I have been fixing cars for 32 years. All that time I have been using various scantools and have seen quite a few changes as technology continues "better - faster - cheaper". At one point I had a PC based aftermarket scantool. It was decent as far as function and coverage, but the setup and UI was a bit clunky. When the company developed a version for PDA (and later pocket PC), I thought "great- a scantool that could fit in my pocket!". The reality was that both function and coverage were not very good in comparison- and development stopped as the PDA/pPC fad passed. So I continued using "normal" PC, handheld, and tablet based scantools. When I got my 06 Corolla, I found a basic scan app and adapter to check basic codes and data - kept it in the glovebox. Now I have a 06 Prius, and well, I HAD to step up my scantool game as there is more to keep track of on an old hybrid. I never quite forgot the desire to "have it all" in a pocket sized format. So I got a number of apps and wrote about them. (they're like Pokemon- gotta collect them all!). And well, a couple apps were neat and did some stuff, but overall most did very little, and/or took some fiddling to do anything. That was until another forum member had a post that included a screen capture- "is that freeze frame?" I went and bought the Autel Maxi AP200. OHH. EMM. GOODNESS. I am in loooove. I have used Autel's Maxisys tablet for years- it is a great tool that has outstanding coverage and function for the price (data recording and management kinda stinks, but ehh). This is a diagnostic app that uses a proprietary OBD2 Bluetooth adapter. Download and install the app. You have to create an account with Autel and register the adapter (Vehicle Communication Interface - VCI). After that you can get 1 free car brand to download (I got Toyota- duhh!). Download and install several more "modules" (Diag- Asia, EOBD - generic OBD, Demo, and Toyota). You can buy access to additional brands if you want. Plug in the VCI to the OBD2 port. The app has a VCI manger that will try to scan and connect to the VCI adapter - but it doesn't work at all. I had to manually go into settings on my android phone and pair just like any other adapter. Start the app and go to Diagnostics- Toyota. You can have it read the VIN, you pick a couple option details, and then scan the car. YES, it will scan ALL systems on a Gen2- and return yes/no for codes on each of the 16 ecu's. Select any given ecu and you can read codes, freeze frame data - WITH INF sub CODES!! Some codes have diagnostic information attached (with a little "i" near it)- code setting criteria and possible causes. I repeated my test (unplugged a ignition coil, Right Front wheel speed sensor, the HV battery fan, and battery safety plug) just like when I did my app review, and the Autel picked up the P0352, P3000, P0A0D, P0A84, C0200, B1421 (I didn't see the C1259 or C1310- but I didn't run a Techstream scan today). You can also look a live data for all of the ecu's- not just ECM, hybrid, ABS, HV battery- but TPMS (pressures, temps, and ID codes!), A/C system, SRS and OCS- everything. This capability surpasses ANY other app by far in the DIY arena. While almost any screen can be saved as a pdf file, I don't see any datalogging option. (the only thing I didn't see- ECM has 1 frame in freeze frame data, Techstream shows 5 frames for the code event). There is a Service option from the main menu. This has "hot function" adaptations and resets that are common across all makes (most don't apply to Prius)- things like electric parking brake retraction, resetting throttle or coding new fuel injectors. It does have options to write new TPMS ID's and also perform brake bleed procedures. I do not know if either of these actually work. I do not see any other bidirectional controls or configuration options like in eTchstream. So this app has most of the codes and data function that is in Techstream, but you can keep it in your car. There are other options- that PC scantool company from before now has a version for iphone / android which (likely) has most all the bidirectional functions as well as codes and data- but it it has a $500+ price for just the basic tool and the Toyota option (full kit is closer to $2k with tax and all). For $60-70 plus your smartphone, this can't be beat.
On sale now at Autel. $10 off. US Ship Autel MaxiAP AP200 Bluetooth Scanner with Full System Diagnoses Simplified Edition of MK808 But it looks like it might nor work with Gen 4 or Prime except through 2017?
