What version of techstream should I buy?

Cheapest MINI VCI for TOYOTA V13.00.022 Single Cable

Here you go. Usually comes with the newest version.

 

I have that version, I can connect reset codes etc, but I cant do an active water pump test, or several other things without getting error codes, Yes i have the "password " that gives me 500 years of access, It seems to connect and recognize the car, but the main thing i am trying to diagnose on my 40kmiles 2013 prius it gives me a techstream error code, for active tests do I need the one for 39.99 lower on the page?


Mangoose VCI for Toyota Features and Functions:

1. Customize (C-Best)
2. Diagnostic Trouble Codes
3. Data List
4. Active Test
5. Monitor
6. Utility
7. Reprogramming
8. Health Check

 

yeah i bought one laptop that was xp, and it took me a week to get all the programs I needed to run it, as xp doesnt have access to webpages anymore, also I discovered with the intel3 chipset I coudn't download chrome, and firefox. and it was slow as well slow. So i got a netbook with windows 7 for 60.00 and it is so much faster. (I don't know how to do virtual machine, and and, not computer savy enough to know how to protect my personal data on my laptop when downloading 20.00 software from a foreign country, and I was born more than a 1/2 century ago) I did get the xp to hook up to the car but it was slow and was doing the same techstream error codes.

On the page linked above, does your computer recognize the minivsi adaptor?

 

I have a 2008 Prius and have had success using Techstream V13.00.022 on a Dell laptop with Windows 10 and 64 bit system. Software instructions say it will work with a 32 bit system also. Have used it to calibrate brake actuator. linear offset as well as most other software functions having to do with the brakes. I have experimented with it monitoring the HV battery and it does fine there. the cable is a Mini VCI J2534. It came with a cd for the Techstream software which has proved to be invaluable when loading Techstream

 

The version of Techstream is pretty irrelevant for Gen 2 – V6 - V10 is fine. The exception in the case outlined by the OP, he will (obviously) need the latest version to recognised the latest models in which he's interested.

The version is also irrelevant in regards to problems installing, as most of the time it is a problem with the cable. If you want reliable get a good cable. It goes without saying that a product you are buying for $5-$20 is going to come with quality control problems. A product you buy from a verifiable bricks and mortar store for $80, $160 or $500 is an odds on bet to be more successful all round. All these Mini VCI cables are not equal, so tread carefully.

If you have already installed Techstream with Mini VCI (and it is running other than having connection problems) and you then change to VxDiag or another, you shouldn't have to mess with uninstalling Techstream. You just need to install the cable driver and then select the new cable in Techstream. I believe also that the more expensive cables have no trouble running in Win 10 64-bit. So you can buy a cheap netbook and go for broke.

If you want speed and reliability, then buy a VxDiag, Tactrix Openport or Drew Technologies Mongoose (not the Mangoose knock-off) cable. Sometimes you need to buy several Mini VCI before you find one that works as it should.

 

So when I have the techstream program open, and click test the cable, my cable has several points that are red (or not reading) I am inside the house and don't recall which pins are red, but it looked something like this. If the cord is working properly which pins are suppose to be green?

 

Two things, if you can do that test, your cable is working. Some of those lines will always be red on some cables, because the cables themselves do not support the line, even when they claim in their specs that they do.

Secondly, I don't know what, of those, lines the Techstream/Mongoose (the official Toyota supported cable) pairing requires.

Maybe @ChapmanF, if he felt so inclined and had the time, could do that test using his OpenPort cable and post a picture. I know I'd be interested in those results.

I do know that not having one of those lines prevents modifying some configuration settings and also prevents using any security options. I just don't know which one.

 

I had to buy a second dongle so I could get "KWP 2000 ISO 14230-4" so I could do TPMS stuff. The TPMS didn't even show up in my other dongle.

Ironically, stupidly, I needed TS version 13.xxxx to "introduce" a new TPMS to the computer, then 12.xxxx to read current data to show that it "took". TS doesn't coexist with itself so it took an uninstall/ reinstall.

My old dongle was good for stuff like reading the HV battery packs and did let me bleed the rear brakes, so it had that going for it.

I think the new one allows more customizations like door lock behavior, beeping, etc. thanks to the KWP protocol.

 

eljefino I posted the version and cable I had above. Mine is the version 13 and you are correct it has the complete customization menu. When I got it I went through the different menus to check them and in all cases it was able to monitor the variables in the the different menus and utilities. If my memory serves me on the health check it found and verified the condition of 16 computers/subsystems and their conditions. It would allow you to access the information and utility function in each system.

i am by no means an expert on Techstream and don't want to pass myself as one. I just want to confirm your assumption.