Can Techstream be used to diagnose other cars?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by terramir, Mar 2, 2018.

  1. terramir

    terramir Member

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    a quick question can I use the tech stream software to get codes from other oboII cars or do I need a different software if so any recommendations?
    terramir
     
    #1 terramir, Mar 2, 2018
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Just other Toyotas?
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Mar 2, 2018
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    My ScanGuage II can read codes and freeze data, and dismiss codes if you want, on both Honda and Toyota. If you happen to have one, worth a try. Techstream would be the Naz though.
     
    #3 Mendel Leisk, Mar 2, 2018
  4. terramir

    terramir Member

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    while i'm at it is there a better option that's not too pricey instead of the shoddy, dodgey minivci's cause I saw it in another thread but now I can't find it
    terramir
     
    #4 terramir, Mar 2, 2018
  5. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    There's the VxDiag VCX Nano made in China, and the Tactrix Openport 2.0 made in California, among various other J2534 dongles.

    -Chap
     
    #5 ChapmanF, Mar 2, 2018
    SFO likes this.
  6. terramir

    terramir Member

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    how much are those and which ones are reliable in doing calibrations (my airbag light stays on for like 7 to 10 seconds except for the one fault day) also I would like to work on my front brakes soon (will need to bleed them) i.e. I need reliable two way communication I doubt the darn cheapo dongle will be able to do this.wow those two are quite pricey are there any other ones that are reliable and not that steep?
    terramir
     
    #6 terramir, Mar 3, 2018
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    In relative terms ....

    The one that Toyota actually tests Techstream on and officially supports is the Mongoose Pro from Drew Technologies, and I think that one is around $500.

    The Mini-VCIs that are often talked about here are less than a tenth of that price (more like a twentieth, even), and you have to understand that is only possible because they are offshore counterfeits of a product that was already a knockoff. (The real Mini-VCI was made by an outfit called XHorse, and I could be wrong, but I don't think it's even possible to get a real one any more; the counterfeits drove XHorse right out of making their own product.)

    Seems to me the VCX Nano shows up around $80 or so, and the Openport 2.0 lists for $169. I have one, and I do not at all regret having paid $169 for it. It does what it says on the tin, and is still made in California by the company that introduced it. (Also, it includes a standalone datalogger, which could come in handy now and then).

    There are also counterfeits of that (if you see any Openport 2.0s priced way below $169, that's what you are looking at), and I strongly urge avoiding those, because I would hate to see our last US company (that I know of) making a good, less-expensive-than-Mongoose, J2534 dongle get driven out of making their own stuff the way XHorse was.

    -Chap
     
    #7 ChapmanF, Mar 3, 2018
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