TEQ PART HELP (1 Viewer)

[CHCP]

I have currently ordered from two vendors, FJDepot and Toyotapartsdeal a FJ40 Steering coupling, 45230-36010 and when I receive the part in a plastic bag with a Red Toyota part label on it, the steering coupling within has a part number on it which is 45232-37010. This part number does not work in the Toyota parts system. Further more when searching this non-working part number on the internet it shows this part is made by HengSheng Automotive Spare Part Company in Zhejiag Province, China.
I've searched Toyota and it states that no Toyota parts are made in China. I've tried to contact Toyota Company headquarters in Texas and get disconnected because of high call volume. Can anyone help with this and verify if this part is made in China for Toyota or is it a counterfeit part.

 

[cwags12]

DId the packaging from TPD contain the correct part # on the packaging?

This happened to me before with a much cheaper part. Without having more details, most likely someone returned the counterfeit to TPD and it missed inspection upon return. Then you ordered 45230-36010 and received the incorrect part inside of the correct packaging. I would return it to TPD and order from your local dealer.

 

[CHCP]

The first photo is of the Toyota label of part 45230-36010 Steering Coupling from FJ Depot and the second and third photos are the Toyota parts labels from TPD. Both contain the Chinese part 45232-37010. I just called TPD customer service and the representative was clueless. I'd like to find out if Toyota is sub-contracting this Hengsheng Auto parts company to make these rag joints or are these OEM (original equipment manufacturer) all counterfeit.

 

[Bear]

I would feel deceived as well. The label clearly says, "Made in Japan," and that is what you paid for.

Had the package previously been opened when you received it?

Inevitably Toyota will turn to China to make some of its goods, and not all Chinese items are cheap junk--the Apple phones have Chinese components.

If Toyota can keep rigid quality control over the entire processes and materials, in theory, manufacturing there could work.

On the other hand, there are several Southeast Asian sellers now counterfeiting Toyota-style labels with bogus created part numbers in an effort to fool customers with their aftermarket parts.

Thanks for your report, and please let us know how this gets resolved.

 

[CHCP]

The package was intact when received. I'd like to know if Toyota is still making Steering Couplings for FJ40s, the TEQ part number is still active.
TPD states that Genuine Toyota parts bought from them are the same as buying from a Dealership. Are Toyota dealerships swamped with counterfeit parts?

 

[tstepp920]

This is the second instance of this that I have heard about. An individual that I have sourced NOS OEM parts warned me to be careful that counterfeit parts with Toyota labels were out there.

 

[Bear]

If the part number is still active and authorized dealers are sending it out, it should be a genuine Toyota part.

However, as with oil filters, Toyota has switched manufacturing to other countries than Japan. However, those labels should indicate the country of origin, usually typed in black ink, in a space left on the label that uses red ink.

It's hard to believe anyone could infiltrate the Toyota parts organization and substitute parts that are not authorized if you received this part from 2 different authorized sellers. Yes, people do buy original, put their own cheap aftermarket part back in the bag and seal it up and return it for a refund. But again randomly, not on a large enough scale that you found this problem in 2 different places.

For those of us who buy authentic parts to replace on our vehicles, because we trust them to be as strong and well-built as the originals, if we learn that Toyota has cheapened their construction, reliability, and materials and/or has mis-stated their place of manufacture...................then the marketplace will speak by refusing to buy Toyota-branded items at a premium and we will hunt down the very best aftermarket replacements which should be at a much-reduced price.

Knowing that response, Toyota would be foolish to engage in deceptive advertising and thereby lose a tremendous amount of income, not just from the limited Land Cruiser crowd, but once word got out, customers for their other vehicles here and around the world.

There was in the past an outcry when Japanese manufacturers started building some of their vehicles here in the USA, in an effort to bypass restrictive import regulations. People wanted the true Japanese product, made in Japan, and quality was believed to take a nose dive. That hasn't been true, however. Toyota carefully monitored the entire process, as they have done in other countries as well. So...........with that in mind, manufacturing in China or anywhere else is okay with me, as long as the end product is truly the same in all respects.

But Toyota needs to be honest and not misrepresent any aspect of those parts. I would write a letter to your dealer sources adding photos of the labels in question and ask for an explanation. If they sidestep it, go over their heads to a district manager and beyond. Hopefully you have not discovered a new trend and hopefully none of us need to rethink where and what we purchase.

