“We’ve seen a surge in counterfeit Fleetguard filters over the last year, and unfortunately some vehicle and equipment owners are getting burned. This is a PSA for anyone out there considering purchasing their filters through online retailers like Amazon or eBay…buyer beware. You could be getting legitimate product, but there’s no good way to verify until after you get your hands on it. Don’t risk damaging your engine with knock-off products that haven’t been engineered and validated by the Filtration Science experts at Fleetguard.”
Jay Stephenson / Atmus Filtration Technologies (Fleetguard) North American Training Leader. Excerpted from his January 2024 LinkedIn post.
FILTERS – GENO’S GARAGE BUYER’S GUIDE
We’ve put together the following quick reference tips to help you spot counterfeit filters. Many of these common sense clues can be applied to other knock off truck parts sold online. We also include a list of some good reasons why this issue is so important. Then, keep scrolling down for comparison photos so you can see the differences.
Tips to Help Spot the Fakes:
- Questionably low prices (If it’s too good to be true…)
- Misspelled words
- Seller advertising as a “US SHIPPER” (an unnecessary statement that can serve as a red flag; generally, most authorized OEM filter distributors for our trucks are located in the US anyway)
- Logos and symbols look “off” with odd dimensions and/or colors
- Poor print quality of packaging and/or product
- Missing information on outer box and/or labels
- Product dimensions are slightly smaller or larger than legitimate OEM brands
Dangers of Using Substandard Filters in your Ram Turbo Diesel:
• No-start or loss of power
• Blocked or diminished lubrication
• High risk of element burst or collapse
• Faulty bypass valves
• Low fuel rail pressure codes
• Questionable filtration micron rating
• Potential for far-reaching damage throughout the engine and fuel systems
GENUINE OEM VERSUS CHEAP KNOCK OFF FILTERS
We went filter shopping online so we could see for ourselves about the fakes out there and we’ve got some things to show you… here are a few examples of legitimate OEM filters compared to the same part number but counterfeit and cheap aftermarket versions. This is by no means an exhaustive study and these examples are focused on counterfeit versions of OEM filters. (There are private-labeled filters on the market, which cannot come close to the quality level of filtration that the OEM filters are able to achieve, however, that is for another post on another day!)
We are direct with the OEM manufacturers including Mopar, Cummins and Fleetguard, so you can be 100% confident we are shipping authentic OEM filters to you every time.
NOT WORTH THE RISK.
“Counterfeiters are only in this for the quick buck; they can’t hope to replicate the thousands of hours of research, development and engineering that stand behind genuine parts, even with something as small as an oil filter. For the sake of a small short-term saving, these poor-quality copies don’t even operate as a filter and risk many thousands of dollars in repair costs.”
Tristan Tancredi, Automotive Journalist www.whichcar.com
Frank, That’s a great point to add to the things to look for with the counterfeits. Thank you.
Another observation on fake filters is the inconsistent adhesive that bonds the filter material to the end caps. The OEM filter has full contact smooth adhesive bond. The counterfeit filter adhesive displays voids and air bubbles. The seal is compromised.