Universal smart key chip for Toyota 4D, 8A and 4A: what the XM38 covers, and the VVDI tool it still needs before the car will start
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About this product
A key for a modern car is no longer a cut piece of metal: cutting the blade is the easy part, and the transponder chip is what the vehicle actually checks before it allows a start. This XM38 from Xhorse is an all-in-one universal chip aimed at Toyota vehicles that use the 4D, 8A or 4A transponder types, which is why a single part can cover several key generations instead of a shelf of different blanks. What arrives is the key body and the chip, not a finished key, and that is the part people underestimate: the chip still has to be generated and written with a VVDI programming device before the car will accept it, so the real question is not whether it fits but whether you or your locksmith own the tool and the software to load the right data. The second question is the radio frequency, because 315MHz and 434MHz are separate versions and the vehicle will not answer the wrong one; match the frequency of the key you are replacing rather than the one sold in a neighbouring market. Third is the emergency blade, which on many of these keys is a separate item cut by a locksmith to your door lock. If any of that is unfamiliar, buy through a locksmith instead of attempting the programming yourself.
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Pros & cons
Pros
- One chip covers the 4D, 8A and 4A transponder types, so fewer part numbers have to be stocked
- Sold as the key body plus chip, which is what a locksmith needs to build a complete key
- Xhorse VVDI tooling is widely used, so a local locksmith is likely to have the equipment already
- 315MHz and 434MHz versions exist, so the right frequency for your market can be chosen
Cons
- It is not a finished key: the chip has to be generated and written with a VVDI device first
- 315MHz and 434MHz are separate versions, and the car will not answer the wrong frequency
- The emergency blade is normally a separate item cut by a locksmith to your door lock
- It only covers 4D, 8A and 4A transponders, so a Toyota on a different chip type is not served by it
