Safety is being compromised by a rising number of fake Ford, Holden and Toyota car parts being brought into Australia.
More than 6,000 items with an estimated value of more than $550,000 were seized over the past two years by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection, according to an industry group representing car importers and distributors.
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries is concerned by the escalation in fake car parts coming into the country, and wants repairers, insurers and motorists to be vigilant.
"The gamut of fakes includes everything from bogus wheels and body panels to safety-critical components like brake pads and airbags," chief executive Tony Weber said.
"The only way to guarantee supply of genuine parts is by sourcing them through the vehicle maker's authorised supply chain and to support those repairers who insist on using the genuine article."
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The FCAI blames the rise of fake car parts on the boom in online shopping, and a steady economic recovery following the global financial crisis in 2008.
A Toyota Australia spokesman said phoney brake pads and spiral cable were two of the most worrying recent discoveries.
"The fake brake pads were being marketed as genuine by a local third party retailer. When tested, they were found to contain asbestos," he said.
Imports of counterfeit and pirated goods make up around 2.5 per cent of global imports, with fake car parts from Asia a growing part of that trade, according to the FCAI, which cited a new report by the OECD and European Union.
