Replica Wheel Safety Hazards
Working in the automotive industry for over a decade, I have seen my fair share of counterfeit parts for sale, both online and in-stores. There is an abundance of counterfeiters out there, who are getting better at the look and feel of a product. However its safety, performance, and build quality are still sub-par and dangerous to use, which Mercedes-Benz and GM reveal in the video below.
Mercedes-Benz collaborated with General Motors’ Holden division in Australia to demonstrate the safety hazards of using a non-genuine, non-OEM wheel with a low-speed impact test over a large, abrupt pothole. The componentry used was a Mercedes-Benz counterfeit replica wheel, purchased from an Australian online retailer, compared with a Mercedes-Benz factory OEM wheel of the same type, both attached to a Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class Shooting Brake.
As you can see with both eyes wide open, the non-OEM replica wheel, when driven over a pothole around 30 mph, shows a metal chip the size of a big kitchen knife flying off and taking a chunk out of the wheel’s edge. This doesn’t just affect the wheel, but also surrounding cars, pedestrians, and cyclists with a deadly projectile. On the brighter side of this test, when the genuine OEM factory wheel was driven over that same pothole, it didn’t matter where the impact occurred — whether it was between the spokes or directly to a spoke, the wheel held up. Let’s not get overconfident about OEM, though, because every piece of metal has a breaking point.
When shopping to replace a damaged alloy wheel, or any part for that matter, I find people are in a hurry to save money looking for the quick fix. The safest option is to buy a new OEM wheel from the dealer, or the most affordable option is to buy a used OEM wheel in excellent shape from a local wrecking yard, online from Craigslist, or another reputable independent source.