chase in Georgia. We've got details and some of the pictures straight ahead.
You're watching AMERICAN MORNING. The most news in the morning is right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: Weekend of war debate as Democrats prepare a new plan that could take America out of Iraq.
M. O'BRIEN: Firing back. Texas governor Rick Perry now speaking out about his controversial decision to mandate a cervical cancer vaccine for girls.
S. O'BRIEN: Is the lack of customer service these days getting you down? We stand up for your consumer rights, from sticky cell phone contracts, to slick car repairmen.
It's "Fight Back Friday" on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Welcome back, everybody. It's Friday, February 23rd.
I'm Soledad O'Brien.
M. O'BRIEN: I'm miles O'Brien.
Thanks for being with us.
S. O'BRIEN: Here's what's happening this morning.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: The most news in the morning is right here on CNN. An Army sergeant faces a 100-year prison sentence this morning after pleading guilty to raping a 14-year-old girl, then killing her and her family in Iraq last year.
And new government tests confirm that Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter are behind that salmonella outbreak, and the outbreak is growing. There are people in 41 states now sick -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: You know, it used to be when you opened the hood of your car, you could figure out how things worked and how they could be fixed. Well, that's no longer the case. You need a laptop to do that.
Cars are much more complicated, and the possibility of getting ripped off at the garage is greater than ever.
This "Fight Back Friday," AMERICAN MORNING'S consumer reporter, Greg Hunter, looked into some of the most common service ripoffs.
Greg, good morning to you.
GREG HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, good morning.
I'm at Mooney's Garage in Clifton, New Jersey, and this place -- look at this. It looks like a Norman Rockwell postcard, doesn't it? It's been here for 50 years. Fifty years, one location. The son, Andy, still runs it.
Now, if you're lucky enough to have a neighborhood garage like this with somebody you can trust like Andy, you've got no problem, but if you're out there in the cold, cruel world of auto mechanics, swimming with the sharks, you could get bit.
Listen up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTER (voice over): There are three top car scams you should always say no to.
Number one: Engine oil flushing.
MIKE ALLEN, SR. EDITOR, "AUTOMOTIVE POPULAR MECHANICS": The mechanic comes out and says, "Look at this dipstick, look how filthy your oil is. Your engine is all full of sludge. Just changing your oil isn't going to do it. What you need to do is to let me hook your car up to this machine which will run this special solvent through and it will pull all of the sludge out of your engine and your engine will last forever."
HUNTER: Say no to an engine flush. "Popular Mechanics'" Mike Allen says changing oil regularly is all you need to do.
Two: Fuel injector cleaning.
(on camera): When the mechanic asks you, "Would you like to have your injectors cleaned as regular maintenance?" do you need that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, no. If your car is running fine, the check engine light is not on, it's not missing or getting poor fuel economy, you don't need to do that.
HUNTER (voice over): That fuel injector cleaning you probably don't need can cost around $150.
Three: Fuel-saving devices and additives.
The Environmental Protection Agency and Mike Allen have tested these products for years and say they don't work. Say no to any device or additive that promises better gas mileage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like any business, there are unscrupulous people who will try to take money away from you that they really don't deserve.
HUNTER (on camera): So the term that you're talking about is called what?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Service merchandising.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTER: Well, no matter what you call it, the best thing you can do is simply say no. So, again, say no to engine oil flushing. Say no to fuel injector cleaning as regular maintenance. And say no to any additive or any device that promises you big, big fuel economy.
Now, the owner of the garage here, Andy, tells me they don't spend time selling service work that you don't need. These guys are trusted, been here 50 years. But Andy has a little tip for you.
Andy, we're not trying to turn people into mechanics, but what should the common consumer do to know their car, when to get it serviced?
If they're not sure, they should really just stick to the maintenance schedule of the manufacturer, and that will help them out as far as keeping their car maintained properly.
HUNTER: So if your car has 95,000 miles, I'd say, hey, you know, you need your plugs changed -- your manual says change the plugs at 100,000 miles, that reasonable?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely. Absolutely. Just stick to the manufacturer's schedule.
HUNTER: OK. Thanks a lot, Andy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.
HUNTER: All right.
Back to you, Miles. M. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much, Greg.
And thank you, Andy.
Stick to that schedule. If they say you've got to do this, double check the manual. You know, the manufacturer won't lie to you.
S. O'BRIEN: Usually the answer is, no, you don't.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, frequently that is the case, yes.
S. O'BRIEN: And then you don't have to pay for it.
You can find more tips to help you fight back on our AMERICAN MORNING Web site. Just go to cnn.com/am.
Forty-three minutes past the hour. Rob Marciano is at the CNN weather center. He is watching all of the bad weather heading our way, plus the cold and flu report, too.
Hey. Good morning, Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Soledad. Hi, Miles.
(WEATHER REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: Coming up this morning, we mentioned that peanut butter salmonella outbreak. It's now spreading to 41 states. And there's another development, too. A lawsuit.
We'll tell you what's happening there.
Plus, it was just a weird day in court. Did you watch this yesterday, the courtroom drama? We're going to take a closer look at this guy. He's the judge presiding over this three-ring circus in the Anna Nicole Smith case.
A closer look at Judge Seidlin straight ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: Well, you wouldn't expect this, but what does that little town in "Footloose" have in common with New York City? A ban on dancing? Yes.
A state court upholding The Big Apple's law that bans dancing in bars and restaurants. I'm shocked and appalled. There's dancing in bars and restaurants in this town?
Basically, any establishment not officially designated for dancing is not supposed to have dancing. The law has been around since prohibition. The ban was challenged by those who say dancing is free expression. The court disagreed.
It seems a bit prudish, doesn't it?
