Prius 2006,first time owner!

Check, or better yet, replace engine, transmission, and brake fluids.
Buy an OBDII scanner. It will help with diagnostics of various systems.

 

Congrats and welcome!
Do you know any of the maintenance history of the car?

 

Take a look at this thread: https://priuschat.com/index.php?posts/3290690

 

Get a good Autel. All the cheaper ones only scan part of the car. With one that old you want to be able to diagnose the whole thing.

 

No.

Try Autel AP200.

 

Most readers don’t play nicely with Prius due to the complexity of the ecu system

 

Read here, everything is written in detail about OBD-II
Hybrid Assistant: OBD

 

The link you provided discusses OBD2 adapters that work well for the Hybrid Assistant app. What the OP needs is an OBD2 adapter (like the Autel AP200) that can communicate with all the different ECUs in a Prius and read the trouble codes that have been activated. When the OP does have problems with the Prius, a scan tool will be needed to read the trouble codes. See post # 5.

 

For more detailed diagnostics I use Techstream. This Toyota program for Toyota and Lexus cars.

For daily monitoring of parameters I only need an OBD-II connector and an Android phone.

If Autel AP200 helps someone, then that's good.

All that remains is to compare the economy.
For the first option you need a connection cable + laptop.
For the second, an OBDII scanner + phone.

 

What are your goals?
For your own satisfaction of the information flow?
Or to open a car service business?

 

I cannot say about Sweden, but in the USA the cost for the Autel is less than a single diagnostic fee at a repair shop.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I suggested two less expensive methods.

The peculiarity of many problematic DTCs is that they have subcodes that will not be shown by any device for 10 cents.

 

you don't have to get a scanner right away. why not watch you tube service videos to see what you can do without one.
start by learning how to jack the car up, get it level on jackstands for safety, and change the oil.
you're gonna need tools and equipment. everyone should own a simple, inexpensive digital multimeter.
stop at a dealer and pick up oil and filter, and inquire about some service pricing to see how much you'll save doing it yourself.
have you checked the spare and the jack? do you know how to change a tyre?

 

What's great about the AP200 is that it gives you a full-car scan with sub-codes (like techstream) but without the cost of getting techstream software, a laptop or an interface cable.

Granted, $70 isn't nothing but I have not seen a less expensive way of getting a truly comprehensive diagnostic system for a Prius.

The Dr. Prius and Hybrid Assistant apps seem pretty cool, but neither of them can do full-car diagnostics on a Prius. So I could see where they are helpful when you've already got Techstream... but they aren't replacements for Techstream.