Best scan tool

Can't help you with anything but the speedometer. I doubt there is a scanner tool that can reprogram the speedometer for larger tires. Toyota will not even do it from within Tech Stream, nor any of the tuners can do it. There are two companies selling the same product to go between the IP cluster and the wiring harness; one of them is Hypertech, can't remember the other one at the moment. Before you buy one of them find the other company and compare, one was substantially less money. Also be aware that the device will only correct the speedometer and not the Cruise Control - that will still be off. Tire size changes are the only mod that will benefit from a speedometer correction, a change of differential gearing does not affect the speedometer. The speed calculation is taken at the two rear wheels.

Edit: Italicized is incorrect - cruise control is corrected.

 

If you're leaning D7, check out the IP819.

From my last conversation with XTool Direct:

"As confirmed with our tech, A30M/D7/D8 can support your 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport 2WD V6, VIN: ********* for following commonly used functions:
all system diagnostics, bi-directional control, read transmission temps, TPMS reset, ABS bleeding, BMS reset, Transmission adaptation, Throttle relearn

Besides, D7 and D8 can also support your vehicle 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport 2WD V6 for more special functions as listed below, while A30M does not.
Yaw Rate Sensor calibration, ABS Initialization, zero point calibration, add new key+read pin+remote program(But D7 can't support this vehicle for all key lost, D8 work with KC100+KS1 can support this vehicle for all key lost)

BTW, may I know if you will be interested in IP819? IP819 is the newest released scanner, which can cover almost all the functions that D7 can do on this vehicle, but is different at the hardware, and cheaper than D8. Additionally, IP819 can also work with KC100+KS1 to support this vehicle for all key lost."

Price on Amazon with coupons usually put the IP819 at around $450-470. Most consistent complaint on the D7 is it has quirks in navigation, where as the D8 acts more like like Techstream and other OEM tools. The IP819 is supposedly the middle ground with updated UX/Navigation/hardware. I hate how much smoke and mirrors there is with all these tools. I'd have already ordered it, but my dog decided I wanted surprise vet bills instead.

 

Hypertech sounds familiar, I must have come across that thread at some point and forgotten about it. I'll look them up.

Yeah...I figured out where it took the speed from after doing larger tires then waiting a bit before re-gearing. I did some mental math on how the re-gear should have affected my speedometer and then couldn't figure out why everyone had lost their minds on my commute the next day. I think my brain was 15mph off of what we were actually doing.

 

Thanks for the information. Any idea if all key lost capability means it can just program an additional key? I'm just not familiar with most of this language. It sounds like "cover almost all the functions of the d7" would likely include key programming.

 

Yes, D7/D8/IP819 all do "Add key" but there's apparently a difference in "All Key Lost" that the D7 can't do, but D8/IP819 can. I think the difference is "add key" uses a master key as a starting point, "All Keys Lost" has to flash old and add all new keys. That is at least, my interpretation of what they've said. There's a youtuber that shows the diff between the "Add" and "All" on a Matrix - so it tracks.

The other difference they noted was IP819 is updated for CAN vehicles, where the D7 is not. So just another consideration for future-proofing (if there is such a thing).

 

Not to run down a rabbit hole, but to others reading this, this seems to be the speedo calibration alterative to hypertech that you mentioned. Runs about $110 at the moment. But it looks like i'll need a hypertech for my '15. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...native-to-the-hypertech.622313/#post-21226441

 

Forgot to mention, if you don't care about bidirectional controls - IP616 usually has coupons and "Lightning Deals" for around $300 and it has lifetime updates. Allegedly it can add keys (with the add on).

 

No, your link was not the Hypertech alternative that I was referring to; the Hypertech and the other that I still can’t think of were identical products. Just different names and colors IIRC. I’d never seen the product in your link, I suspect most people would go the plug and play installation of the Hyperlink and clone versus the hack the wires route.

 

That sounds like the rough country one.

 

That’s it, Rough Country is the clone.

 

Went ahead and bit on the IP819.



Finish and feel is...quite nice. Once you get past the first round of updates, it's pretty fast. Usability is ongoing, some things weren't as intuitive as they maybe could be, but some of it is I've just never had a tablet style scanner, so maybe it's me. Once I figured out how to get to what I wanted - ezpz. Right now I'm just chasing misfire ghosts on the Honda since this thing catches more in real time than my pos reader, but I'll poke at the Taco this weekend.

 

Necro-bump, yes, close to a year to the day and surprised that there are not many posts.

I'll check the rest of the forum but I am more interested in what 3rd gen owners are using and recommend for a standalone scan tool (mode-6, live data & graphing, bidirectional, year-make-model, and non-subscription) ....and not a phone app or cheapO reader.



