I just wanted to drop by and add to this forum my experience with Techstream software. Its awesome!

Toyota Techstream is the diagnostic software that dealerships use to program features on your car, as well as diagnose and troubleshoot problems.

There's a lot you can customize with it, especially for newer Lexus (Gen 4+ ES) that have CAN bus, including lights, door locks, windows, programming remotes and keys and security systems.

It will still work with the older ES300's but you won't have customization features, just diagnostic tools and readouts.

I made a short demonstration video on using Techstream on my Lexus ES330:


I bought the cheap mini VCI cable from eBay, $25, it has an OBD connector on one end and USB on the other.



There are a few hurdles to get it working on windows x64, installation instructions can be found here:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73034

I opted (for now) to hook it up to an old Windows XP desktop (literally set it up on my driveway) and the drivers and Techstream installed no problem.

You can do a lot of diagnostics using the cable, such as reading engine, ABS and airbag codes as well as monitor voltage readouts and the position of switches and sensors.



My favorite menu is customizing the door locks. Now one click unlocks all doors. And my doors unlock when I shift back into park, and my dome light illuminates



The most exciting thing I've found so far is that I can enable the alarm on base model cars, since Toyota used the same Body ECU across all trims. I was able to do that on my dad's Sienna:


I bought this cable because I was planning on programing some new transponder keys to my ES330 and my brother's GS300. Seeing as we have 4 Toyota/Lexus vehicles on our driveway this cable will come in to good use!

 

are you able to test on an older car, say a 1999 es300 :P , I had issue with this kinda kit in the past (not working), I think you could prove the concept on any car in that general era (from toyota).

 

I tried hooking it to a 1999 ES300 and my 1999 Solara. Because these cars were from the era before CAN bus was used on Toyota's cars, customization isn't available.

You still have access to read engine codes, monitor voltages, sensors and readouts, airbag and ABS codes as well as immobilizer / transponder key programming, which is still more advanced than your OBDII reader.

 

Very cool.

Can you elaborate a little bit on what the Wiper function allows you to control?

Is it just rewipe time and speed or is there an ability to change functions related to the rain sensor?

Thanks...

 

Another question: What was the cost of the Techstream software itself? And source? (If you don't mind sharing.)

I've seen a bunch of references to Techstream elsewhere in the forum, but since you are mentioning it in regard to the ES330 (my vehicle also), I thought I'd ask.

Thanks...

 

The wiper menu is empty in my car. I don't have the automatic wipers.

Link to the software and installation is in the OP. The cable does come with a CD of the software, though mine didn't work and I had to download it from there. Cable cost me $25 from ebay.

 

Thanks, speedkar9. I appreciate the info.

I'll have to do a bit more reading about this. I go off on tangents with all the stuff I want to read on my ES330 and I have enough "to be continued" reading material to keep me busy for weeks.

 

Will this work with a BlueTooth OBDII reader?

 

No, you need the specific Mini VCI cable that the computer will detect as a COM port to communicate to.

 

I'm sorry I'm an idiot... but i dont see a link to the software?

 

In the first post:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73034


Found the cable for $18.90 on eBay here. China, so will take a couple weeks to get in, free shipping:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/291722749895?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

 

I get "Transponder code registration failed.The communication error occurred between key and ECU" message when I try to registrar a new key. I am not sure how many keys are registered in the car. How do I find out the number of registered key. Can I reset the immobilizer without a pass code and register two of my keys? Please help!!!