Getting flash codes can be useful - IF all you have is a paperclip AND the codes are in a system that supports flash codes (like brake control). Just like Dr Prius can be useful, IF you understand its limits. IF you want to scan all systems on the car, get codes , INF codes, scan data, and more, then you need a more capable scantool, such as the autel or others in my review thread. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
Do you know if the AP2500e also does immobilizer programming? I’m trying to remedy an all keys lost situation on a 2004 and the AP2500e doesn’t have the option show up in the service tab.
I called Autel to see what they said and they said that the AP2500e couldn't do it, but also said the AP200 couldn't either (which as far as I can tell isn't true) so not sure what to think.
When I tried the AP200, it performed immobilizer functions similar to Techstream. I used it to add a SKS fob to my 2006. I believe it has an "all keys lost" menu item, BUT, that would require a "seed code" in order to reset the immobilizer ecu and program new fobs. The only DIY approach I know of for that code is to buy tokens from some site in Europe and then use them with their online code generator. It needs a long number from your ecu (and VIN) to create the seed code. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
Hi All, I started using the Maxi AP200 based on recommendations from this forum, and I'm very happy with it. However, I've noticed some strange behavior when trying to save live data from an ECU as a PDF. In the mobile app, I have to scroll slowly through the screen to get the live data to appear. If I scroll too quickly, the values don't fill in. As a result, when I save the PDF, many values are missing. Does anyone know how to save the PDF correctly with all values included? Thank you!
I just got an AP2500. I went through the whole process of registering the app, entering vehicle information, choosing the Toyota database. But I can't do any sort of scan besides basic -- no custom scan, no full scan. I got this thing so I could get the ABS codes my '06 recently threw. Any ideas out there? When I try either custom or full scan, all it does is a spinning wheel for a fraction of a second and then back to the main screen. No mileage entry, no radar-looking scan graphic, no progress bar -- just back to the main screen as if I didn't ask it to do anything. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
yeah, its complex stuff and the shops definitely need special equipment and setup to do it. There are a lot of shops near me that specializing in this stuff, ADAS only type shops/service. Its about 2 hours and probably around $500 for a full job. Definitely want professionals to do this
See thread linked below for a solution that another member discovered after contacting Autel customer support: https://priuschat.com/index.php?posts/3479277
Jack of Dr. Prius app and I were texting this morning and told him that harbor freight now sells a Bluetooth OBD2 reader for $60 and he headed out to buy it and try it and it doesn't work. It is branded as Zurich, but he said its manufactured by Al-Tec and doesn't use ELM327 protocol and he got charged a 20% restocking fee even though he didn't even leave the parking lot.
To be clear, there was a thread today: Favorite OBD2 scanners with hybrid functionality? | PriusChat In that Thread @Leadfoot J. McCoalroller started out his post saying: "Here's a link to a recent, detailed thread on exactly that topic" and the link he provided was to this thread." Had I known this was an Autel exclusive discussion with @Brian1954 as moderator, I'd of not posted the latest development in OBD2 device availability in brick & mortar stores in this discussion.
I'm just trying to keep this thread on topic. FYI, That Zurich dongle has been available at Harbor Freight for over 2 years. It is not the "latest development in OBD2 device availability in brick & motor stores".
Well thanks for getting this up to the top of the forum anyway. Just went to the website, for $60 it seems like a very useful tool to have.
Only some of the ECUs in the car do blink codes (and fewer of them with each generation). Also, the right scan tool can give you more information than just trouble codes. It's always good to have a working scan tool to use. Most of the threads where I post about the blink codes are threads where somebody has a car problem right now, and the lights that are on are from ECUs that do blink codes, and the person is stuck on "I have to just guess at what's wrong with my car and fire the parts cannon because I haven't shopped for the perfect scan tool yet."
As @jerrymildred mentioned above in post #2 - may 2022 - no support for 2017 generally... I have an email question session of 1: Does the AP200 support 2017 Prius Prime ? 2: What is the minimum Android version supported? Android 11 ? Android 12 Will update when / if I get the email response. I saw this AMD video today and thought it might be useful for others doing there homework. Highlander (didn't catch the year of model ) should I assume it's a Highlander Hybrid? It's got 42 EC modules ( computer modules ) according to AMD.
