When calculating Mercedes AKL password, different devices require different calculating times and times to insert in/out key. This article is to compare these aspects on VVDI, Autel and CGDI.
Part 1. Autel IM508/Autel IM608
General procedure:
Go to "Expert selection", select "All keys lost" without Autel G-box2, or "All keys lost(Fast)" with G-box2 to calculate online.
Back to "Expert selection" and go to "Generate key file" to program keys.
Customer Feedback
- 2006 Mercedes ML500, on bench with G-box 2, it says I have to pull out and insert 900 times but 240 times I got it done.
- I did AKL for ML 2007 on bench, without g-box 2, about 1300 times put adapter in.
- I did ML320 2006 yesterday. 22 insertions it pulled pin.
- When I do W203 EIS it lasts 70-80 minutes.
- I already had these 900 attempts on one W221, and I prefer to dismantle.
- I did a CLS 550 2008 yesterday all keys lost G-box on vehicle it took 25 min to get the password but many other tools failed to do it in the vehicle so it was worth it.
- S550 2005, pull out EIS module, 4 min to extract password.
To sum up, some models do need dozens of minutes and insertions, but directly reading EIS may be an alternative.
The way to Read EIS password (Soldering required):
Read EIS EEPROM file, load EEPROM file on "EIS tools" to program keys.
Part 2. VVDI MB
General procedure:
Go to "password calculation">>select mode "OBD">>select chassis type without power adapter or chassis type(FAST) with power adapter>>Data Acquisition>>Save data>>"Upload Data">>"Query result"
Customer Feedback
- MB W210 1999 year AKL acquired data from EIS in 14 minutes prepared key file and programmed in less than 25 minutes.
- VVDI 453 smart 2015, AES chip, VVDI requested 60 to 90 minutes standby for password.
To sum up, calculation by VVDI takes less time than by Autel.
Similarly, VVDI has a power adapter to reduce the time for part of models and with the power adapter, insertion is not required on part of models.
Besides, there is a directly-EIS-reading but soldering-needed way as well. The difference is that VVDI has EZS adapter which allows you to read EIS/EZS without soldering.
Part 3. CGDI MB
As we know, CGDI MB is a copy tool, but it wins in low price and some models.
The general procedure is similar to that by VVDI MB.
Customer Feedback
- With CGDI, you don't need to insert keys for W166 EIS.
- Got one good tool but lost key with Sprinter the lead is slow. so if u got Xhorse use that with one cradle you can do lost keys within 20 min all in of getting to job.
To sum up, for some models CGDI MB does a good job, and it's also a good MB tool and it has a good price.
Summary
In short, Autel, Xhorse, CGDI, have their own pros and cons, all are good Mercedes-Benz key programmers, but in all aspects, VVDI MB wins a little bit and it comes with a set of EZS adapters to give users a solder-free way.
When you meet an issue about Benz key programming, you’d better try another way or another tool as one tool is never enough. With more than one MB tool, you'll have larger Benz coverage， more alternatives and greater confidence.
Hope this could help find your Mercedes-Benz tools.