Tens of thousands of counterfeit wheels made in China are on Australian roads, experts warn
TESTING has found counterfeit car wheels can buckle after hitting a pothole at just 50km/h — and car owners may not even realise they are driving on fakes.
EXCLUSIVE
SAFETY experts are concerned there are “tens of thousands” of counterfeit car wheels on Australian roads that can buckle or break if they hit a small pothole at suburban speeds.
But there is no way of tracking them down because most were imported from China by independent distributors, some of whom pose as private sellers on online auction websites.
More than 500,000 wheels are imported from China each year, but none are tested to see if they meet Australian Design Rules, and the regulations are not enforced.
A test of just some of the suspect wheels — conducted inside Holden’s top secret proving ground last month — found a range of alloy wheels on a variety of popular cars cracked after hitting a pothole at just 50kmh.
Not all counterfeit wheels buckle or have a chunk taken out of them.
Some develop subtle cracks near the centre of the wheel that initially can’t be seen by the naked eye.
An investigation by News Corp Australia found a counterfeit wheel made for the Holden Commodore had a long hairline fracture near the hub.
While the face of the counterfeit wheel looked identical to the original, the crack was caused because the underside of the hub lacked the proper support.
Experts say most cheap or counterfeit wheels from China are made from a blend of scrap alloy and raw material — but alloy wheels should be made solely from raw material to guarantee their strength.
The black market in counterfeit wheels has spiked in recent years because genuine parts are so expensive and most of the fakes can be bought for just $250 each, or $1000 for a set of four.
A genuine replacement alloy wheel on a new Mercedes can cost up to $2500 each — or $10,000 for four.
The wheels on certain VW Golf models can cost up to $1900 each — or $7600 for four.
Budget-priced cars are also vulnerable to having their genuine wheels replaced with fakes.
The alloy wheel on a top-of-the-range Toyota Yaris hatchback is $1000 each — or $4000 for four — but look-a-likes cost just $1000 for a set.
The Toyota Yaris alloy wheel is so expensive because it is imported from Japan.
A genuine replacement alloy wheel on the locally-made Toyota Camry costs about $300 because it is made at ROH Wheels in Adelaide, Australia’s oldest and only surviving wheel manufacturer.
Not all Chinese-made wheels are of substandard quality. Holden and Ford now fit Chinese-made wheels to cars on their Australian production lines, but the wheels are tested to strict internal standards that exceed government requirements.
However, the majority of Chinese wheel manufacturers supplying the spare parts market have no quality control standards and the Australian government does not test them.
“Some of the Chinese wheel suppliers might put a ‘QC’ (quality control) sticker on it, but that doesn’t mean it’s been tested. It just means they’ve put a sticker on it,” says Ian Raymond, an expert wheel repairer.
“We’ve seen an increase in the number of damaged wheels coming to us for repair,” says Mr Raymond. “The number of counterfeit wheels on Australian roads would definitely be in the tens of thousands.”
Tracking down counterfeit and unsafe wheels is next to impossible because no detailed records are kept for where they are sold.
“The problem is you can buy a certain type of wheel once, and then you’ll never be able to buy it again,” says Mr Raymond.
“These guys bring them in containers, sell them, and then get another batch. I always tell people if they are going to buy cheap wheels, buy five in case you need a replacement.”
Experts say it is almost impossible for motorists to spot the difference between a genuine wheel and a counterfeit.
Some, however, are easy to spot if you look closely.
The branding on certain counterfeit wheels for Mercedes’ performance brand AMG models may be changed to “AMB”, “AMC” or “AME” so the embossed logo on the rim looks similar.
Some counterfeiters simply copy the Mercedes “AMG” logo or the “M” badge for high-performance BMWs.
Counterfeit examples of respected aftermarket wheel supplier BBS have been changed to “BB5”.
On a counterfeit handbag, the strap might break or the zip might not work.
But a counterfeit wheel is “a major safety concern” says Tim Moggridge, a car safety expert with the National Roads and Motorists’ Association.
“Over the years we have noted that cheaper wheels don’t always stand up to Australian conditions,” says Moggridge.
“You get what you pay for, and wheels that do not meet Australian Design Rules are as much a safety concern as substandard tyres.”
Moggridge says young drivers are at most risk of buying counterfeit or unsafe wheels because they want to enhance the appearance of their cars but don’t necessarily have the funds to buy the genuine article.
“Especially vulnerable are those who replace original wheels with larger rims inside very low profile tyres for aesthetic reasons,” says Mr Moggridge.
“With almost no cushioning, the wheel has a far greater likelihood of bending or even breaking. Wheels that don’t meet Australian standards should not be available for sale.”
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and Mercedes-Benz declined to comment on counterfeit wheels until their joint announcement in Melbourne at midday on Monday.
This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling
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