Diagnostic Scan Tool

if you've got a few thousand dollars, you can get one. and then you want to befriend a tech who can get you updates from the main computer system.

you can get an obdii scanner for cheaper, but then you won't get the hybrid specific codes, and likely some of toyota's other proprietary stuff.

we've played around with a scantool in ours, messed with the optional settings, etc. i think for the cost to be justified, you'd have to be out of warranty and have a repair that'd otherwise cost thousands of dollars not including parts. or if you've got lots of money and are curious.

 

all this talk of "thht" amuses us... that acronym is never used in the shop actually as of 2006 it's termed the "intelligent tester" but that's never used either. it's just a scantool.

they're actually upgrading to a laptop based system in the next couple of months- TIS2 just rolled out, the laptops are next. each one of those is $6k, not including the base station needed to charge the thing! there may (or may not) be a very few old scantools on the market afterward but they're still going to be in the multiple thousands of dollars range.

 

those of us with the Classic also have the MiniScanner from www.ecrostech.com it also has the ability to read and clear codes.

 

The existing THHT is the Mastertech MTS3100 scantool from Vetronix,
with a semi-special cartridge for Toyota manufactuer-specific stuff
loaded in the side slot. I in fact have one to borrow for a month,
so I've been playing with it. It's not that glorious; the thing is
dog-slow even though it's talking to a 500 kbit CANbus, and there
are a bunch of parameters it seem *unable* to read in realtime
[notably, VVTi target valve angle, which I really wanted to know
about to test a couple of theories]. But yeah, apparently Toyota
is flushing Vetronix for their default stateside scantool OEM and
going with this new system.
.
Some of the newer revs of other laptop-based scantools are claiming
to have full Toyota support. One in particular is autoenginuity.com,
but having messed with that the other week I see that Jay Horak, its
main creator, has a little work to do on usability and speed. But he
does seem to have pretty solid support for the Toyota stuff by now,
and you can get that scantool in base + Toyota for around $400 or so.
Minus laptop, of course, but any old POS with a stripped-down w2k
install ought to do.
.
I expect to be learning a lot more about scantools next month, and
I'll try to keep folks here updated on my findings.
.
How is the "new TIS", anyways? Does it suck less than the old one?
.
_H*

 

he has yet to set up his user account on the new system, and wasn't in the shop today. will see tomorrow. previews look promising.

 

Did you ever found a good alternative for the Vetronix Mastertech?
How good is the autoenginuity.com option?

 

Sorry to jump in. I have a Bosch Mastertech which is really only good for the Prius up to and including 2007. Although they offer updated software it is not to the OE level after 2007. I also have a J2534 Toyota Techstream, which is to be released to the aftermarket this fall. With a commonly available J2534 reprogramming devise and your laptop you could have a full function Toyota factory scan tool for thousands less than an actual TechStream. No price from Toyota yet. There are a few other options for excellent Toyota hybrid scan tools. Both the Carman Scan Lite and the Autoland IScan II are near OE level in both diagnostics and bi-directional controls. I have the autoenginuity as well. Unfortunately it is far from OE level and has many bugs.

 

I have an 03' GenI non-can bus, and there are no more MiniScanners as they are discontinued. It doesn't make sense to dis-continue the MiniScanner when most of these vehicles have not yet failed. He could have made a lot more money by just keeping them around. Does anyone know what else can be used for the classic 03? I would like to monitor SOC and maybe Btv as that is what will be next most prone to failures on the 03. Handheld scanners are not very friendly for day to day driving. I have tried a scangaugeII on the 03 but could not get SOC or Btv, only the regular stuff, so I put it back in the 06 GenII where it works great. Incidentally after a scanguageII "learns" the 04-09 prius, you must reset it before placing into the 01-03 classic or else a bus error occurs. But anyway I need something for the classic 03' especially since soon it will have a problem...Or perhaps someone could sell a used Miniscanner, or tell me where to get a used MiniScanner?

 

I am asking a question of the experts, rather than giving a direct answer to your question:

If he needs to pull and decipher codes, can't some of the after-market repair chains do this?

 

Maybe, if the repair outlet in question has access to the Toyota diagnostic laptop.

More likely the outlet will have a generic OBD-II code reader, and in that case it is hit or miss regarding whether the tech will be able to retrieve codes, especially if the car has an obscure problem affecting skid control, body, electric power steering, etc.

If only the engine ECU posts a code, then a generic code reader should be able to retrieve it. If any other ECU posts a code, its questionable whether the generic code reader can retrieve that.

