Possible fake NGK BKR5EGP plugs from Amazon. Help!
- Thread starter ZraHamilton
- Start date
I bought a set of NGK plugs for my nephews 2013 Civic from RA.
I phoned NGK to ask if there was a way to verify if they were made by NGK or fake. A woman who answered told me what to look for and mine were made by NGK.
So phone NGK. They were nice to talk to and happy to help.
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Sparkplugs are made in a variety of heat ranges, so the tip may look different than the photo that was posted already on this thread.
I phoned NGK to ask if there was a way to verify if they were made by NGK or fake. A woman who answered told me what to look for and mine were made by NGK.
So phone NGK. They were nice to talk to and happy to help.
------------------
Sparkplugs are made in a variety of heat ranges, so the tip may look different than the photo that was posted already on this thread.
JHZR2
Staff member
I think it needs to be sold and shipped by the manufacturer’s store. Anything that comes from Amazon, via prime delivery, or any other means is supposedly from a common bin.
So if scammers 1-4 each throw a pack of fake plugs in, and NGK throws a box in as well… and then you buy from the NGK store serviced by Amazon… you have a 20% chance of getting legit plugs. At least that’s how I see it.
Seems that Napa and Rockauo and whatnot may be marginally better, but I guess scammers could return items with counterfeits swapped. Granted that’s a much harder operation to do in numbers.
I bought a set of AC Delco #41-962 spark plugs from amazon.
I installed them gapped at .040".
After 22k miles started getting a P0300 code and the engine began to have a slight misfire at idle. It ran great otherwise. No CEL.
I pulled a plug and its gap was .065". I pulled the rest of the plugs and they were all .065". All the electrodes had worn badly in only 22k miles.
I concluded they were counterfeits.
I installed them gapped at .040".
After 22k miles started getting a P0300 code and the engine began to have a slight misfire at idle. It ran great otherwise. No CEL.
I pulled a plug and its gap was .065". I pulled the rest of the plugs and they were all .065". All the electrodes had worn badly in only 22k miles.
I concluded they were counterfeits.
Those are some darn good looking counterfeits. Would fool me and I have installed hundreds.
I would not expect a Pt electrode to be fine as in the NGK photo.
I would run them and if any indication of an issue pull one an inspect.
Now about the G power - never have run that spec. Only O.E. or U.S. assembled V power general use replacement- which were garbage IMO in the 90's.
I would not expect a Pt electrode to be fine as in the NGK photo.
I would run them and if any indication of an issue pull one an inspect.
Now about the G power - never have run that spec. Only O.E. or U.S. assembled V power general use replacement- which were garbage IMO in the 90's.
I can’t even trust name brand string trimmer line.
And I even trust eBay for LPs better than Amazon and you can see my thread on fakish consumables
Spark plugs? Yikes no
And I even trust eBay for LPs better than Amazon and you can see my thread on fakish consumables
Spark plugs? Yikes no
No help needed. Don't buy spark plugs on Amazon. Simple.
Instructions:
1. Throw those spark plugs in the trash
2. Go to your local auto parts store and buy good plugs for your car (much better plugs than these anyway.)
3. Install
4. Drive happy!
Instructions:
1. Throw those spark plugs in the trash
2. Go to your local auto parts store and buy good plugs for your car (much better plugs than these anyway.)
3. Install
4. Drive happy!
Actually good advice except get the $ back from Amazon. Super easy
If they’re fake, and they went to the effort to put a QR code, one can make that point to literally ANY website they want… including one that looks just like NGK’s site, but isn’t actually NGK because said someone replaced a “n” with a Cyrillic “п”
I've had 3 sets of fake NGK plugs from Amazon that I know of, due to 20K failure.
It simply ain't worth it to me. Pay once cry once.
It simply ain't worth it to me. Pay once cry once.
Why would anyone make fake G-Power plugs? Thats like making a counterfeit $1 bill. The expensive iridium ruthenium gee-whiz bang $22 each plugs sure, but plugs that are $6? Not saying these arent fake in this example, just asking why anyone would go through the effort for such tiny payback.
Not knocking G-Power either, I have them installed in multiple cars right now and not a problem with any of them going back a decade or more. I've had multiple failures of (supposed) iridium and ruthenium plugs which makes me believe they were counterfeit. I only buy plugs locally now.
Not knocking G-Power either, I have them installed in multiple cars right now and not a problem with any of them going back a decade or more. I've had multiple failures of (supposed) iridium and ruthenium plugs which makes me believe they were counterfeit. I only buy plugs locally now.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
NGK has a website to assist with determining counterfeit or not.
https://www.ngkntk.com/newsroom/blog/emea/fake-or-not/
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This thread has me planning to check my plugs today. Fuel economy is a little off and I'm pretty sure I put G Power plugs in it a few years ago.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
The only seller of spark plugs I use on eBay is Parts Container.
They are a legit automotive parts retailer.
https://www.ebay.com/str/partscontainer?_trkparms=folent
artscontainer|folenttp:1&_trksid=p3542580.m47492.l74602
Every set of plugs I have bought from them over the past 20 years checked out fine.
I recently bought a set of NGK oem Iridiums for my Tundra in March and checked them against the NGK website for fakes, and they passed fine, as I expected
https://www.ngkntk.com/newsroom/blog/emea/fake-or-not/
They are a legit automotive parts retailer.
https://www.ebay.com/str/partscontainer?_trkparms=folent
artscontainer|folenttp:1&_trksid=p3542580.m47492.l74602Every set of plugs I have bought from them over the past 20 years checked out fine.
I recently bought a set of NGK oem Iridiums for my Tundra in March and checked them against the NGK website for fakes, and they passed fine, as I expected
https://www.ngkntk.com/newsroom/blog/emea/fake-or-not/
You might be surprised
Make a penny or five it’s worth it. Even some legit Chinese stuff
UPDATE:
Got ones in person from local reputable Napa and compared to the ones from Amazon, they are completely identical. They even have the same lot# U45N which could be legit if it was a large batch from NGK. Who knows? I’m going to run the Napa ones so at least I’ll have some form of warranty if they go bad too soon.
I thought about going to Oreillys, Autozone, Advance, etc and sampling ones from each just for science but at this point I’m convinced they’re genuine and I’m gonna run with no worries.
Got ones in person from local reputable Napa and compared to the ones from Amazon, they are completely identical. They even have the same lot# U45N which could be legit if it was a large batch from NGK. Who knows? I’m going to run the Napa ones so at least I’ll have some form of warranty if they go bad too soon.
Amazon! Need to protect the customer. if a seller is selling fake parts they should be backcharged and emoved from Amazon. I buy spark plugs from amazon without issue. I have recieved bad Dangerous item that the would not back up when they failed.