I'm trying to figure what to get, originally I was looking at a snapon(bluepoint) EECR5A ($545) and was told by them to look at the innova 5610 ($293) which has bidirectional but have been reading some bad reviews of it (even here).
There's the Toyota car care nut youtuber who recommends the Xtool D7 & D8, this vids are a year old.

Haven't dug into Launch or Autel yet.

 

I updated my link in post #3. The Foxwell NT530 is now about a hundred bucks cheaper than I paid a couple of years ago. Very happy with it.

$170 FOXWELL NT530 for Toyota, Lexus, Scion - All Systems, All Maintenance Service - Bidirectional Diagnostic Scan Tool OBD2 Scanner Automotive Code Reader ABS Bleed SRS Airbag SAS TPMS TPS EPB Oil Reset

https://www.amazon.com/FOXWELL-NT530-Toyota-Lexus-Scion/dp/B0CZ7DVCN7

 

With aftermarket scan tools you need to know what you want it to do and what your budget is.

You said you want live data, mode $06, graphing, bi-directional controls, and all makes/models coverage.

A ton of tools will do all makes/models data/graphing/recording (some are better at it than others) and mode $06 (depends on the vehicle but many will only give you raw data but some will put the descriptions in).

Functional tests/bi-directional controls are an area where you kinda don't know for sure a function you want is there or if it works or not until you try it on a vehicle where you need it, many tools do a very good job at it but I've found that even if a test/function/reset is there it may not work or it may work with one tool and not another.

Things you didn't mention are:

Do you want it to do all systems with functional tests/bi-directional controls?

Do you want it to do security functions such as program keys? I Will note that this is currently kind of a grey area and there's talk of locking down security functions in scan tools that used to be freely available on older vehicles, on newer vehicles you typically can't do security stuff without a VSP login anyway.

Do you want it to do PMI/coding?

Do you want network topology? (handy but really only useful if you do alot of network diagnostics).


That being said my top 3 scan tool companies currently are Autel, Launch, and TopDon. I would add SnapOn but they are way overpriced for what they are although I will say if you do mostly driveability diag their tablets have by far the best graphing and data recording IMO.

I would say your gona be in the $500-700 range if you want a well rounded tool that does all makes/models/systems, functional tests/bi-directional controls, and some coding.

If you want network topology on top of that your gona be in the $900-1500 range.

 

Super helpful there, thanks!!
I’ve never had one and ideally would like to just buy one and done that I won't outgrow as I learn how to use it.

Appreciate the other parameters you mentioned.
...bidirectional on at least the basics (all new to me) , keys no, security no


For now I just need it to work on my 2017 and would like to avoid something that requires a constant subscription to function and all of those prices are possible for me.


This guy tested most of what you said and was leaning towards the xtools d7,d8 .....now it's a two year old vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT8xSxLRjCE
0:00 Intro
0:31 Scan tool Features Overview
1:40 Top Don Phoenix Plus Review
8:42 ThinkCar Thinktool Pro Review
14:11 Xtool D8 Review
16:35 Snap On Apollo D9 Review
23:51 Final Thoughts

 

Most anything would fit that providing you aren't consistently needing to work on newer vehicles.

Next to having access to all systems functional tests/bi-directional controls are the most useful things to have for testing things and performing certain relearns/resets that can only be done with a scan tool (brake service on vehicles with electronic parking brakes comes to mind).

Most of the aftermarket tools as far as I'm aware don't require an active subscription to use (the exception here is 2018+ Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram and any other secure gateway vehicle that requires AutoAuth you need an active subscription on your scan tool and an AutoAuth account or you will have read only access), a subscription is required to get updates (many come with 1-3 years of updates) but in many cases it's more cost effective to buy a new tool than it is to pay to update an old one.

I don't have any experience or knowledge on the Xtool brand, I personally own a SnapOn Verus Edge, Autel MS906BT, and Launch X431 Pro 3s+ so I'm very familiar with those. Most of the auto techs I follow on youtube use one or more of the brands I mentioned and they do 95% of what they need them to do, the other 5% would likely require the OE tool anyway.
I know TopDon and ThinkTool are essentially Launch clones, the software is for the most part the same with a slightly different UI. I'm thinking Xtool is an Autel clone but don't quote me on that.
In fact many of the "off brand" scan tools are essentially clones of either Autel or Launch software with a little different hardware and UI on top.

 

Thanks so much , I'll look into those.

 

I have a foxwell and I'm happy with it

 

The main thing is do your research the best you can before you buy so you can be as sure as you can that whatever you choose will do what you want/need it to do. Don't just go by the marketing jargon, poke around on google and youtube and find reviews & people that actually are using it.

 

Seems like a lot of people have them.
I was looking for something a little higher level, but maybe that’s a waste?