Again, thanks for the heads-up.

 

[OGBeno]

None of this discussion is even remotely close to what the 45232-37010 number means.

You did not receive a counterfeit part if you bought from an authorized Toyota dealership parts department. I do not know anything about FJPARTS so caveat emptor.

45230-36010 is an assemblage of parts. There are a number of other smaller parts that make up the larger coupling part number of -36010.

45232-37010 is actually the internal engineering/supplier part number for the flat face portion of the coupling-- it is a component part number which is not available separately outside of getting it with the larger assembly part number 45230-36010. When that part is manufactured, it has that part number imprinted by the supplier. That part then goes to whomever puts the entire assembly together with the hardware and then gets the part number 45230-36010 for the ENTIRE ASSEMBLY.

Make sense?

 

[Bear]

If I understand the confusion here:


A Chinese manufacturer has copied a component piece of Toyota's steering coupling, and advertises either the component alone, or the entire coupling, on the Internet using an internal Toyota number for that component. When the OP purchaser notices a number stamped on a part of his coupling that is different than the part number on his package, he checks Toyota's public database and cannot find that number. However when the OP further checks the Internet, he finds that number being used by a copycat Chinese aftermarket company, and believes the component in his bag was produced in China. It was not. Toyota uses its own subcontractors when assembling its parts, and in this case those subcontractors are not based in China. Hence the printed "Made in Japan" on the Toyota label is correct if the item was purchased through an authorized Toyota dealer. Otherwise anything purchased over the Internet may be suspect, with counterfeit parts and counterfeit labels possible.

The confusion could be eliminated if Toyota was able to stop the Chinese and all other non-authorized copycats from using Toyota part numbers--internal numbers or otherwise. Apparently international law has no teeth and/or the cost to prosecute counterfeit parts is too great.

Thank-you Onur for explaining that the different numbering seen stamped or molded on component pieces of an assembly made-up of pieces, is for internal company use, and referencing that number is likely not accessible to the general public.

So for now, factory parts purchased through an authorized Toyota dealer remain legitimate and honestly advertised and numbered correctly.

Whew, what a relief !

 

[thebigredrocker]

Back to back Grand Champion posts Onur and Bear. I was cornfused what the question even was.

 

[Bear]

Me too. I read it several times initially, got angry to see someone being "cheated". Couldn't fathom how a bogus piece got thrown into a factory bag. Not having worked at a Toyota dealer, didn't realize their manufacturing systems weren't easily understood. went back and reread it again with more knowledge. So it's nice to have someone who knows that stuff speak up.

But I do see how it would be upsetting to buy something, see a different part number inside, and wonder if a mistake was made somewhere. Then to find a completely different company sells "the same" part for less and feel "cheated." I guess even super-mega conglomerate companies have "room for improvement" in being clear with their customer base. A great company, but even they blew it early-on trying to push those Toyota Toyopet cars on an unwelcoming America. Looks like they figured it out, though.

 

[middlecalf]

Does the part fit and work?

 

[OGBeno]

I ordered one just to touch it and inspect it.

 

[CHCP]

Thanks Onur for your explanation and I find it very plausible. I'll keep the part for a spare since I had to install another Joint Fuji rag joint until this
question was answered about possible Chinese parts infiltrating the Genuine Toyota parts system. The only misgiving I have is why a part of a genuine Toyota assembly would have a bogus TEQ formatted part number. The flexible rubber is thinner than the Joint Fuji. You can see in my post on "Wall of Shame" the Joint Fuji rag joint that failed me with less than 3 years of use and under 25,000 miles.

 

[OGBeno]

It’s NOT a Chinese part. Did you not understand my explanation?

Just because you found a random Chinese site on the internet making these rubber bits has no correlation at all with the OEM part you received.

None. Zero. Not even in the same ball game.

You are making correlations that are not there.

 

[CHCP]

OK

 

[DesertFJ40]

I know I've ordered an fj40 hub-cap removal tool and the Toyota bag it came in said it was made in China. I've also ordered a few spare lightbulbs for the Fj40 inspection light and side marker lights, those themselves had "made in China" stamped on the metal housings. Yeh I wasn't happy, but they were ordered through genuine Toyota dealers. Not big crucial items but still sucks