When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
A while back I bought some knock sensors on Ebay when I started getting intermittent P0325 codes. It had to be more than three years ago as they don't have a record of it anymore. I think I paid $40 for a pair listed as genuine Toyota #89615-12040. They came in bags with this label: Genuine fake parts
Inside were knock sensors with the Denso logo embedded in the top of the sensor body near the plastic connector. I mean, they looked ok. They had weight to them. I installed them when I did my starter. Put it all back together. Drove to work the next day. Knock sensor codes appear on that first drive. Both banks. Cleared the codes, but they kept returning. Bit the bullet and dropped just short of $400 on new sensors. They came in a bag that was very similar yet distinctly different from the fakes: The real deal
Inside were sensors with the number 71 and the letter M on the side of the sensor body, just like the originals I took out. Nothing about Denso. So now I'm yanking the intake off again and doing the job over again. I'll update on whether the codes go away for good.
A while back I bought some knock sensors on Ebay when I started getting intermittent P0325 codes. It had to be more than three years ago as they don't have a record of it anymore. I think I paid $40 for a pair listed as genuine Toyota #89615-12040. They came in bags with this label: Genuine fake parts
Inside were knock sensors with the Denso logo embedded in the top of the sensor body near the plastic connector. I mean, they looked ok. They had weight to them. I installed them when I did my starter. Put it all back together. Drove to work the next day. Knock sensor codes appear on that first drive. Both banks. Cleared the codes, but they kept returning. Bit the bullet and dropped just short of $400 on new sensors. They came in a bag that was very similar yet distinctly different from the fakes: The real deal
Inside were sensors with the number 71 and the letter M on the side of the sensor body, just like the originals I took out. Nothing about Denso. So now I'm yanking the intake off again and doing the job over again. I'll update on whether the codes go away for good.
The font style on label appears off...
Post the Ebay seller...
crazy how much fake parts abound today!
there are youtube videos on how to spot the fakes. i understand faking basic things like air and oil filters but knock sensors are on another level! nuts!
Ouch! Fuzzy printed label but that's hard to tell quickly when there isn't a comparison available. Made worse if one has aging eyeballs that don't easily see such fine details.
I've bought parts off eBay when the seller is a real dealership from their parts dept. Similar with Amazon. Took a gamble with Partsoq because they were the one that had the power steering line. They have good feedback but was still nervous as that was a fairly $ purchase from an off shore supplier.
Reminds me long ago hunting parts for the Celica and Cressida. Called dealers in Australia and Japan to see if any were available. The Aussie guys were cool, "sorry mate, we don't have them either." LOL. I did find some in Canada though.
Fakes are out. Real ones are in. Before I started the job I looked for a factory knock sensor harness just in case. They are unavailable. So I went on Ebay and bought this: I thought I could at least use part of the harness if I needed it. The harness was quite cheaply made, but I guess it would conduct electricity. I did not use it as I didn't find any problems with the original. It came with the very same Denso knock sensors that were sold to me previously, that were now throwing knock sensor codes left and right. I paid $20 for the harness and sensors, so that should give you an idea of what these sellers are paying for those worthless knock sensors. Side by side with the factory sensors and the fakes: Fake is on the left. Fake is on the left. Factory knock sensor looks like this. They cost a pretty penny.
Anyway, car hasn't thrown a code since the swap. My advice is to buy your knock sensors from a Toyota dealer. I think these sensors list for $279 each, but you can shop around and save quite a bit. I paid about $180 each. It's a lot, but it's better than doing that job twice.
I wouldn't use those, Billy. I see those being sold on Ebay as "original quality" with the well-faked bags. Frankly, they don't look like something Toyota/Lexus would use in their cars. My advice is to look up what Toyota dealers are charging for knock sensors for your year. If the bargain you got seems to good to be true, it is.
I have noticed that some of the sellers were being really cute with the wording of their titles. Stuff like “Genuine OEM knock Sensors” which sounds legit, but then I noticed that the conveniently don’t say what they OEM for or what genuine brand. Once I caught that, I noticed that they are very careful not to make a system that they can’t defend if eBay gets involved. Very few say “OEM Toyota/Lexus brand, manufactured by Denso” or anything that is demonstrably false.
I have noticed that some of the sellers were being really cute with the wording of their titles. Stuff like “Genuine OEM knock Sensors” which sounds legit, but then I noticed that the conveniently don’t say what they OEM for or what genuine brand. Once I caught that, I noticed that they are very careful not to make a system that they can’t defend if eBay gets involved. Very few say “OEM Toyota/Lexus brand, manufactured by Denso” or anything that is demonstrably false.
They also go as far as creating a brand called OEM or Genuine, so don't get that confused with the definition of genuine and buy cheap knock offs. Or any wording like "style, type" added onto the very bottom in the fine print that they use to mislead you into thinking that you're purchasing OEM parts. The market on eBay is highly unregulated so you have to be very aware of misleading wording, finishes that look off, bags packaged in improper font, etc.
If you really wanted to save money, I would go to the dealer and see if they'll let you take photos of the sensors and bags they come in, kind of a weird request, but at least you'll be better prepared to know what to use as a basis for comparison for the parts online.
06-16-21, 05:13 PM
Fake knock sensors
