Counterfeit Auto Parts: A Growing Industry Epidemic

Counterfeit parts are seriously jeopardizing your business, your authorized repair shops, and your customers. The best news for the automotive industry is that a low-cost solution for protecting the company, its shareholders and its customers is available now.

Imagine authorized service centers servicing a vehicle with what they think are high-quality brake pads. But instead of friction material, the pads are made from compressed grass or sawdust. Or imagine installing an oil filter that contains crunched-up newspapers or rags and no filter element.

Brian Duggan, a director with the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), said distinguishing between real and counterfeit parts can be quite difficult.

"The problem is that the counterfeit products today have been designed to look like almost perfect replicas of the genuine product, so people don't know a counterfeit when they see one," said Duggan.