Fake AC Delco Oxygen Sensors?

[KHE]

I am receiving the PCM P0139 and PCM1139 codes which are the pre-cat O2 sensor slow response/insufficient switching codes. There was also a PCM0140 code - which is no activity on the pre-cat O2 sensor.

I have replaced this sensor twice in the last 4 years/approximately 45000 miles and it looks like the sensor is bad again. I am wondering if the AC Delco sensors rockauto.com is selling are counterfeit. Below are some pictures of the box and the part ID on one of the sensors I removed. It seems to me the box should read "Made in USA" not "Made in US"

[KHE]

Picture #2

[KHE]

Picture #3

[Cadillac Jim]

"Made in US" apparently is non-compliant with FTC regulations for automotive product markings for country of origin. For the United States, the FDA requirement is "Made in USA." It may be compliant to not have anything on a made in USA automotive product but "Made in US" is clearly noncompliant, unless there is a country called US, or it is made in Us, Val d'Oise, France. See the Wikipedia article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Made_in_USA

There is a link to the FTC web site at the end of the article. I found searching on "Made in USA" on that site leads to lots of interesting posts.

[Logan]

"Made in US" is not a blunder AC Delco would make. Highly suspect fake part...

In another post. I bought O2 sensors from RockAuto....advertised as Delphi....picture on web site showed Delphi....reciept showed Delphi....baggie even had a bogus 'Delphi' sticker..

In reality they were repackaged Bosch sensors. I no longer use Rock Auto.

I would suggest contacting AC Delco directly about the problem.

And no....Bosch does not make AC Delco or Delphi sensors.

http://caddyinfo.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=44417&hl=

And some info here....phone #s to contact ACDelco about fake parts....page 3.

http://www.acdelcotechconnect.com/pdf/imtn_V121205.pdf

[KHE]

I'll contact AC Delco on this but it has been a year and a half so I know I do not have my receipt anymore.

[BodybyFisher]

This may sound silly, but I wonder if Rockauto is aware of this? Its not likely you would get a straight answer from them, but the problem is they imply you are buying ac delco, delphi, etc and its not.

[Logan]

Rock Auto has a fantastic web site for looking up parts and part #s.

But it defeats the purpose if you order Delphi parts....and Bosch or fakes show up.

My order was based on Delphi part #...Delphi O2 sensor picture in item description....Delphi...Delphi...Delphi etc.

I did make Delphi aware...and they seemed very interested in the bait-n-switch. I did file with the BBB in Wisconsin where Rock Auto is based. What became of it...I don't know. This was 8-10 months ago...I still have the sensors if anyone wants to buy some Rock Auto 'Delphi' O2 sensors.

Picture shows a Bosch O2 sensor in 'Delphi' labeled baggie as delivered from Rock Auto.

[KHE]

I checked my Rock Auto order history and only the earlier sensor replaced in 2011 showed up. The sensor I replaced in 2014 was not in the order history. I don't know where I would have purchased the latest sensor that failed a year and a half ago. The only possibility is the local AC Delco distributor where I buy batteries, etc. and I wouldn't think they'd be selling fakes. I know my maintenance log is correct - the sensor was replaced for the second time in May, 2014 but there is no Rock Auto order record that is a few days earlier.

I am going to stop off at the AC Delco distributor in a few days and look at what I hope would be the real deal. I'll take a good look at the box.

[winterset]

KHE,

Along with the parts possibly being of lower quality, could there be something additional causing the parts to fail? Leaky fuel injectors or an additative you are using in the fuel? What is the failure in the sensor? The heater or the sensing circuit? Have you checked the car wireing?

[KHE]

KHE,

Along with the parts possibly being of lower quality, could there be something additional causing the parts to fail? Leaky fuel injectors or an additative you are using in the fuel? What is the failure in the sensor? The heater or the sensing circuit? Have you checked the car wireing?

The wiring is intact - the issue is insufficient switching of the sensor from +.5 V to -.5V - that is a bad sensor.

I have never used any additives in the fuel and there are no other codes such as a lean or rich code. If a Bosch sensor won't function correctly in these cars, a fake, Chinese POS sensor is sure to have issues.

[Logan]

To clarify....the Bosch would likely work ok in most GM vehicles.

That said....the Saturn VUE L81 V6 (...have 2 of them...) has a unique strategy for catalyst efficiency detection by the computer. Bosch O2 sensors will trigger a false SES lamp for low cat efficiency every time.

A lot easier and cheaper to put the correct Delphi O2 sensor in vs. a new catalytic converter. Hence my need to actually put Delphi sensors in.

[airmike]

I posted this in april: I wonder how a parts distributor is supposed to realize they have bad parts. You know they don't open every package and check. I wonder how a dealership will keep from getting fakes.

Posted 14 April 2015 - 10:12 PM

Thought I would share this, though it may not make a difference to anyone, but you never know.

I was in need of an downstream o2 sensor for my 99 seville. After checking rock auto, ebay and amazon..the lowest price ac delco was at amazon. It showed up in the AFS 98 box in 2 days but the connector didn't match. So after much double/triple checking I decided that I really had ordered the correct part# and called amazon. They were very nice and over-nighted me a replacment. Same part# hopefully the correct part in the box. Nope, exact same part in exact same correct # box (all ac delco). At that point I am really doubting myself so I went to the local caddy dealer and had them get me one. It showed up the next day with the same part# in the same box, but guess what, its got the correct part in it! Called amazon again and once again very cordial. They sent me free postage and happily refund my money. I spent a couple hours trying to find a sensor that matched the ones in the amazon boxes and never got quite exact, but they sure looked like the ones for toyota. Amazon called back an hour or so later and seemed very interested in trying to find what the sensors in their boxes actually fit. I seriously doubt they were even ac delco parts. They didn't come packaged the same (though they may just be for a different model). If the connector fit I would have put it on the car and never known any different. I suppose all the online dealers have to deal with counterfeiters. I sure hated to spend $90 for one that was supposed to be about $35 online. These are the ordered ones.

th_IMG_20150414_221917_0881_zpsufokurt8.

th_IMG_20150414_221945_8681_zpsneo43nff.

th_IMG_20150414_222053_8931_zps6a8jvjgr.

and the original

th_IMG_20150414_230101_8081_zpsc3dxxppi.

th_IMG_20150414_230437_1561_zpsed3aioml.

[Logan]

I don't think the pictures made the post. Here is the original Airmike post:

http://caddyinfo.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=44468

And....I notice on the first picture....'Made in US'

[KHE]

I don't think the pictures made the post. Here is the original Airmike post:

http://caddyinfo.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=44468

And....I notice on the first picture....'Made in US'

Yeah - same as the one I bought... (twice...) Chinese fakes... I hope they get their asses in a sling from the WTC but that won't happen...

[Cadillac Jim]

I would notify Rock Auto. They buy from wholesalers and distributors, and counterfeit parts can enter the parts stream anywhere so even the wholesaler may not know about the counterfeits.

AC/Delco does not manufacture all the parts. A lot of them are bought as build-to-drawing-and-spec and lot tested, then branded AC/Delco and sold through their distribution chain. Bosch is one manufacturer, and some parts are made only by Bosch, such as the EBTCM/brake manifold for some model years, a number of DFI parts including the notorious analog FPR. Some AC/Delco HO2 sensors may be made by Bosch for GM.

GM has a web page on how to find counterfeit parts.

http://www.acdelco.com/counterfeit-auto-parts.html