Buyer Beware: KTJO 4X4 Driver's Side Grab Handles w/ A Pillars, HUD, and Bowl Lights

I have a friend with a 2006 Silverado 2500 and know some folks with Tahoes. I haven't noticed it too much.

But, I did have to remove the visor stickers in the Taco. They were always in my view and distracting.

 

4Runner guy here, so I hope you Tacoma guys don't mind if I chime in for a brief second. I am a recent transplant from the other 4Runner site (T4R.org) onto 4Runners.com. Really like the new site so far and the community! Much better all around.

@tonered, Looks like I am a bit behind the conversation, but I just gave the last 20 or so pages a quick read.

Honestly I'm not surprised in what I read, but am sorry to see that people over here are having these issues.

Almost two years ago I warned and tried to inform members on the t4r.org 4Runner site about this individual, and called out the lack of testing, quality control, and markups on "OEM" alibaba.com rebranded products sold by KTJO4x4.

Long story short, some but not all of us 4Runner folk know about KTJO4x4 and the business ethics behind the operation. Nothing has changed, nor will change.

You can search my username over there if you want to read the full story (if the threads haven't been deleted as well).

@Daria, may I please request that there be a warning placed on the KTJO4x4 threads that exist over on 4Runners.com similar to what is here? That way people may make an informed decision about whether to do business with this individual.

Selling, and advertising parts as OEM or coming from OEM manufacturers is OK so long as they are legitimately from the source and you have the provenance and paperwork to prove it.

Toyota's OEM interior plastics manufacturers are Toyoda Gosei, and INOAC not "generic factory from China". If it came from either of those two, it would have their logo on it somewhere if they made it.

https://www.toyoda-gosei.com

https://inoacusa.com

Advertising and selling products as OEM, even putting similar stickers and part numbers on them to look like OEM when they are not is fraudulent. Whether or not it is critical part like a brake caliper, or just an electronic switch, counterfeit parts are taken seriously by every automotive manufacturer.


@tonered, @Daria, This link is for everyone, and worth a read.

Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council

https://a2c2.com

If you feel inclined, drop Toyota a note, "For the Community"

brand_protection@toyota.com

 

Welcome to the fun!

Great post.

The mods here are on the lookout for other KTJO 4x4 threads.

That last link is very interesting. I may drop a message there.

 

Sent. Didn't bother with any of the shipping, customer "service", pre-order, or other shenanigans regarding how KTJO4x4 runs her business, as that didn't seem relevant to the argument of advertising OEM parts that are not in fact OEM.

"I've recently seen a vendor selling parts for Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runner vehicles that are marketed as OEM, but are anything but Toyota OEM parts. The part I was looking at is https://www.ktjo4x4.com/tacoma-oem-grab-handles-2016 but many other parts from this vendor are marketed as OEM as well.

Based on reviews found on multiple enthusiast websites, the parts are not OEM quality in either fit or finish."

 

Wonder how quickly she's going to modify the language on her site. We know she watches this thread closely.

 

Hahahahaha! The real pickle is all the printed boxes, cards, and other BS.

 

@tonered, you are right. It doesn’t really matter if the language on the website changes. Especially with how easy it is to view web archives. There are threads on multiple sites that can’t be edited, pictures of parts with “OEM” this and “Toyota of China” that in the description, and pictures from others with an OEM style sticker and part number on it for the product they received.

The bread crumb trail is as wide as a tanker oil spill at this point. No amount of clean up will help.

 

Very true. Also, the threads here clearly go down that trail also with plenty of pics.

 

WOW!!

Feel like I'm in the twilight zone with this company. The bowl lights FINALLY get delivered (2+ weeks after she told me they shipped, which was 3 months after my purchase and 2 months after I started sending emails and 1 week after the Facebook message that prompted her to eventually reply). I was actually cool too, told her I understand how it can be with COVID/USPS while being overwhelmed with a side business and that I didn't agree with publicly shaming her (poor) business practices on Facebook. Still, I get one Facebook message reply that has zero apologies and only one long sentence that explained ship time (which was irrelevant as I did not order an out-of-stock item/color) and says she looked up my order # and that my order (coincidentally) shipped that day. This seems like par for the course so I'll fast forward to nearly 3 weeks later when I receive the door bowl lights after numerous additional ignored messages and emails...

I get both front seat lights installed. Actually worked out well as I was installing some sound deadening material in all 4 doors anyway. I test out the lights after install and everything looks good. Like others have said in here, it's actually a great product. Very cool and subtle, matches the lighting on all the other buttons (power windows and what not) at night.

I go to install the lights in the backseat doors and when I open the package I realize they are not the same as the front, wires are hanging off the plastic where it did not on the others. The lighting panel had one wire completely detached. AND the wire that was attached is connected to the wrong connection (talking +/-). I go check my last remaining door light and the wires are in tact but one is extremely loose, which makes me think the 2 installed in the front seat doors are as well.

I'm sure I can figure out the broken one, just gonna cut the wire and re-solder to the correct connection (+/-) if I can, then take the front doors off again and uninstall, then re-solder those. There is NO way I'd get any kind of reply if I asked for assistance or pointed out the errors. If I can't even get an apology for the sh*t service, sh*t communication, and sh*t turnaround time BEFORE receiving a broken product I think it's safe to say she's not gonna care about this. I just feel bad for folks that can't fix the issue themselves. I've seen a lot but I'm pretty sure this company takes the cake.

TL/DR: same ridiculous shipping / communication story as everyone else on here BUT unique as I had loose or detached wires and one set going to the wrong connector (+/-) on the light panel. Buyer beware indeed. I like the product but wish I'd seen this thread before purchasing.

 

I understand your initial feelings. I was there where the handle design was delayed for texture issues and such. It was everything afterward that sent me over the edge. Ha!

The coincidences seem to be a common theme.


I'd post up pics of the damaged part to the FB page? I don't think you'll get satisfaction on the return, but at least you'll shine a bit of a light on the quality problems.

 

You guys are too hard on her. My handle looks factory OEM! It used to bother me that the cover falls off and won't stay in place...then I realized it was engineered that way as an anti rattling solution! I know what you're thinking..."just glue that sumbitch in there". Problem is the fitment is SO poor, it just looks like a glued in, ill-fitting mistake...

 

Geez. You're taking this just a bit too well.

 

Mine was like that, and I was ready to glue it. So I pulled the little cover completely off and looked at it. There are multiple little plastic pieces that have to go in specific places to make it stay in. If one doesn’t lineup, it will not close all the way. Once I got them all lined up, it worked and stayed in place since then.
Don’t get me wrong, it is not perfect, but it is acceptable and NOT glued on.

There was one specific one that was bending instead of going in the hole it was made to go in.

 

Could be just old age ....

 

It isn't a tight fit either.

 

You could put a spring hinge on it and store your Altoids and Chapstick in there.

 

Thats a brilliant idea.

 

Time to buy two adhesive-backed googly eyes.