ID46 vs. PCF7936 vs. Hitag2 Chip

ID46 vs. PCF7936 vs. Hitag2, these are three names that MANY people use as if they were one and the same.
And they are NOT.
In fact, confusing them can ruin a job.

Because:

• some are referring to the transponder ID
• others to the physical chip
• others to the internal technology

And that is where it starts:

• incorrect purchases
• ailed clones
• stalled programming

 

ID46 vs PCF7936 vs Hitag2

Feature	ID46	PCF7936	HITAG2
Manufacturer	Phillips	Phillips	NXP (formerly Philips)
Frequency	125 kHz	125 kHz	125 kHz
Type	Passive RFID transponder	Passive RFID transponder	Passive RFID transponder
Chip	PCF7936	PCF7936 / PCF7936AA / PCF7936AS	Hitag 2
Memory	Read-only	Read-only	Read-only
Security	Medium	Medium	Medium-High
Main use	Immobilizers	Immobilizers	Immobilizers
Cloning/Copying	Yes (with compatible equipment)	Yes (with compatible equipment)	Yes (with compatible equipment)
Rewritable	No	No	No

Brand & Models

ID46 (PCF7936)	PCF7936	HITAG2
Toyota (some models) Lexus (some models) Subaru (some models) Honda (some models)Used mainly in Japanese and Asian models	VW, Audi, BMW, Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, Renault, Opel, Benz (some models)Very common in European brands.	Benz (Some models) Ford (Some models) Volvo (Some models) Land rover (some models) Used in European and some American brands

 

When are they interchangeable and when not?

Interchangeable in some cases

• ID46 and PCF7936 can be compatible in vehicles that use the same immobilizer system.
• Depends on the system, year and immobilizer configuration.

NON-Interchangeable

• Hitag2 is not compatible with ID46 or PCF7936. It has a different protocol.
• Using the wrong transponder = the vehicle does not recognize the key,

 

Quick Reference Table

Model	Frequency	Chip	Memory	Manufacturer	Cross Compatibility	Most Common Vehicles
ID46	125 kHz	PCF7936	Read-only	Phillips	Compatible with PCF7936 in some cases	Toyota, Lexus, Subaru, Honda (some)
PCF7936	125 kHz	PCF7936 / PCF7936AA / PCF7936AS	Read-only	Phillips	Compatible with ID46 in some cases	VW, Audi, BMW, Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat, Renault, Opel, Mercedes (some)
HITAG2	125 kHz	Hitag 2	Read-only	NXP	NOT compatible with ID46 or PCF7936	Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Volvo, Land Rover (some)

 

NOTE: Always verify the correct transponder before programming. Using the wrong transponder = vehicle does not recognize the key.

 

Related item:

ID46 transponder chip (supports PCF7936)

VVDI super chip XT57B

Keydiy KD D26 super chip (supports PCF7936)

 

FYI: Some other transponder chip information/knowledge.

ID46 vs ID48

The question that most confuses beginners is this: How do the ID46 and ID48 differ if both are 48-bit chips?
The difference does not lie in the encryption level. It lies in the manufacturer and the protocol used.
The ID46 is Philips — Hitag 2. It was adopted by Renault, Fiat, Opel, BMW (in their CAS2 and CAS3 systems), and many others.
The ID48 is Megamos. It was developed specifically for the VAG Group — Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, and Skoda — and subsequently spread to Porsche, Volvo, and a few others.
These are parallel technologies from the same era. The base chip is different, the algorithm is different, and the equipment must recognize each one separately.
If your equipment states that it supports ID46 but makes no mention of ID48, it will not work on a Jetta. It’s as simple as that.

 

 

A Practical Reference: The Most Common Chips by Brand.

European vehicles:

Volkswagen and Audi: ID48 in models up to approximately 2013. ID49 AES on the MQB platform starting from 2014.
BMW: ID33 in EWS2 (1990s), ID44 in EWS3 and EWS4 (2000–2006), ID46 in CAS2 and CAS3 (2005–2012), ID47 in FEM and BDC (2012 onwards).
Renault: ID46 across practically the entire lineup since 2000—including the Clio, Megane, Logan, and Koleos.
Peugeot and Citroën: ID45 in generations produced between 2000 and 2010. Do not confuse this with the ID46, even if the hardware appears similar.
Fiat: ID13 in older models; ID48 in newer models; and ID46 in intermediate generations, depending on the specific model.
Opel: ID40 in older models; ID46 in models produced after 2005.

This roadmap tells you exactly which equipment you will need before the vehicle even arrives.

 

 

The ID48 Trap: Before and After CAN
The ID48 chip has a peculiarity that creates problems for beginners:
Not all ID48 chips are programmed in the same way.
Prior to 2005, in VW vehicles, the ID48 operated without a CAN bus. With compatible equipment, the chip could be cloned directly, provided the original key was present. It was a relatively straightforward process.
After 2005, VW migrated its IMMO system to the CAN bus architecture. It uses the same ID48 chip, but programming is now performed via the OBD port and requires the equipment to communicate directly with the control module. It is no longer a simple matter of cloning.
Furthermore, in models featuring the IMMO4 system within the VAG Group, even OBD programming is insufficient in some cases—you require direct access to the control module or platform credits from providers such as Autel, VVDI, or Lonsdor.
The name of the chip remains the same, but the work involved is completely different.

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