Techstream not connecting to VIM

My guess would be driver issues. Are you sure you have the right drivers properly installed for the OBD2 cable you're using to connect the laptop to the car?

 

Driver issues?... ...Oh, you mean COMPUTER driver issues!

 

@Sharnold

One thing that I've run into previously with techstream:

Warnings sometimes pop up that it cannot "connect to the network". This is referring to the Toyota Network. If this occurs, don't select "try again". There should be another selection similar to "continue". Select that and the program will stop trying to connect to the Toyo network. It's best to have the laptops wireless system disconnected. If it currently connected to wireless when techstream starts, it will try to update and lock up the program.

 

Can't provide any help on that one that you haven't already mentioned. I've been fortunate enough where I've never run into that pop-up.

I think you're right about it just trying it on another car. At least then you'll know whether its a cable problem or a car problem.

 

There are a lot of discussions in PriusChat and the general internet about that error. I searched for "Unable to connect to VIM", and many articles came up that have solutions which involve the actual program installation or moving some of the files around. When I purchased my version, it came with instructions that were part of the CD. I printed them out and I consider myself lucky that I was able to follow them well enough to get mine to work, especially with 64 bit. I'm not computer literate enough to understand some of what they discuss in those articles. Hope you have better luck.

 

It tried to phone home and it bricked the program. Uninstall the program and reinstall it. It’s happened to me before also. Never try to start techstream when you have the internet connected.

Also I don’t think version 8 would connect to a 2016. Try version 12

Free Download and install Toyota Techstream 12.20.024 on Windows 7 | OBDII365.com Official Blog

I like this version better than the ones that manipulate the keys. This version has a 4 thousand something day expiration date instead.

 

This reminded me to check mine....now I'm depressed...wonder if it will reset if I reload from the CD? Anyone know?
Anyone familiar with both Ver 10 and Ver12? Better, worse, indifferent?

 

We tried a newer version and the functionality was worse (I want to say it was version 13 something).

I went back to 10.30.028 and haven’t looked back.

I’d say re-up with that.

 

In the old days of Window$, you probably would have had to find the date in your registry since that wouldn't always get removed by the uninstall. Not sure with newer versions. But I'd guess there's something in the system that has that record which the uninstall will leave behind to prevent people from getting around it like that.

Edit to add: However, I made the mistake of hitting the wrong button on my old version of TS and it started a countdown saying I had X number of uses left. That went away by itself when I installed a considerably newer version to be able to talk to the Prime. This is on XP running in Virtual Box on an old Linux laptop with the wifi turned off by a physical switch.

 

Never tried 10 myself but if I could get it to program the TPMS sensors I’d be all in.

 

This is how my version resets the connection limit. Many versions (mine included) only let you connect 30 times. Once I get down to about 5 left, I use the above procedure to reset the count down counter to 30

 

I’ve programmed keys with it, probably can do TPMS sensors with the ID’s too.

Really good tool to have around.