In a report released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), it has been revealed that in the past two years over 6,000 counterfeit automotive parts that were attempted to be imported into Australia have been seized by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

The value of the seized parts totals over $550,000, not to mention any which may have slipped through undetected. This massive influx of counterfeit parts poses a drastic threat to the automotive industry, damaging the integrity of genuine brands and having the potential to cause extremely serious, even fatal safety issues.

CEO of FCAI, Tony Weber says “the gamut of fakes includes everything from bogus wheels and body panels to safety-critical components like brake pads and airbags”.  Other products seized included spiral cable, alloy rims, wheel bearings, water pumps, grilles, radiators, tail lights and other body parts.

The use of inferior materials and absence of any safety testing means that it is likely that these products are not on par with Australian Safety Standards. Counterfeit brake pads were found to contain asbestos and some seized airbags were lacking gold plating which is required by Australian standards to ensure appropriate conductivity to facilitate airbag deployment.

In addition to this, counterfeit Mercedes-Benz wheels were tested against genuine wheels and were unable to pass a 50km/h pothole test; almost completely disintegrating, while the genuine wheels passed with ease.

These counterfeit products often carry the look and feel of genuine parts, with branded packaging and logos making it difficult to distinguish them from the real thing. This poses a threat to the non-savvy customer, who may inadvertently purchase a counterfeit part thinking they are getting the real thing, and jeopardising their safety and the integrity of their vehicle.

To ensure your safety, and the safety of your customers, only purchase parts from trusted suppliers. Ashdown-Ingram partners with Australia’s most trusted brands who implement stringent quality assurance protocols, giving you the confidence that you are purchasing a quality, genuine aftermarket part, every time.

For more information, visit the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries website, http://www.fcai.com.au/. If you have any concerns about the rules surrounding safety standards, please visit https://www.business.gov.au/Info/Run/Goods-and-services/Selling-goods-and-services/Selling-goods/Product-safety-rules-and-standards.