Autel IKEY Universal Smart Keys: Which Vehicles, Which Tool

Autel IKEY universal smart keys are blank proximity keys that an Autel MaxiIM tool, most often the KM100, generates as the key type a supported vehicle expects, then programs to the car over OBD. Car Key Source stocks four IKEY models: two Honda-style keys (IKEYHD4TP 4-button and IKEYHD5TPR 5-button) and two standard Autel-style keys (IKEYAT004CL 4-button and IKEYAT005BL 5-button), plus the MaxiIM KM100 kit that bundles the generator with ten IKEYs. Choose an IKEY over a vehicle-specific fob when the vehicle is on the tool's list, the customer accepts a generic or Honda-style shell, and you want one part number on the shelf instead of twenty. Confirm the vehicle on the KM100's supported list before you quote; an IKEY does not cover every vehicle and the tool is the authority.

What an Autel IKEY is

An IKEY is a universal smart key: a complete proximity fob with the RF transmitter, low-frequency antenna and a programmable transponder on one board. Out of the bag it is not a key for anything. The Autel tool reads the target vehicle, writes the matching key data into the IKEY (what Autel calls generating the key), and from then on the IKEY behaves as that vehicle's smart key. You then run the normal add-key or all-keys-lost procedure over OBD, cut the emergency blade, and fit the CR2032, which is not included.

Three things follow from that. The shell style is cosmetic, so a Honda-style IKEY can be generated for a non-Honda vehicle if the tool lists it in that key type. The frequency is set at generation, so the same IKEY serves 315 MHz and 433 MHz vehicles that the tool supports; the stock listings show 315 MHz as the shipped default. And the coverage is defined by the tool's software, which Autel updates, so the vehicle list on your KM100 today is the only list that counts.

The IKEY range in stock

Reading the model code: IKEY is the family, HD is Honda style and AT is the standard Autel style, and the digit is the button count. The IKEYHD4TP listing spells out its buttons as unlock, lock, trunk and panic, includes an emergency key blade, needs a CR2032 and carries a 1-year limited warranty; the 5-button Honda-style key adds a fifth button for vehicles whose original key has one. Treat the trailing letters as Autel's variant markers and go by the button count and style when you order.

Honda-style vs standard-style: which one to pick

The two styles carry the same class of electronics; the difference is what ends up in the customer's hand.

• Honda style (IKEYHD4TP, IKEYHD5TPR): shaped like a Honda or Acura smart key, so it looks right on a Civic, Accord, CR-V, Odyssey or Pilot and slips into the customer's existing key cover. The 5-button premium version is the one to reach for when the original had remote start. Vehicle side of the job: Honda key fob programming.
• Standard style (IKEYAT004CL, IKEYAT005BL): Autel's own neutral shell. It does not imitate any make, which makes it the general-purpose stock item for the makes the tool supports where the customer is not fussy about the look. Four buttons covers most sedans and crossovers; five buttons adds the extra function (remote start or a hatch) where the original had it.

Neither style is a genuine OEM part. If the customer wants a factory-look key for a make other than Honda, that is usually a vehicle-specific fob from the catalog rather than an IKEY.

Which tool generates an IKEY

The Autel MaxiIM KM100 is the purpose-built IKEY generator: a handheld with key generation, transponder read and write and the IMMO key-adding functions for supported vehicles, and the tool the IKEYHD4TP listing names as its programmer. The larger MaxiIM IM508 and IM608 programmers also generate IKEYs through their key programming functions, so a shop already running one of those does not need a second box for IKEY work. Which Autel unit suits a given shop is covered in the Autel key programmer guide.

The workflow on the KM100 is the same for every IKEY: select the vehicle, choose the IKEY as the key type, generate, then move to the IMMO function to add the key. If the vehicle needs all-keys-lost work that the KM100 does not support, the generation still happens on the KM100 and the programming is finished on an IM508 or IM608, or on the vehicle's own onboard procedure where one exists.

When to choose an IKEY over a vehicle-specific fob

Choose an IKEY when:

1. The vehicle is on the KM100's supported list for the IKEY key type. This is the only test that matters; the shell style is secondary.
2. You want to carry stock that covers many vehicles. Four IKEY part numbers replace a drawer of make-specific proximity fobs for the vehicles the tool covers, which is the point of a universal key for a mobile locksmith.
3. The customer accepts the look. Honda owners get a matching shell; everyone else gets Autel's neutral shell.
4. You already own an Autel tool. The IKEY only exists inside the Autel workflow, so it makes no sense for a Lonsdor- or Xhorse-only shop; those shops have their own universal lines, covered in the Lonsdor guide and the Xhorse guide.

Choose a vehicle-specific fob when:

• The vehicle is not on the tool's IKEY list, or the tool lists it only for add-key and you have an all-keys-lost.
• The customer wants the factory look or a genuine OEM key, which are listed separately on the OEM hub.
• The vehicle-specific fob is in stock and the job is a single key with no repeat business to justify a universal on the shelf.

The general decision is worked through in universal remote or vehicle-specific fob. One caution applies to any universal key. Our programming guarantee reads: "If a key or remote won't program on the vehicle we listed it against, it is refunded within 30 days of delivery and we pay the return freight." An IKEY is listed as a universal, so the vehicle match comes from your tool's list, not from our listing; check it before you order.

What Car Key Source stocks from Autel

The live Autel range, including anything added after this guide, is on the Autel universal hub. All IKEYs are aftermarket universal keys generated with the tool for supported vehicles.

Trade pricing is unlocked with an approved wholesale account — most applications are approved instantly (apply). In-stock orders placed by 4 PM ET (Mon–Fri) leave the warehouse the same business day. US orders ship from our Florida warehouse; Canadian orders ship from Ontario — nothing crosses the border, so there is no customs, duty or brokerage for the buyer. Free freight over $250 (USD in the US, CAD in Canada), counted on list prices. Volume ladder: 5–9 units −5%, 10–24 −10%, 25+ −15%.

FAQ

Which Autel tool do I need to generate an IKEY?

The MaxiIM KM100 is the dedicated IKEY generator and the tool the IKEY listings name. The MaxiIM IM508 and IM608 also generate IKEYs as part of their key programming functions, so any of the three works.

Does an Autel IKEY work on any car?

No. An IKEY works on the vehicles listed in the Autel tool's supported list for that key type, and the list is updated by software. Check the vehicle on the KM100 before you order.

What is the difference between IKEYHD and IKEYAT?

HD is the Honda-style shell and AT is Autel's standard neutral shell. The electronics do the same job; the style only changes what the customer holds, so pick HD for Honda and Acura and AT for everything else the tool supports.

Is a 4-button or 5-button IKEY the right choice?

Match the original key. A 4-button IKEY covers lock, unlock, trunk and panic; the 5-button versions add a fifth function such as remote start for vehicles whose factory key has it.

Do IKEYs come with a battery?

No. Every IKEY needs a CR2032 that is not included. The IKEYHD4TP listing does include an emergency key blade, and its warranty is 1 year limited.

Are Autel IKEYs genuine OEM keys?

No. They are aftermarket universal smart keys generated with the Autel tool for supported vehicles. Genuine OEM keys for Honda and other makes are on the OEM hub.