"Fake Parts present a real danger for vehicle safety and greatly increase the potential for expensive repairs and road accidents. Fake Parts not built to same specification as genuine parts and can lead to catastrophic damage to a vehicle. For e.g: Counterfeit Airbags which may not deploy at all, during impact can greatly increase fatalities of drivers and passengers."
Some of the most commonly counterfeited parts are those which are most frequently replaced, including light repair components such as fuel and oil filters. These filters prevent premature engine wear and failure by removing impurities from your oil and fuel such as carbon, sand, dirt and metal
Counterfeit filters may have poor filtering elements that can be made from old rags, perforated food cans, and other materials. This could cause engine problems to your vehicle such as allowing sediments and particulates to pass through the fuel supply causing your engine to hesitate, stall, or even catastrophic failure. Some counterfeit filters have even been found to melt at a certain temperature.
As you can see, counterfeit filter elements are shorter, providing less filtration area. Also notice that the pleats are crushed, indicating that the element has been overly compressed within the filter casing.
This counterfeit filter has very little adhesive glue.
In this comparison of filter casings, notice that the counterfeit casing has rust forming on the inside.
Counterfeit rear label – notice the misspelling at the top where it reads “Recommended by Ford Motor Company”. ?