- Thread starter
- #21
OK, I did a quick bleed on the PS front and rear damper assemblies, still bouncing. I've ordered the rear sensor, so I'll write an update when I get that in (scheduled to arrive Friday, so it will be next weekend).
New King Springs - AHC issue - ECU reset?
- Thread starter Clunky
- Start date
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I have not used TYTII so I am not sure how much this scanner shows. Suggest look for "Front Wheel Step" and "Rear Wheel Step". These indicate the damping levels to which @suprarx7nut refers. When the vehicle is stationary, these should show as Step 8 (middle of the range of 16 Steps). These can be watched while the vehicle is in motion -- for safety, best if there is a separate driver! If all is well, the "Steps" will change due to road conditions, braking etc. Step 1 is softest damping, Step 16 is hardest damping. The "Comfort" switch on the centre console can be operated, choosing "Comfort" through to "Sport", and variations in the range of Steps used can be observed.
If there is no movement from Step 8, then the vehicle is in 'fail safe mode'.
By the way, if in 'fail safe mode', the cause must be resolved or the condition will remain.
'Fail safe mode' is not eliminated by disconnecting and reconnecting the battery.
You could consider the "Damping Force Controlling Condition Check" (also called the 16 Step Test) as described at Pages 5 and 6 of the attachment. The purpose of this test is to try to determine whether there may be a problem at one of the Damping Force Control Actuators to which the 'globes' are attached -- basically in line with a suggestion above by @suprarx7nut.
For all of that, the starting point to resolve the described problems is to be sure of the basics -- particularly undertake repeated bleeding to be certain that air is eliminated from the AHC system as already suggested by @suprarx7nut and others, before looking for more complicated possibilities.
The next step is to be sure of the condition (physical and electrical) of the Height Control Sensors AND their connectors, harnesses and linkages -- faulty Sensors can cause 'fail safe mode'. Faulty Sensors may not throw a DTC unless there is a complete short circuit or open circuit in the Sensor or connector or harness, so absence of a DTC relating to Sensors does not give any assurance of Sensor health -- a Sensor may still be giving erratic readings to the ECU. Removal of suspected Sensors and physical inspection AND electrical testing is necessary as described in the FSM, including the connectors and harnesses. Replacement of ancient Sensors is a good idea in these 14 to 23 year old vehicles.
I'd get Techstream running. Seeing everything at once and having some rudimentary logging with faster sample rates available is worth quite a bit. All you need is a laptop and a $30 cable. Might save you a lot of time chasing after possible problems.
- Thread starter
- #24
Isn't Techstream (the version that consumers are using) pirated software? I'd sign up right away if Toyota offered a SaaS subscription at a reasonable price (say $19.99 per month or $199/year).
I don't have any pirated music either
I don't have any pirated music either
You could consider the purchase of Techstream Lite from Toyota, although this is quite expensive for a casual user. See details at:Isn't Techstream (the version that consumers are using) pirated software? I'd sign up right away if Toyota offered a SaaS subscription at a reasonable price (say $19.99 per month or $199/year).
I don't have any pirated music either
https://techinfo.toyota.com/techInfoPortal/appmanager/t3/ti?_pageLabel=ti_ts_lite&_nfpb=true
As an alternative, you may wish to explore other scanners, for example, scanners provided by https://www.icarsoft.com/Product/s-342-iCarsoft_TYT_II.html
Contact details:
Contact Us-iCarsoft Technology Inc.
iCarSoft Technologies Inc Head Office is in Washington DC.
A call to iCarSoft on 1 (703) 890-6001 should enable you to establish
- what their scanners can and cannot do, particularly in relation to AHC-equipped Lexus LX470 and LC100 vehicles, and,
- the commercial integrity of their offerings for Toyota vehicles and their relationship with Toyota (if any).
This Wikipedia link gives an indication:
On-board diagnostics - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-board_diagnostics
It is open to providers of scanning technologies to offer legitimate automotive scanning products – and iCarSoft Technology Inc. is one example of such a provider.
