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- Batteries, airbags, wheels and brake discs among the most common counterfeit parts sold
Motorists are warned to stay away from counterfeit car parts that are sold at a fraction of the price of original components.
A government-backed survey has revealed that one in six drivers have bought counterfeit parts in the last 12 months, as dishonest sellers are importing more than £1 billion worth of imitation parts into Britain.
Below, the Intellectual Property Office, the government agency that manages trademarks and copyrights for companies, offers five tips for identifying whether a piece sold online is real or fake.
A new government campaign warns of the dangers of drivers buying counterfeit car parts, which could put their lives at risk. It comes after City of London police raided a shop in east London last month where fake Mercedes-Benz airbags were being sold.
The Government’s new ‘Fake Always Breaks’ campaign launched this week is designed to alert drivers to the dangers of purchasing counterfeit vehicle parts.
It has received support from the automotive industry, including repair bodies, the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation and the Independent Garage Association, and vehicle manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz.
The City of London Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit has also backed the campaign having 500 counterfeit car airbags were recently seized during an undercover operation in east London.
“Fake airbags are not manufactured to industry standards so there is a real possibility that they may fail to inflate during a traffic collision or deploy by mistake,” Chief Inspector Emma Warbey warned after the Last month a haul of fake airbags was found.
What car parts are usually counterfeit?
Many of the most commonly purchased fake car components pose “significant safety concerns” if they are defective.
These include batteries (bought by 25 percent of motorists who admit to purchasing counterfeit parts), tires and wheels (23 percent) and windshield wipers (19 percent).
Around one in seven (14 percent) drivers who bought counterfeit car parts bought counterfeit airbags, while more than a tenth (12 percent) bought fake brake pads or discs.
Although the report found that many purchases are made unknowingly, the majority (58 percent) said they did so knowing that the part was probably not a genuine component from the manufacturer.
The majority of those who chose to buy fake items said they did so because they felt there was “no discernible difference in appearance” from the real items (34 percent), while a similar number said it was simply due to the price. lowest (31 percent). percent).
For those who unknowingly purchase knock-off pieces, many only discover it after they have caused a problem.
More than two in five drivers (45 percent) who bought and installed a counterfeit component thinking it was genuine discovered it wasn’t real after taking it to a shop because it was defective.
Another 30 percent only notice when their vehicle is in for routine checks.
Miles Rees, deputy director of enforcement at IPO, said: “It is illegal to sell counterfeit car parts and they are very dangerous for motorists and other road users.”
“While they may look the same, they are often made from inferior materials and have not been safety tested.
“This increases the risk of failure and can have life-changing or life-ending consequences, a risk not worth taking.”
Miles went on to say that this time of year it’s even more important to make sure you only buy genuine parts.
‘As we head into the darker, colder and frostier months, driving can become more dangerous. That’s why it’s now more important than ever to highlight the dangers of counterfeiting for drivers and help make every trip as safe as possible,’ he added.
Five IPO Tips for Spotting Counterfeit Car Parts
1. Be careful with the price
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
2. Research the seller
If you are not familiar with the company that sells the product, check out previous customer reviews and do some background research.
3. Check the specifications
Fake parts are usually one-size-fits-all and not made for your vehicle. This could be dangerous and cause irreversible damage.
4. Look for evidence
Original parts will come with an Original Equipment certificate. If there isn’t, it’s probably fake.
5. Do you suspect it is fake? Report it
It is illegal to sell counterfeits and sellers should be reported to Crimestoppers.