 

Thanks, yes that makes sense, if any other ecu, other than the engine ecu gives a code the generics cannot read the obdII header correctly. I highly doubt most repair chains, and/or most regular obdII handhelds can decipher these hybrid system codes. Only a few.. as I am still investigating this, so far my results/price winner is scanguageII for 04-09's works the best. It only works for normal stuff like rpm, speed, etc. with the 01-03, but no hybrid system stuff. For an 01-03 (non-canbus) it was the MiniScanner which is no longer made. Other than these we're left with somewhat obscure and very complicated units out there that cost anywhere from $399 to multiple thousands of dollars. I think I would really like a MiniScanner which can be mounted on the steering wheel column and stay with the car. That way you can monitor MPG, BtV and SOC everytime you drive. The scanguageII is like this as well. You just plug it into the obdII connector under the dash of an 04-09 and probably 2010 Prius and leave it connected. It even auto shuts down when the car shuts down so no worries about running the 12V batt. down.. I think with the Miniscanner for 01-03 you had to manually power it on and off, but no problems there. Anyone got a MiniScanner they don't need?

 

Three years ago I approached Graham Davies of Ecrostech to ask whether he was willing to resume production. He replied that if he had a dozen firm orders, he would be willing to produce them.

At that time I was active on the Yahoo Prius groups, so I asked whether anyone wanted to purchase. Very little response, which helps to explain why Graham went out of that business. If you are interested, poll the group and see who is willing to put their money (or credit card #) where their mouth is.

If you can get hold of a used one, I think you'll be very happy with it. tochatihu was kind enough to provide one when I had the 2001, and it was great. I subsequently sold it when I sold the 2001 two years ago.

 

That is very interesting Patrick, how no one wanted one, and I bet you wish you still had it now.
Well back then the classic was younger and I guess no one thought it would fail anytime soon. And that was true for the most part. Yes I think the Miniscanner was to a 01-03 like a scanguageII is to a 04-10. Too bad though because more and more of the classics will fail soon out there, and most will be stuck with the dealer reading the codes (+/-$100) I think they charge just to read a code! That's just out there. IMHO

 

Actually the Ecrostech miniscanner is much better than ScanGauge II, and if I still had my 2001 I would not have sold it.

It will read and clear DTC produced by the engine, hybrid vehicle, and traction battery ECU. If you are lucky, Scan Gauge will read DTC produced by the engine ECU.

It will read MG1/MG2 rpm and temperatures. It will read traction battery module pair voltages and temperature per the four battery sensors. It will read inverter coolant temp, and other hybrid-specific parameters that I can't think of right now.

Of course it will read engine RPM and coolant temp.

 

Yup thats why I need one hihi. However scanguage is working great on the 06' tho.. with BtV, SOC, running AVG MPG, RPM, among other things. You can read BtAmps also but then no SOC or BtV. Have not had a code in the 06' yet so I don't know how good it is for clearing codes but it sure works great for daily driving and monitoring. They claim it can both read and clear hybrid vehicle system codes so we'll see. My SOC usually runs very close to 60% +/- 5 from conditions and terrain.. Interesting that the running "avg mpg" gauge is usually about 1.5MPG less than the mfd's avg mpg. Did Toyota program that in to make it look better? Doesn't matter though I break 50MPG almost every day even in cold. Anyway thanks for that info Patrick. Guess I will look for a Miniscanner, none on eBay right now.. Oh Boy

 

Btw I spoke with Jay at Autoenginuity and they have a nice hardware specific cable and the enhanced Toyota software for the 04-09 Prius. He said that it will also soon work with the classic 01-03 Prius when they fix a rather simple problem in hardware. That will be in a couple weeks from now.
Here's a link OE-Level Coverage (Enhanced Interfaces)
Look at the enhanced interface for Toyota and everything's there and more. You just got to lug a laptop pc around with the hardware cable.
The handheld computers cannot run enhanced interfaces only a pc, so for prius hybrids you use a laptop pc and the hardware cable. Think I'll try it, hopefully it'll cover both my 03 and 06 in one unit as he says. Maybe 2 cables though since he said a simple "hardware" fix which will make the hardware different for the classic is my guess, but if you wanted the 04-09 just buy the cable and software they have right now. Anyway it's about $250 for the hardware cable , and 150 for the Toyota enhanced software. A lot more than the scanguage which is only really a monitor, but it too supposedly can read and clear codes only on 04-09 though..It's workin good in my 06 prius. So with this software you can display for example all 00-09 prius hv battery pair voltages, BtA, SOC, high cell, low cell, INV. temp,, inv. current, MG1 & MG2 temps, engine temp, etc. all on one screen. Will keep posted on this.

 

The gen III guys are left out