Check your new air filter immediately after delivery!!

[Burtess]

Received from RockAuto back in February… outside box wasn’t crushed so didn’t check the actual filter… too late now for refund!
Will be checking everything more carefully upon receipt moving forward!

 

[Urshurak776]

I was expecting a used filter. Happened to me with brake pads from RockAuto once and I didn't check it until I was ready to use them.....

 

[dnewton3]

Not ideal, but I bet it will properly seal when placed into the intake air box and carefully closed up.

 

[Burtess]

Not ideal, but I bet it will properly seal when placed into the intake air box and carefully closed up.

Maybe? But I'd rather not chance a bad seal for ~40K Km to save $20...

 

[JayhawkRoy]

Been purchasing all my air filters in small bulk from Rock Auto and all have been perfect. Hope to keep it that way, too. Subaru AC delco I get for Subarus are in clear plastic so it is easy to see if there is damage.

 

[97K15004WD]

That doesn't look a RockAuto issue. WIX packaged it that way.

RockAuto didn't put it in that OEM box, and since the box isn't crushed, it had to be machine packed wrong on the packaging line.

Maybe call WIX and send them a link to this thread as proof and see if they will replace it?

WIX might want the info on the box for QC purposes - odds are you aren't the only one that got one of these.

 

[DCDG]

Received from RockAuto back in February… outside box wasn’t crushed so didn’t check the actual filter… too late now for refund!
Will be checking everything more carefully upon receipt moving forward!

View attachment 339876

I get it. But if the pleats are not torn the polyurethane gasket material will contour to the lip of the air box when squished and make a seal.

 

[Dave P.]

Buy another one, same part number. Wait a few days after you receive the new one and then return the damaged one on the new one's receipt.

 

[JunkdrawerDog]

This is why I prefer to buy from my neighborhood brick and mortar stores. I'm one of those who likes to open the box and examine what I'm buying. If I can't open it in the store, I'll open it in the car before driving away. I got burned many years ago by some jack hole who put his used sparkplugs back in the NGK boxes, carefully glued them shut, and returned them to the store. Fool me once ...

 

[Kira]

Inspection upon delivery OF ANYTHING is standard practice.

I learned the same hard lesson when I failed to fully inspect the cartridge oil filters I ordered from RA.
The design used by my car included a large O-ring for the housing / plastic canister.
The manufacturer included an oversized one.

This is on top of the dented oil filters RA sent which included strips of paper which read, "These are dented and OK. We will not accept them for return". I should've returned them. I used them and they held.

 

[BHopkins]

This is why I prefer to buy from my neighborhood brick and mortar stores. I'm one of those who likes to open the box and examine what I'm buying. If I can't open it in the store, I'll open it in the car before driving away. I got burned many years ago by some jack hole who put his used sparkplugs back in the NGK boxes, carefully glued them shut, and returned them to the store. Fool me once ...

It sure can't hurt to be able to take advantage of the very generous return policy at Autozone, compared to the intentionally difficult to near impossible Rock Auto return policy.

That said, I agree with @97K15004WD. Have Wix make it right for you. The picture you attached, should be convincing for them, that it is their problem.

 

[dnewton3]

Maybe? But I'd rather not chance a bad seal for ~40K Km to save $20...

Fair enough.

Get a new one, use it.
Put the "damaged" one back into the box in the proper manner, and I bet after sitting for a few months it will realign to the proper form. Then you can use it.

 

[ZeeOSix]

This is on top of the dented oil filters RA sent which included strips of paper which read, "These are dented and OK. We will not accept them for return".

That's just wrong. Bet they didn't advertise them as being dented or damaged on their website - nobody knowing about oil filters would buy them. Sounds like a complaint to the BBB is in order for shenanigans like that.

 

[OilStained]

That’ll buff right out. Oops, wrong thread.


Seriously, for me, sometimes I don’t even take it out of the shipping box or packaging, let alone the product box.

 

[silversport]

Kira said
This is on top of the dented oil filters RA sent which included strips of paper which read, "These are dented and OK. We will not accept them for return". I should've returned them. I used them and they held.

this doesn’t sound like something Rock Auto would put in there…I would have contacted them as they use suppliers to fulfill orders who may have inserted this without Rock Auto’s knowledge and I’d bet they would like to know this...

I received an oil filter with the gasket unattached but in the box…Rock Auto gave me a credit (and offered me a refund) for the filter despite it being fine to use once the filter gasket was reattached...

Bill

 

[GW.]

Rock Auto is always a gamble in my experience.