I've been looking around for a scanner that can read all the various Prius hybrid & ABS codes, since my extended family owns an '05 with almost 180k, an '08 with over 200k, and a '12 plugin with about 68K. Looks like I might have found one in the iCarsoft i905. Does anyone have experience with this tool?
I have not heard of iCarsoft. If you have a laptop the best interface available is the Mini-VCI with the Techstream software. You can find it on eBay in the $30 range.
The mini-VCI is new to me, but I found them in quantity on eBAY this morning, and bought one. For less than $17, it is hard to go wrong. I actually have an iCarsoft code reader for my 2004 Jag XJ8. It can read DTC's from all the sub-systems on the car, and is a very good product. The iCarsoft device is car manufacturer specific and the equivalent one for Toyota is about $175. When the mini-VCI arrives and I get it set up, hopefully I'll be able to provide a better comparison.
My preferred scanner is a VXDIAG. With SAE J2534 Vxdiag VCX Nano for Toyota Tis Techstream V10 30 029 Compatible | eBay It is much faster and more reliable than the Mini VCI cables, It uses Techstream just as the Mini VCI. Brad
Many of us have gone with using the miniVCI cable with Toyota Techstream software, and @strawbrad mentions a improved variation on this theme. You can get miniVCI with software on Amazon or Ebay. Need a PC or laptop. I actually use an old desktop which is a little less convenient than a laptop.
And I thought my ancient laptop with a dead battery so I have to string an extension cord out to the car was inconvenient!
I used a MIni VCI for years. For the most part they work. On some cars they will not be able to connect or cause error codes. The cheap Mini VCI uses firmware 1.4.1 . There are more expensive versions out there that have newer firmware 2.0.4. On my 2006 Prius. Version 1.4.1 instantly disables the car and reads a bunch of "U" codes. U codes are can bus communication errors. It is the Mini VCI causing the errors. Version 2.0.4 will connect and read codes. It is very slow. The VXDIAG uses it's own firmware. It connects and reads codes much quicker than a Mini VCI cable. Brad
Looking for info in VxDiag. I got to the conclusion this might be the best purchase price/quality. I want to get the nano (maybe with wifi). Does this work well on a 64 bit Windows? I see they mostly recommend 32 bit systems. I can always create a virtual machine but I was wondering for the sake of convenience.
I have that one it works very good easy setup. I woukd not install it on your good laptop because it will be in the car a lot and you will beat it up good jumping in and out if the car and it’s chinese knockoff software like all after market techstream and I don’t want that on my good laptop. Buy a burner laptop on Craig’s list. There’s hundreds for less than $50. I got a dell d630 for $40. I got all my sketchy software on that and if I bust it up no problem.
Lol. My good laptop is a burner laptop. I have two OSes installed on two separate partitions. If one should get so virused that it's done, I just log on the other OS and carry on, copy the files that I need, wipe the entire partition and install a fresh copy and whatnot. Been through that a couple of times. I got this laptop with photography and video editing in mind; it has seen so much dust you wouldn't believe it. It will be in my car a lot anyway, I plan to travel extensively with the Prius. I just regularly open it, dust it off, clean the thermal connections for the CPU and GPU and put it back together and it runs well. I make my laptops run decades - this is my 2nd laptop in my entire life. That's one of the reasons I like to get hands-on with fixing my car and whatnot; you can make a machine run a long time provided it's made ok and you have spare parts. And given how fast is this one, I don't think I'll need another for a long time - knock on wood. I read there's another cable, Tactix, that's supposed to work flawlessly. Is there any drawback to VxDiag vs Tactix? So, does VxDiag run on any 64 bit system?
I have a Mini VCI (of unknown provenance) and a Tactrix, and while I've found the Tactrix to successfully do stuff on my Gen 3 that the VCI would botch, I've also had the reverse experience on a Gen 2. I have VxDiag in a box that I haven't opened or tried yet. I do like about the Tactrix that there's a going concern behind its design and development and you're buying it from them (as long as you're not buying some internet counterfeit; there are those of the Tactrix too.)
