Photo: Genuine is best/FCAI
Counterfeit parts have existed for decades, and it appears that the market for them is only growing. The latest bust involves a new kind of fake, where the forgers placed the laser-etched logo of an existing model made by a reputable car manufacturer on a part that is not offered by the real company.
In other words, someone came up with a set of fake strut spacers for the Toyota Hilux. Instead of trying to sell them under a new brand, that person or group of persons decided to laser-etch “ALL-NEW HILUX” on their parts and sell them on the internet as if those were Toyota products.The reality is that those parts were fake.
Toyota does not make strut spacers for the Hilux at all. The part you can see at the top of this story is part of a larger batch of strut spacers that was seized by the Australian Border Force. The parts were bought online, and they were seized upon entering Australia.
Toyota Australia warned customers that those parts are unknown to the company and that the company has nothing to do with them. Toyota's representatives warn customers that installing those parts in a Toyota vehicle will cause potential safety, quality, and performance problems.
We would like to point out that installing parts like these on any vehicle is dangerous, especially since it involves altering the said vehicle's suspension with components of uncertain quality and untested specifications. Be sure to choose a reputable workshop when modifying your vehicle, regardless of the modifications you intend to perform.
Australia's Border Force has also seized counterfeit oil filters that are incapable of filtering oil. They also found spark plugs that might break after a brief exposure in a combustion chamber, as well as wheels that shatter in a low-speed pothole, and brake components that contain asbestos.
Asbestos is a carcinogen, and it was banned for use in brakes many years ago, meaning that no reputable company would go near the stuff. The worst-case ever caught by the Australian Border Force is a set of brake pads made of compressed grass clippings.
While these counterfeit parts have arrived at Australian shores, do not imagine that you are entirely safe from fakes. Beware of extremely affordable parts that are sold on the internet at a significantly smaller price point than their original equivalents.
The worst cases of counterfeit involve fake parts that are sold as originals, including their original price tag. Be sure to get a receipt and an invoice for whatever parts you choose to buy, and make sure they have their original packaging.
You can check if a company is a certified distributor or reseller of products by looking up their name on a dedicated zone of the website of the marque you are looking for.
A certified distributor of products made by a company will have no problem confirming their claims in writing in an e-mail, and their website will already specify that they are licensed to sell those products in the country.
Toyota does not make strut spacers for the Hilux at all. The part you can see at the top of this story is part of a larger batch of strut spacers that was seized by the Australian Border Force. The parts were bought online, and they were seized upon entering Australia.
Toyota Australia warned customers that those parts are unknown to the company and that the company has nothing to do with them. Toyota's representatives warn customers that installing those parts in a Toyota vehicle will cause potential safety, quality, and performance problems.
We would like to point out that installing parts like these on any vehicle is dangerous, especially since it involves altering the said vehicle's suspension with components of uncertain quality and untested specifications. Be sure to choose a reputable workshop when modifying your vehicle, regardless of the modifications you intend to perform.
Australia's Border Force has also seized counterfeit oil filters that are incapable of filtering oil. They also found spark plugs that might break after a brief exposure in a combustion chamber, as well as wheels that shatter in a low-speed pothole, and brake components that contain asbestos.
Asbestos is a carcinogen, and it was banned for use in brakes many years ago, meaning that no reputable company would go near the stuff. The worst-case ever caught by the Australian Border Force is a set of brake pads made of compressed grass clippings.
While these counterfeit parts have arrived at Australian shores, do not imagine that you are entirely safe from fakes. Beware of extremely affordable parts that are sold on the internet at a significantly smaller price point than their original equivalents.
The worst cases of counterfeit involve fake parts that are sold as originals, including their original price tag. Be sure to get a receipt and an invoice for whatever parts you choose to buy, and make sure they have their original packaging.
You can check if a company is a certified distributor or reseller of products by looking up their name on a dedicated zone of the website of the marque you are looking for.
A certified distributor of products made by a company will have no problem confirming their claims in writing in an e-mail, and their website will already specify that they are licensed to sell those products in the country.
Google News