S. O'BRIEN: It certainly does. And prohibition has gone away a long time ago.
M. O'BRIEN: I heard that's gone, too, yes.
S. O'BRIEN: So it might be time to change that law.
M. O'BRIEN: I don't have to make that bathtub gin anymore.
S. O'BRIEN: No, not anymore.
Taking a look at how America votes this morning.
Some of the candidates who are vying for the White House in 2008, well, more questions about Hillary Clinton's backers.
In South Carolina, two more black lawmakers there who supported Clinton have ties to a media consulting firm that she hired. Both supporters say their support has nothing to do with any business dealings.
For the Republicans, Mitt Romney is putting Iran front and center. He's urging several New York officials to divest state pension funds from Iran. Romney says that's going to help isolate Iran economically as that nation pursues its nuclear program.
And Republican Duncan Hunter is in South Carolina naming some of his advisers for that state's primary. Among them is Lois Ergel (ph). There she is, standing right to the right of Hunter.
She's known for her hard line on illegal immigration. Tells a story about how she once told an illegal immigrant who came to her office asking for free legal help for an abused child -- well, advised her, "You should get back to Mexico."
Also, he named as his campaign co-chairman a guy who once said -- and I'm quoting -- "You've got to be stupid to believe in evolution."
Hunter himself says if he's president, he'd have a fence up on the Mexican border within six months.
You can find all the day's political news any time, day or night, at cnn.com/ticker.
M. O'BRIEN: Health headlines for you this morning.
Scientists say it's a major breakthrough in the fight against AIDS. A new study by the National Institutes of Health shows circumcision lowers a man's chances of catching HIV by up to 60 percent. Researchers say the question now is how to put the findings to work to fight the epidemic in Africa.
No doubt about it this morning, the recalled peanut butter that sickened more than 300 people in 41 states contains salmonella. The tainted Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butter was made at a ConAgra plant in Georgia. No deaths officially linked to the outbreak, but a family in Pennsylvania is suing, claiming a relative died after eating tainted peanut butter.
And the nation's biggest milk company says it won't use milk from cloned cows. Dean Farms says Its customers simply don't want it. Smaller companies like Ben and Jerry's and Organic Valley have already said that they oppose milk from clones.
S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, are you sick of your cell phone service? Are you sick of dropped calls and a lack of service at times? Well, Ali Velshi has got your Fight Back Friday report for us this morning.
And a decision finally made in the fight for Anna Nicole Smith's body. It's a three-ring circus, though. We'll bring you some of the highlights, or you might call them lowlights.
Plus, stretched thin. A look at some of the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan who don't even have the life-saving armor that they need.
You're watching AMERICAN MORNING. The most news in the morning is right here on CNN.
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Microsoft licking its wounds this morning after a big P.R. and financial ding. A federal jury ordering the software behemoth to shell out $1.5 billion to telecom giant Alcatel-Lucent. Alcatel- Lucent says Microsoft infringed on its patents for playing MP3 files. Microsoft plans to ask the trial judge to knock down the verdict and appeal if necessary.
Well, it is Fight Back Friday. Who has not been frustrated by their cell phone service?
Ali Velshi is here helping you fight back with some tips on what to do.
Have you dialled in? Can you hear me now?
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Can you hear me? Can you hear me now?
M. O'BRIEN: Can you hear me now?
VELSHI: Miles, cell phone complaints. The cell phone industry tops the list of complaints to the Better Business Bureau. It tops all industries, because there are some 230 million cell phone users in the United States.
One of the top complaints about cell phone companies -- number one is billing. Number two is service and reception and dead zones and things like that. Number three is contracts.
I want to talk about service and reception, dead zones, dropped calls, things like that. The whole "Can you hear me now?" or the signs that you see from Cingular, "The least dropped calls."
If you are in a contract, the lack of service or the lack of reception or dead zones in the places you use it, you would think should be a reason for you to break your contract. It typically isn't, unless you move to an area where the provider you use is known to not have service and you have to sort of prove that to them. However, it should be a reason to break your contract, and you should persevere if it is happening.
Now, you should complain to your cell phone company first. The towers and the service providing changes all the time. T-Mobile is the one company that lets you check the signal streng of your zip code online, although some people we've spoken to say it's not particularly reliable.
So there are Web sites.
First of all, the best way to find out whether your cell phone is going to work in the places you need it to, where you commute, where you live, and where you work, is word of mouth. And that word of mouth can often be found on the Internet.
There are a couple of Web sites that the Internet companies themselves actually direct consumers to even though they're not part of the companies. Deadcellzones.com is one of them. The other one, cellreception.com. You can find out about whether you get coverage in your area and you can get anecdotal comments from users about whether you do.
Remember, when you get a new cell phone contract, you usually have a trial period, and you should use that to check that phone at all different times in the areas that you use them. But if you have that problem, go back to your cell phone, complain to them, and see if you can get it done that way -- Miles and Soledad.
M. O'BRIEN: All right, Ali. It seems like you need -- you really need like a full-time assistant to just fight these battles for you.
VELSHI: Yes, to deal with cell phones. Yes.
M. O'BRIEN: So you're volunteering for me, right?
VELSHI: I've got to tell you, Miles, we're happy to do that. People have these kinds of problems, they should tell us, because we do talk to the cell phone companies. It's also the most common thing we get complaints about.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Do you want me to give your e-mail out now or later?
VELSHI: Well, the general e-mail.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you.
We will be checking in with our reporters all morning for tips on fighting back against phone, home and car ripoffs. Be sure to check out our Web page for all of today's tips -- cnn.com/am is the place.
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S. O'BRIEN: Showdown. Senate Democrats have a new plan this morning to get troops out of Iraq and a new challenge on the home front.
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