You can program the fobs on your own, but you cannot program keys on your own. Programming new keys into the car immobilizer requires a Honda HDS tool and codes from a dealer or a locksmith with access to this equipment. There is no way around that unless you know someone with access to those things.

 

What do you think about this info in this thread?

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-tl-1999-2003-98/programming-2002-tl-s-key-601809/

Is it applicable to my 03 CL?

 

OMFG!
I just read that thread. What a joke! The OP must have gotten a kick out of all those people who actually tried it!!!

Even the directions for programming the fob (which you can do on your own) is all wrong! And like I said before, you cannot program a new key into the immobilizer without the HDS.

If you read some of the comments you will see that some people were able to get their keys copied and programmed at a hardware store. That is a secondary method to get extra keys, but I don't consider it the proper way to get genuine keys for your car. That way involves CLONING an existing key by copying the transponder code from an original key to a clone key. Thus when it's all done, you have two keys that have the same transponder code. As far as the car is concerned, they are the same key, so either will work.

The ACTUAL proper way to get a genuine key made for the car is to program the new key into the car's ECU using the HDS tool. Every genuine Acura key is hard-coded with a unique transponder code (no two are the same) and when you program it to the car, you are telling the car to accept that code. Thus, when you are done with the normal 2 master keys and 1 valet key, the car will read that it has 3 keys programmed to it. The clone method will just be 1 key as far as the car is concerned.

I hope that clears things up. That thread is a joke. It won't work on the TL or the CL or any other Acura no matter what year!

 

OK, I understand the difference between a cloned key, and a unique key which is registered to the vehicle.

But in practice, what is the advantage if having unique keys over cloned keys, and is that advantage worth the possibly high price a dealer will charge, compared to a locksmith or hardware store?

 

I guess in practice there isn't any advantage aside from having it not look like a genuine Acura key that originally came with the car. Clone blanks are either aftermarket keys or if they are genuine Acura keys, they are stamped T5 on them. I know they used to have these cloneable blanks at the dealer, but not sure if they have them any more since all the keys since around 2004+ have been made non-cloneable.

So in your case, unless the keys you ordered are specifically cloneable keys stamped T5, they can not be cloned to. If you want to use those keys, you would need to have them programmed in.

 

Well, I ordered one aftermarket black key, and one genuine gray valet key. They should be here by Friday. I guess I'm going to find out :-)

 

The genuine valet key will definitely not be a cloneable T5 key, so since you'll have to pay to have them program that, you might as well have the other key programmed as well. They will need all of your keys when they reprogram with the HDS anyways.

Good luck!