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Counterfeit NGK spark plugs and misfire issues. Happened to me

18K views 40 replies 12 participants last post by  Maritime 
#1 · (Edited)
Those of you buying spark plugs for your pilots should NOT buy them on Amazon. The price is tempting, the idea of fast shipping is tempting, but we have just confirmed with NGK that the 6 spark plugs we received are counterfeit. We have tried everything to track down why our pilot was misfiring, and randomly saw a video on youtube explaining that counterfeits exist. Turns out, we were on the receiving end of these parts and so far have been the reason why our pilot has been misfiring since we bought it.

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#2 ·
I have been screaming this forever. Amazon does NOTHING to keep counterfeit parts of all kinds out of their inventory, even ships and sold by Amazon. I won't buy auto parts from them unless they are known not to be counterfeit-ed, or ships and sold by a reputable dealer.

Rock Auto supports this site and our members, I'd rather give them my money.... even if it means waiting a little longer.
 
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#4 ·
You're unfortunately very wrong. I called NGK. They said there should be NO variance from one plug to the next, no matter what. We checked different parts of the plugs with calipers and each plug varies from one to another across 6 plugs. Per NGK when I spoke to them "Variances that I see on my plugs are from counterfeits who don't have the tooling capability that NGK does." Why would NGK send out a product that is subpar and works to only cause misfires? They wouldn't and were very clear about that. They were also very clear that they have a counterfeit problem and the fakes have gotten really good to spot to the untrained eye.
 
#5 ·
NGK has more than one place that makes plugs for them. It's called profiteering.
You might want to lay both those plugs down evenly on the table so one is not a 1/2 inch further back in your photo.
I'm not saying you that you didn't get a bad plug. Did you test it? I've got Amazon NGKs in at least one of my Honda's with no issues.
 
#6 · (Edited)
NGK has more than one place that makes plugs for them. It's called profiteering.
You might want to lay both those plugs down evenly on the table so one is not a 1/2 inch further back in your photo.
I'm not saying you that you didn't get a bad plug. Did you test it? I've got Amazon NGKs in at least one of my Honda's with no issues.
Yes, the plugs in the photo are completely untested, and made our pilot misfire for 5000 miles laying on the shelf, they look brand new don't they? I figured a guy that works for NGK would know if a plug had been used before, but maybe next year in training you will get to that part of spark plug training. You must definitely work for NGK with your vast knowledge of this subject when we spent a full day investigating the differences, speaking to NGK USA, explaining to them how they are different etc, but hey, if you run all of the NGK factories then you run the NGK factories and you should be proud of that :rolleyes:
 
#7 ·
No, I don't work for NGK. But I do know a lot about imported items sold in the U.S. that have been imported from other countries where the quality is not as good. These items are authorized by corporations to be made and sold in different markets and most often are at a cheaper price. An importer recognizes the difference in the price of the one made for the U.S. market and has a million of them made in the foreign factory. There put in a container and shipped here to be sold at a nice profit, even though he/she is not an authorized dealer.
I'm not doubting that you got a bad spark plug. I don't believe it's fake. It's a cheaper import.
 
#9 ·
I'm not doubting that you got a bad spark plug. I don't believe it's fake. It's a cheaper import.
You are mistaken, and NGK agrees. If they analyzed this person's plug, and said it is a fake, why would you doubt them? Your assumption is anytime a customer complains of a failed plug, they just say "its a fake" because they are knowingly sourcing sub-standard quality plugs from cheaper locations?







 
#8 ·
It is very well known in the industry about the issue with NGK counterfeit plugs from Amazon and Ebay. You might get real ones, you might not. You dont have to believe it, but NGK does, as it is wrecking their name. They put out guidance on this topic to help customers identify fakes for this very reason.
 
