Facing issues sourcing good quality OEM air filter for my Maruti Ritz

Checked for filters manufactured in different months, but every batch seems to have similar issue of plastic moulding has seeped over sizeable sections of paper element

BHPian vaasu recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Has anyone noticed recent dip in quality of MGP air filters?

I have been trying to source OEM air filter for Ritz Petrol for quite some time now. Checked for filters manufactured in different months, but every batch seems to have similar issue - plastic moulding has seeped over sizeable sections of paper element, leaving reduced air filtration area. Wondering how these could pass MGP quality checks!

Below is the filter manufactured in Dec 2022.:

Below is the filter manufactured in Oct 2022:

Have tried multiple sources - Boodmo, local Maruti workshops, but all have the same issue.

Also, it does not definitely appear to be one off bad batches having this issue.

Here's what BHPian audioholic had to say on the matter:

I have always heard of Japanese companies being brutal with suppliers when it comes to part quality. This includes even the two wheeler manufacturer Honda Motorcycles. And thats what keeps them so consistent in quality in reliability. But this is a nasty surprise. Maruti Suzuki might be losing its Japanese influence and increasingly becoming an Indian company like Tata or Mahindra. Who is the supplier any markings on the filter?

And if I see it right, these moulding extrusions are on the clean side of the air filter which is towards the intake. If thats really the case its horrible since if these bits come loose it can get sucked into the intake manifold and even get lodged in the throttle body which is a hazard. Better switch to a Non OE brand if multiple parts have the same issue.

Here's what BHPian bobbyblr had to say on the matter:

This engine air filter looks similar to my Alto's.

I had purchased VALEO air filter part number 585997 in 2019 and found that the rubber gasket thickness was less it was vibrating inside the air filter box. So I removed the rubber gasket from the old Maruti Suzuki air filter and used it on the Valeo part.

Later in 2021, I bought the Maruti Suzuki air filter part number 13780M79F00 and found no issues.

May be slightly off-topic, I had purchased H4 halogen bulb from boodmo of Maruti Suzuki part number 09471M12090.

Following were the quality issues I had observed in one of the bulb:

• Text in printing was big & blur
• Gap was less from the base to the glass
• Anti-glare was covering the required light output

I prepared a presentation & had sent the same to Maruti Suzuki by email but I did not get any response from them.

Later I got H4 halogen bulbs of Osram make.

One of my mechanics had told me that the last 2 digits of the part numbers in Maruti Suzuki represent the actual manufacturer of the part.

Here's what BHPian vigsom had to say on the matter:

Although not as bad as reported by you, I've noticed poor quality in a then expensive MGP air filter that I got for a 2010 sx4. This was sometime in 2015. It cost some 400 bucks which was about double of what an aftermarket Purolator air filter cost. I compared both, and there seemed to be no difference in the fit n finish, but decided to go with MGP as it was a genuine part. The issue that I noticed with the MGP filter was that white strands could be seen on the inlet side. Just 10,000kms later, we found that the filter had got clogged rather badly even under clean driving conditions, and then changed it with a Purolator.

Here's what BHPian PratikPatel had to say on the matter:

I would not be surprised to find out that to save on cost Maruti has opted to source these filters from a 2nd tier or even a 3rd tier component manufacturer. While not impossible, it is very unlikely that a reputed 1st tier OEM supplier would supply such poor quality components. The problem is one of incorrect parameters and settings of the injection moulding machine and/or very poor or worn out moulding dies. These types of problems are something very unlikely to persist over multiple batches with a 1st tier OEM supplier.

Here's what BHPian CzechItaliaMoto had to say on the matter:

It seems like this goes down to the factory level. Maruti in general isn't known for the best build quality, but usually their engines and their parts are fairly reliable and last a long time. My guess is that there has been a defect in making the plastic during polymerization, and due to no proper QC in place for these smaller parts, they have been overlooked. I also think that the plastic may have melted(indicator of inconsistent build)due to various physical conditions.

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