Even more worrying, the fake spark plugs are almost indistinguishable from the real ones. Many look very good and are even marked and packaged under the brands of Honda, Nissan, Mazda and Toyota.
As FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber said, "We have experts who inspect the packaging and spark plugs, they can hardly even tell the difference. You won't know it's fake until it's too late. "
Although fake spark plugs look legitimate, they use poor quality materials and have poor construction. This is seen when the spark plug is cut in two, but sometimes even difficult to distinguish.
Not surprisingly, a fake spark plug can hamper performance and potentially damage the engine. According to FCAI, low quality fake spark plugs can cause poor ignition, wasteful fuel and difficult to start the engine. Fake spark plugs can also overheat and cause a large reduction in engine performance, especially when accelerating or carrying heavy loads. If it is too hot, the spark plug can melt and cause severe engine damage.
The organization did not mention the website where fake spark plugs were purchased, but said that the automotive industry works with relevant online trading platforms to remove listings and prohibit sellers of illegal counterfeit goods from their sites. Of course, the best way to protect yourself from fake plugs is to buy from a dealer, auto parts store or official online retailer.