From time to time, posts appear on IH8MUD from Members who prefer and successfully use the iCarSoft TYTII scanner.
The point is that a suitable device is a practical necessity to scan the AHC Electronic Control Unit to make much progress with diagnosis of the AHC and TEMS systems – and in particular, AHC pressures.
Hope this helps.
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I stopped pirating music years ago, but I am 100% OK using the techstream package assembled by a fellow 'mud community member.Isn't Techstream (the version that consumers are using) pirated software? I'd sign up right away if Toyota offered a SaaS subscription at a reasonable price (say $19.99 per month or $199/year).
I don't have any pirated music either
Techstream is priced as it is, IMO, to prevent no-name mechanics from charging customers to screw around with their cars without being serious about their business. And/or to accommodate the ever-growing list of new models being added to the software's database. It's not priced as it is to attempt to prevent consumers from maintaining their vehicles with a completely static version from many years ago. Additionally, it's not as though we all have a meaningful alternative. Most dealers flat out refuse AHC work and refer customers to the AHC delete options. I wouldn't shed a tear for Toyota over Techstream.
A limited set of data is available via OBD2. AHC, TPMS and other data is not within the OBD2 framework and requires additional decoding (intentionally proprietary).
I think it's more accurate to say that the underlying system is a CAN protocol and that is proprietary. The required parameters within the OBD2 rules are made generic and do not require special decoding, unlike the myriad of other data that we're more interested in the context of AHC.
Short answer from me: You really need techstream. If you'd like to pay Toyota $65 for 48 hours or $1,295 for one year of licensing that's fine. One way or another though, I think you really need Techstream. The "5 Minutes or Less" version on here: It's not pirated in the "torrent" sense that someone from Russia has hacked the program and provided a sketchy serial code that must only be turned on when you disable network connections and edit registers in your PCs software etc... It's packaged cleanly by a community member with no sketchiness and the exact file in question has been used by countless other members with no ill effects.
This is really high rear pressure for having King springs. With no 3rd row and rear armour I am at around 4.5MPa from memory. The normal pressure is 5.6-6.7MPa. I would be surprised if you are at higher than normal with the King springs. It's either a problem with measuring of pressure (drop to Low, then rise back to High) or there is another issue in the system.
- Thread starter
- #28
I stopped pirating music years ago, but I am 100% OK using the techstream package assembled by a fellow 'mud community member.
Techstream is priced as it is, IMO, to prevent no-name mechanics from charging customers to screw around with their cars without being serious about their business. And/or to accommodate the ever-growing list of new models being added to the software's database. It's not priced as it is to attempt to prevent consumers from maintaining their vehicles with a completely static version from many years ago. Additionally, it's not as though we all have a meaningful alternative. Most dealers flat out refuse AHC work and refer customers to the AHC delete options. I wouldn't shed a tear for Toyota over Techstream.
A limited set of data is available via OBD2. AHC, TPMS and other data is not within the OBD2 framework and requires additional decoding (intentionally proprietary).
I think it's more accurate to say that the underlying system is a CAN protocol and that is proprietary. The required parameters within the OBD2 rules are made generic and do not require special decoding, unlike the myriad of other data that we're more interested in the context of AHC.
Short answer from me: You really need techstream. If you'd like to pay Toyota $65 for 48 hours or $1,295 for one year of licensing that's fine. One way or another though, I think you really need Techstream. The "5 Minutes or Less" version on here: It's not pirated in the "torrent" sense that someone from Russia has hacked the program and provided a sketchy serial code that must only be turned on when you disable network connections and edit registers in your PCs software etc... It's packaged cleanly by a community member with no sketchiness and the exact file in question has been used by countless other members with no ill effects.
It seems like you're saying if I don't like the business model of a software creator, then it is ok to use a copy of their software and not pay them for it. As someone who's created software, I have to disagree. I'm not judging anyone else for their perspective, I'm just going to stick with what works for me.
