Is it okay to use aftermarket sensors instead of OEM on Hondas?
- Thread starter dan7055
- Start date
I just had to put a aftermarket (RockAuto) LR Speed sensor in my 2017 CRV because a National Backorder from Honda. It’s been 5 days and all ok 
. On a 2009 I would go aftermarket if you save money. But let me tell you I could have got the sensor for 55$ from an online Honda Dealer and I would pickup but again back order rockauto was 56 plus shipping and AutoZone was 115$. So check the Honda online sites
. On a 2009 I would go aftermarket if you save money. But let me tell you I could have got the sensor for 55$ from an online Honda Dealer and I would pickup but again back order rockauto was 56 plus shipping and AutoZone was 115$. So check the Honda online sitesanswer is it depends.
last ABS sensor I purchased was a Standard brand for my Ram.. bought it at O Reilly's.
after replacement it caused all sorts of intermittent speed faults which I thought were something else, because it would default and lose although I could watch signal on scanner and signal never disappeared. Drove me all around the diagnostic tree over the course of several months.. because sometimes it would work fine for weeks at a time.
Iplayed with this situation for months,,, trying to repair it and finally I finally said to myself,
maybe it is the aftermarket sensor..
I actually paid less for the sensor from Mopar... and another issue was it was back ordered, this was during covid,... but that new Mopar ABS sensor fixed problem immediately
.. so depending on how critical the sensor is and how easy it is to replace as well as cost difference would be how I made a determination but I learned my lesson.
last ABS sensor I purchased was a Standard brand for my Ram.. bought it at O Reilly's.
after replacement it caused all sorts of intermittent speed faults which I thought were something else, because it would default and lose although I could watch signal on scanner and signal never disappeared. Drove me all around the diagnostic tree over the course of several months.. because sometimes it would work fine for weeks at a time.
Iplayed with this situation for months,,, trying to repair it and finally I finally said to myself,
maybe it is the aftermarket sensor..
I actually paid less for the sensor from Mopar... and another issue was it was back ordered, this was during covid,... but that new Mopar ABS sensor fixed problem immediately
.. so depending on how critical the sensor is and how easy it is to replace as well as cost difference would be how I made a determination but I learned my lesson.
This +1
Maybe if you could fine a Denso, that might work as they are the OEM for a few different Honda sensors. I've had bad luck with non-OEM sensors on vehicles. Usually it means replacing them a few months or a year later.
NEVER. seriously just dont do it unless you cant get them from Honda, And then just as temporary as they will be temporary anyway.
If it's not something you want to do again use an OEM sensor. I see so many new aftermarket parts junk right out of the box it would make your head spin. Some of them just plain send the wrong data to the ECM and cause at best DTCs (had a fuel tank pressure sensor falsely indicating an evap leak) or worse make the vehicle undrivable (had a MAF sensor for a Volvo cause the engine to run so rich it was undrivable and wouldn't idle). I've also had wheel speed sensors from AutoZone (for a Ford escape to be exact) send nothing but random noise to the abs module.
If I wasn't going to use an OEM sensor I would not:
1)Buy it from Amazon.
2)Buy it from Ebay (unless it's clearly a NOS (new old stock) part).
I would:
1)Buy a reputable brand like SMP or Wells
2)From a reputable source like Rockauto or NAPA
1)Buy it from Amazon.
2)Buy it from Ebay (unless it's clearly a NOS (new old stock) part).
I would:
1)Buy a reputable brand like SMP or Wells
2)From a reputable source like Rockauto or NAPA
Isn't Wells the same as Dorman?
No. Different company.
How hard to replace, if easy use aftermarket and likely won’t fail. If hard to replace then I’d consider using OEM parts given they last a long time.
I dont sell or install aftermarket electrical/engine management parts unless there is no other alternative. I got real tired of replacing parts under warranty every 6 months until I paid for OE out of my pocket to keep a customer happy.
Wells was bought out by NTK (same company as NGK spark plugs) in case you were wanting to know..
here's a link
https://www.autoserviceprofessional...ees-to-buy-wells-vehicle-electronics-business
thank you. Relief to know its not Dorman. I think in the past they were part of the same company that owned both Dorman and Wells
For those two particular sensors you should be fine with aftermarket, just not aftermarket junk. I've also use Rostra stuff in transmissions before. If it's an easy to change wheel speed sensor, you should be fine as well, but go with something good like Standard, etc.
I try not to use aftermarket sensors on anything unless that is all that is available.