#10 ·
Fake NGK spark plugs, fake Brembo rotors and pads, fake whatever. Amazon and Ebay are where you go to get bargain basement junk for dirt cheap, NOT name brand stuff at good prices. The counterfeits have existed for many years on both sites, I tend to stick with RockAuto or a competitor when buying parts because they are less likely to have counterfeits.

Nail Grease, I understand what you are saying but I don't think this is one of those cases. NGK is a pretty reputable company, if they had QC issues I feel like they would own up to it.
 
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#11 ·
If I'm NGK authorized distributor in Wixom, MI, USA, I'm going to say the same thing. "Buy from an authorized dealer." And by all means, buy from an authorized dealer. I don't want the cheap import either. NGK has failed at protecting it's U.S. distributor/manufacturer. I still don't believe there fake. NGK owns it.
 
#18 ·
You must be my brother-in-law... he's the only person I know (a stubborn Engineer of course) that will argue this vigorously about something.

So what brand do you trust? Denso? Bosch? Delco? E3?
 
#23 ·
Amazon co-mingles inventory, from THEIR suppliers, and from 3rd party sellers who "promise" not to supply counterfeits.


I have reported fake/counterfeit/scam sellers to Amazon, and it took WEEKS for them to take any action.

The problem is much more difficult to solve than you "believe".... based on how Amazon manages their warehouse inventory.
 
#26 · (Edited)
I went out in the freeze to pull a plug and see what Amazon sold me a year ago for my Crosstour. The NGK plug only says Japan on it. Apparently bootlegged from another factory into the U.S.. All else looks good. You tell me.
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#29 ·
I just called NGK last week regarding possible fake plugs. The person I spoke with said, "There is no way of knowing if the plug is a fake unless you send it in for an analysis." He did mention that Amazon does not buy the plugs directly from NGK where as big box stores like O'Reilly, AutoZone, Advance, etc all do. He told me that the best option is to always buy them from one of those stores and not on Amazon or eBay. The ones I bought on Amazon weren't all that much cheaper than the ones they sell at the parts store so I don't believe these are fakes but I may send them back just because and then spend the extra couple of bucks per plug at O'Reilly.
 
#30 ·
Why not order them from RockAuto? Significantly cheaper than box stores, and they give us a 5% discount.
 
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#34 · (Edited)
...off their already low prices, as the saying goes. :)

Unlike Amazon or eBay, I trust Rockauto to send me the real McCoy.


That said, I actually bought my NGK Iridiums at major Canadian auto part store Canadian Tire. At the time, I couldn't wait for delivery because I was doing a bunch of other things at the same time. ?
 
#35 ·
...off their already low prices, as the saying goes. :)

Unlike Amazon or eBay, I trust Rockauto to send me the real McCoy.
still cheaper going through an auto parts store, unless you can't wait and pay the cheapest shipping they got, i just priced them 42.61 for a set from the rock including 7.99 shipping but not the 5%, then the auto parts store which i can pick up same day 53.94 not including the 10% off you always get for buying online... i still think over the counter is winning...
 
#40 ·
just did the math with the 93175 plugs, rockauto is 37.68 with 5% off and 7.99 shipping, and advance auto is 38.20 reg price 50.94 with 25% off and same day pick up..... :rolleyes: nowadays stores price match... i always looked at rock auto but never made a purchase, cause i don't like to wait i don't mine paying over a discount for peace of mind
 
#41 · (Edited)
I got burned by fake NGK, My CRV previous to the Pilot I replaced it with had 2 fail on me on the highway and one was so bad the center electrode blew up into it. I didn't know the fakes were out there and had gotten them off ebay. I replaced them at a much higher price from a NAPA but it screwed the engine up enough I had to replace all my injectors. Plugs had less than 1000 KM on them when they failed stranding us at a gas station I was able to limp on 2 cylinders too to pull the plugs. I only get my plugs from a NAPA if immediately needed or RockAuto if I can wait. rememnbered I had a pic. OP you got lucky you pulled those POS out or this could have happened:
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