I didn't realize there was a way to pay Toyota $65 for 48 hours, I'll look into that.
Ah, ok. I didn't realize it was an ethical stance. I assumed (wrongly) that it was a safety/security issue. I'm all for paying for software/music, etc... I think this is a bit of an oddball case. Consumers/car owners were never the intended audience for techstream and the people that should be the ones using it for AHC (Dealer mechanics) often turn down the work.
I've purchased temporary TIS licenses before and would/will buy an evergreen one if I get a shop up and running. I used it for tech bulletin info and repair manuals. I can get behind buying those 48 hour licenses. $65 two or three times per year isn't outrageous and that should be about all you need.
- Thread starter
- #31
Has anyone tried the Carly app for getting all of the AHC diagnostic readings?
But apparently it's not working.
Do you feel bad for the code reader company when AutoZone comes and reads a CEL for free in the parking lot?
Have you ever read an excerpt from a service manual on Mud from another user? Did you pay for the service manual?
I get being ethical, but this that's a slippery slope.
On topic - when I installed my King springs the ride was hardly different. Will it go into low, normal, and high as it should? Are the globes in spec when you measure the amount of ticks on the AHC reservoir?
- Thread starter
- #33
Ethics are always a slippery slope, everyone needs to make their own decisions. I'm comfortable with mine, so yes it is "working for me" if you understand the context.
Low, normal, high work , but the process is a little herky jerky compared to the way it worked smoothly before putting in new globes. I have 12 ticks when going from low to high.
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- Thread starter
- #34
I have one of these, but it doesn't provide all the diagnostic categories.
Agreed. When it comes to automotive repair access, the intended users are really only certified shops/dealers. Everything else is some level of pirated, IMO.
Not to belabor the sidebar, but to @riffman12 's point, I think any of the aftermarket cheap options (iCarsoft, ELMScan, Torque, etc...) are in the "pirate" category. None of those are sanctioned by Toyota. If they can read anything beyond the simple OBD2 items mandated by the US federal government, they have hacked the proprietary Toyota/Lexus CAN bus and are reading data Toyota never wanted them to read.
I think it's honorable to go the high road and avoid pirated/hacked software/products, but IMO that means you only have one option: paid Techstream.
- Thread starter
- #36
iCarsoft sure looks like a legitimate company with worldwide distribution. It seems like a reasonable assumption that they found a legal way to read the data coming from the car's computer.
At the very least they are a big enough target for Toyota to pursue if they want to, unlike a bunch of individuals downloading copies.
I'm not intimately familiar with them, but at a glance, I think they're an overseas company that's made a low cost physical interface for hacked OEM diagnostics. It might be a very successful business, but I don't think they have a foundation of legitimacy better than the Amazon sellers selling a cable and a prepared pirated Techstream disc. I'm all for it since there exists no consumer level product from Toyota, but I don't think iCarsoft represents anything more legit than the links on mud and your own laptop running pirated techstream.
I think I'll double down on my stance: If legitimacy is your goal, genuine paid Techstream from Toyota TIS is your only option for the detailed diagnostics beyond OBD2 in the 100 series.
I don't think you'll see Toyota or any other OEM going after individuals for using their dealer only software. Much unlike other software pirating, nobody is stealing anything they want to sell.
Techstream in its paid or pirated version should help you sort this out - and I'm anxious to see that data list any way you go about getting it.
- Thread starter
- #38
This question got buried in my initial post:
Does anyone have any advice for how to remove the AHC temperature sensor? Mine doesn't want to budge and I don't want to break anything by forcing it with tools.
Should I try to get some pliers on it?
Does anyone have any advice for how to remove the AHC temperature sensor? Mine doesn't want to budge and I don't want to break anything by forcing it with tools.
Should I try to get some pliers on it?
- Thread starter
- #40
Great, thanks! I was think about trying some needle nose pliers and being gentle.
