315/433 MHz: Three Points Where the Wrong Frequency Ships — and How to Catch Each One
Shipping a TPMS sensor on the wrong frequency is the most avoidable kind of return: the goods are fine, the housing is fine, even the part number is fine — the vehicle simply never listens to that frequency. North America runs 315 MHz; Europe mostly 433 MHz. The same model year sold in different markets takes a different sensor. This guide lists the three points where the wrong frequency slips through, with one check you can do on the spot at each.
Scope: this guide prevents process-level mis-shipping. Per-vehicle frequency is still verified by the part number and market listed at /parts/.
1. Point one: quoting and ordering — vehicle named, market forgotten
The same model line is sold in North America and Europe. Identical year, identical looks, different sensor frequency. Order by “model + year” without the market, and the supplier can only guess.
Check: add a “market” column (US / EU / CN or 315 / 433) to the order form. The part number itself is bound to a frequency — put the number from /parts/ on the order and the frequency cannot drift.
2. Point two: receiving — counts checked, frequency not
Goods-in counts quantity and appearance; frequency never enters the checklist. The error sits on the shelf for two weeks until a car will not communicate.
Check: add “frequency” to the receiving sheet and tick it box by box against the carton label. Store 315 and 433 stock in separate bin locations — physical separation beats any procedure.
3. Point three: installation — guessing frequency from the housing
Lookalike housings can be either 315 or 433. A technician installs by eye, and only a failed connection reveals the mismatch.
Check: before mounting, read the sensor frequency once with a programming tool or scanner and compare it with the vehicle requirement from /parts/. For programmable units, confirm the target frequency before writing and read it back after.
4. Error-proofing checklist (printable)
- Order: model + year + market, with the part number on the order.
- Receiving: verify frequency per carton; separate bins for 315 / 433.
- Dispatch: frequency printed on the picking list.
- Install: read the sensor frequency once; mount only on a match.
- When a relearn fails, check frequency first (no signal detected → confirm frequency before anything else — see the troubleshooting guide).
5. Advice for distributors
No entry, no order — the cheapest error-proofing there is.
When a customer reports “installed but no communication”, ask frequency and market first — most cases close on the first question.
Submit a model and OE number for engineering verification and sample support — fitment data covers model line, year, frequency, valve type and relearn method.
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