"The timing for this new initiative is ideal," said Darrell Davis, senior vice president — Global Service and Parts, DaimlerChrysler. "While the safety of our customers is Mopar's foremost concern, there's no question that parts counterfeiting is putting a strain on our country's already struggling economy. With the assistance of Ford and General Motors — along with U.S. and international law enforcement agencies — we intend to do our part to help.
"To cite just one example of this problem, automotive brake pads — a component that directly affects customer safety — are very popular with counterfeiters," added Davis. "Counterfeit brake pads may look like the real thing, but they simply don't meet strict DaimlerChrysler Engineering standards for wear, noise and overall performance. On the other hand, Mopar brake pads are designed in accordance with DaimlerChrysler Engineering specifications as well as the required Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and are application-specific to each vehicle line for optimal quality, reliability and durability."
Over the last few months, GM has raided 14 counterfeit retailers and four printing operations in the Middle East. As recently as Sept. 5, 2001, an automobile glass factory in China's Guangdong Province was raided and several automakers' branded glass windshields, including GM's, were confiscated. Most of the glass was being exported throughout the world and contained no shatterproof safety elements to protect passengers involved in accidents.