Parts store listing mistakes?

Has anyone ever gotten the wrong part at the autoparts store (or online) and it turns out there is a mistake in the master list of parts that everyone has? I have seen a few.

Alfa Milano front hub seals (totally the wrong size) Alfa Milano alternator belt (the next size too long) Mk4 VW brake rebuild kits (there are 2 different size pistons available, and some places sell the smaller one under both part numbers, very dangerous if you dont realize it and assemble the caliper that way)

Does anyone else have any?

Raybestos front calipers for an '01 Subaru Impreza RS part numbers are switched from left to right. Not having the funds to do both calipers at once I did the right first since it stuck first, and had to ship it back to Rock Auto a couple times. Then when I did the left I have a discount at a local supplier and had to return the right because I didn't look closely enough.

Don't know if they have fixed it but a year ago I had a problem at Autozone. Their computer system listed one alternator for all Ford Focus with 2.0L DOHC engines.

The Zetec and Duratec engines used greatly different alternators. Different sizes and vastly different mounting systems!

Driver's side front axle for a RT4WD Civic wagon. The passenger side is correct, right number of splines and such, but everything they gave me for the driver's side was a full length axle. RT4WD models have an intermediate shaft they did not seem to be aware of, or able to get me the correct part. (Fortunately it was only the passenger side that absolutely needed replacement in my car...)

Coming from that industry all I can say is blame it on the lowest bidder the manufacturer (part suppplier not car builder) used to print the catalog.

The Impreza issue probably stems from the fact the calipers are used on another vehicle but on the opposite sides and on the opposite side of the wheel hub. S10s are notorious for this as well.

Travis_K wrote: Does anyone else have any?

Seals are pretty bad for most vehicles. It gets better if you can look them up in a catalog by application, almost perfect if you cross the number on the old seal.

U-joints, for almost anything, are hit or miss. Catalogs help, but the biggest help is just having the old one there and grabbing all the possibilities for that application and a mic...It seems most applications with u-joints had different transmissions, different rears and abs/no abs etc. Somewhere the translation of what u-joint to what option got lost.

I've been slinging parts part time for a while now part time for extra income and the computers have come a long way, they have also left allot behind (namely unique parts).

I've spent almost 22 years in the industry, some of those as a product manager, where I managed part applications and catalog designers (both paper and e-cat). While the "system" is accurate probably 99.99% of the time, there are mistakes. Some are the fault of the manufacturer, some are the fault of the aftermarket company (who rarely manufactures anything), and some are the fault of the catalog management system (CMS) supplier, such as Wrenchead and Activant. Every CMS vendor thinks they have the most accurate application tables, but they're all as messed up as the other.

i think all of the e-catalogs use the same database, i used to know a guy in austin that worked for a company that maintained and updated the auto parts database. he hated it, but it paid OK and he could do 8 hours of work in 4 and goof off the rest of the time.

i've also found that the ford triton truck mod motors and the v6 pushrod motors EGR valves are swapped. they have the same mounting and bolt pattern, but one has a right 90 bend and the other has a left.

There are two major databases (tables, they're called). Activant and Wrenchead. NAPA has their own, and I think CQ has their own. Some companies take WH data and transpose it for Activant and the others, which also causes holes and mistakes in the data.

Travis, have you already forgotten your sr-20 days? NX calipers, brake pads and rotors are always different than the ones listed... since day one.

Mark

If you go to autozone looking for a water pump for a 2001 GS-R it will fit, and then slowly try to grind away the block and make fun noises. That was fun to tear back down again after a 5 minute test drive.

The water pump for a mid-90s del sol with a B16 worked like a charm though.

Audi oil drain plug gasket.

Hmm, I had a Sentra, but it didn't have an sr20 in it. I don't remember having a hard time finding brake parts (I did have nx2k brakes on it).

I buy thousands of dollars of parts a month for customer cars. I rarely get incorrect parts, unless I'm ordering late-model toyota transmission output seals. These are always wrong unless you buy from the dealer. NAPA, Advance, O'Reilly, all wrong. When I get a clutch job for a Toyota the first thing I do is call the dealer and order these things. It really annoys the E36 M3 out of me that it never gets fixed.

I've never had that for big stuff, but had a lot for small things. Late Mk2 VW Golf instrument panel lights (the book had the big ones from the 85-up, my 92 had the little plastic ones with the bayonet mounts like the Audis of the period) is the only one I can recall at the moment, since I've never had a "car-stopper" because of it.

2001-05 Miata brake parts. The Big Databases kinda miss out on the larger brakes that were first optional, then standard starting in 2003. But if you call FM, we'll get you the right parts.

Sheesh... just try getting 98-05 Ford ignition parts from anywhere but the dealer. I ordered two coils for my 98 F150 and I got two spark plug wires. I thought they were pretty cheap

Canadian parts suppliers use American catalogs, and some Canadian cars are different. My 1995 B13 Sentra didn't exist in their books - even at the Nissan dealership (Canada got the B13 coupe up to '96). I started saying it was a '94 just to avoid this.

I know the books call out the wrong oil filter for the 2010 Mazdaspeed 3. It calls out the regular 4 cylinder oil filter, when it needs the V6 filter from the Mazda 6.

The oil filter has an extra 1/2-3/4 qt capacity.

Dumbest one I know of is the essential actuator pin for the N series Ford tractors. Last two digits were transposed. The part is listed as unavailable, though if you know the trick, it's actually sitting there on the shelf.

This problem has been documented going back to the 1950's. It is still uncorrected.

I ordered a knock sensors for one of my Subaru's from Rock auto. A couple of days later, I got a turn signal/headlight stalk assembly for a Chevy. The manufacturer part numbers were the same with the hyphen in a different spot.

RockAuto sent me Wix filters for god-knows-what that won't fit my Kawasaki KLR. They are a digit or two off from the right ones.

My '65 F100 with a 352 V8 doesn't exist according to AutoZone. But there computer lists one with a 289, which is a complete fantasy.

REAL fun trying to figure out which rotors you need from RockAuto if you have a 93-ish EGT.

Also: 91-93 Escort LX hubs are different than EGT hubs. Ask me how i know.

RockAuto reminds me, I couldn't get the appropriate trunk lock for my 91 Sentra SE-R from them. The one they have listed is a completely different design. In fairness, I have gotten a number of correct parts from them in the past, and their customer service was great to work with on this lock issue, even though I ended up just taking a refund - and still don't have a working trunk lock.

Ordered an throttle postion sensor for my SVT Contour from RockAuto. They list the same one for the regular V6 Contours and the SVT model. Well the SVT uses a different throttle body and the rotation of the sensor is the opposite. In fact the only online parts supplier I found that listed the correct sensor was Ford.

I ended up going to a pick-n-pull and taking one off of a 4.6L V8 Ford. It seems they use the same sensor. 3 years later and it's still working OK.