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An update to my testing of the new V2.0.4 cable. It appears the cable works just fine with a 2011 Camry. The cable connected right up to the car and performed most of the functions as expected. The only function it did not communicate with was the TPMS sensors.
Any ideas? I thought it might have to do with the change in the way the sensors are now user accessible!
One last point, Retro brought up the point about the different bus types, well I am convinced this cable does not communicate with my car vs the 2011 Camry because of those different buses!
I believe the newer Camry communicates on the faster CAN bus and my car communicates on the slower K-line bus. I am sure retro will help set me straight!
Yep. I still believe that's the issue. The CAN bus was introduced in the SC around 2005 or 2006. The Camry definitely has it.
The problem is that in the earlier model SCs the line that would be used for CAN bus communication on the OBD port is connected the Skid Control ECU with the BEAN bus.
So the cable tries to communicate with the car by scanning for buses. If it tries the CAN bus before the ISO (K-Line) it would stimulate that line. The BEAN bus is pretty much always streaming something and the format is somewhat similar to CAN. So, the cable looks for a CAN bus signal, it finds something that sort of looks like a CAN signal, but it is not getting what it expects.
Depending on how the firmware is written, the cable could believe the car has a CAN bus but something is wrong and it gives up there.
It could be as simple as different versions of the cable firmware scan in a different order.
If you have verified that the cable does work, this could really be the only reason. The ISO protocol is standard, so there is no reason that the car and cable would have trouble communicating on that protocol.
Great explanation Retro! You always break it down to easily understandable information and I appreciate it.
Now I need to test the cable with pin 14 disabled. My goal is to install a small SPST switch to enable/disable pin14. The problem is the way pins 9-16 wired to the PCB. Pins 1-8 are much easier to access.
You know that I had started going down that path with the switch, but then I decided that these cables really aren't that expensive that I couldn't dedicate one to the SC.
If you look inside the cable, the pins are soldered to the circuit board in a way that if you just suck up the solder with some solder wick, you can disconnect pin 14 and then re-solder it at some point if you really wanted it.
Unless the 2.0.4 cable is very different (have some pics of the inside?)
BTW, this is what I have been working on. My plan is to install the cable permanently in the car.
I designed and printed a carrier for the techstream circuit board which will be installed inside of a little box. The USB and 4 OBD wires will come out on a single connector and will be connected directly at the gateway ECU.
I paused a little while I am waiting to receive my spare gateway ECU. It's possible I could either install the circuit right inside the ECU box or I may find a serial connection inside the ECU that could negate the need for the cable at all.
But ayway, this is where I had gotten to in this project, so far:
For extra info... U8 is the CAN transceiver and U6 is the K-Line transceiver (K-Line and ISO Low signals are across R1). The empty solder holes (P2) on the circuit appear to be a serial interface, but it looks like it is for programming the CPU (U1) when I traced them out.
However, the cable uses a standard USB to serial chip (on the opposite side) which means you could easily convert it to bluetooth. It is using an FTDI FT232R USB to serial chip: http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Docu.../DS_FT232R.pdf It is using the CTS/RTS lines, so you would need a bluetooth serial module with these signals.
Bad news for me, I cut the back of pin 14 (CAN line) and you were correct, no more false reading but it still did not detect the car.
Hmm. Ok. A couple of questions:
1. What pins are physically connected at the OBD port in the cable?
2. Is there a solid connection to pin 7?
3. Can you measure if there is 12V between pin 16 and 4?
4. Is pin 4 and 5 shorted together inside the cable?
5. Can you post some pictures of the inside of your cable (front and back and at the OBD connector)?
With better pics, U11 is 75176B an RS485 driver, often just used for generic differential drive interfacing. May be the J1850 interface. it would be connected to pins 2 and 10 of the OBD port in that case.
But that creates a mystery for the purpose of U5. It's not easy to see where all the connections are going. Logical use would be to turn power on/off to the different ICs, or possibly to set an I/O voltage.
If it were used to turn on/off ICs, you could check to make sure that 12V appears at pin 7 and 5V appears at pin 3 (of U6).
But it could just be used to keep the cable from drawing voltage to the vehicle battery when not being actively used.
If you can safely isolate all connections except for 4,5,7,15, and 16. That would ensure that nothing could be interfering. Those are the only connections you need in the SC430.
Note to others reading this: That doesn't apply to 2004+ model years!
Hope I didn't skip over the answer to this question. Has anyone on here used Win10 with the Techstream with success? If so what version cable? Thanks in advance.
BGW asked I paste this information into this thread.
Caveat. Things change over the years, so here is the current position as of June 1st 2016 to my understanding:
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It all sounds more complex than it actually is. Just buy it, you won't regret it.
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There is a lot of threads/posts on the topic, but all rather confusing and conflictory.
Part of that is the confusion between the version of the Software (comes on a mini-CD) and that of the Firmware (in the "cable").
Firmware is typically 1.4.1 or 2.0.x (see note 1 & 2)
Software is typically 10.10.018 (or thereabouts. see note 3)
Note 1: Some will state as a fact that you need 2.0.whatever to carry out "Active Tests" or whatever. False. I have 1.4.1 and the software is fully functional (in a 2002 model year car)... tests, data lists, clear DTC etc.
Note 2: It is reported that 2006+ SC430's need Firmware 2.0.x+ for the full functions (EG "Active Tests") to work. You will get reduced functionality in late model cars with firmware 1.4.x
Note 3: You may think the very latest SW is a good thing. False. They (Toyota aka Denso) bring out new versions to cover new models and features. Hardly applicable to the SC430!
Note 4: If the Ebay/Amazon/AliExpress seller doesn't specify the levels of Firmware & Software then you will probably get v1.4.x firmware and v10.x.x software. Great for pre-2006 and "adequate" for post-2006. But you may as well get v2.0.x firmware if you can.
Note 5: Some will say that TechStream will only run under XP (or other 32bit windows). False. To be fair (at worst) you do need to do a little fiddling on the installation for 64bit Windows but it's easy enough (I run mine on Windows 8.1 x64).
So, having said all that and in summary:
Pre 2006 - v1.4.1 firmware & v10.10.018 software
Post 2006 - V2.0.x firmware & v10.10.018 software for full functionality
(Post 2006 - v1.4.1 firmware & v10.10.018 software works, but advanced functionality is reported not to work).
You ought to be able to get v1.4.1 firmware & v10.10.x software for ~£10/€13/$15 easily enough.
This is where I got mine, but there are loads out there: aliexpress.com/item/Top-Reated-V10-10-018-MINI-VCI-OBD-Diagnostic-Interface-Standard-Communication-MINI-VCI-J2534-TIS/1000001652155.html (can't do a proper URL link as forum will rewrite it to get referral fee but break it in doing so. That's the case with all AliExpress links alas).
For a few bucks more (possibly double), you can ensure you get v2.0.x firmware BUT I'd recommend you put a message in to the Seller when you order, specifying "must be v2.0.4 firmware to work on my car. If it's not I will need a refund and the return postage costs covered" or similar. Searching for the phrase "vci" or "techstream" & "2.0.4" ought to bring up filtered results in Amazon/Ebay/AliExpress (cheapest sellers just cut & paste text so you are filtering out the cheapest options for peace of mind).
Techstream and other scanners relevant. Better understanding of data from mode $06, and how to interpret it. I've been using mode $06, but never tried to explain it on here. It's way to much information to just type it, plus I'm no expert either. I found this video today, it is very long, but very comprehensive. In fact the whole series of videos by this person is absolutely wonderful.
02-14-16, 04:08 AM
