Labor Rate for Techstream work

Hey Guys,

I recently bought my wife a 2015 4Runner Limited and then bought and installed the Remote Engine Start module. However, there's about five minutes worth of Techstream programming to pair the RES with the smart key system in order for the system to work appropriately.

I e-mailed a local dealer yesterday and he replied that the pairing process using Techstream is $79.95 and should take around an hour.

I have the install instructions from TIS and know the process takes ~10 mintues or less. I assume $79.95 is their billable hourly labor rate.

Am I boned? Should I take the deal? Or is this ridiculous?

Any feedback or experience helps. I know I posted this in the 2G section, please reposition if there is a better category.

Thanks in advance!

-Jon

 

$79.95 sounds low for an hourly rate, but it's standard practice to have a minimum charge for electronic diagnostics and programming, that flat rate sounds about average. The equipment and software is expensive to purchase and maintain.

You try one of the offshore mini-VCI cables and the pirated Techstream, and do it yourself, though I was never able to get it to work with windows 8.

 

I thought about that. I bet you're right about the minimum charge for diagnostics.

I may pick up a cable and gamble the $20. I have access to a bunch of different laptops and software images through work. I could make a 32-bit XP or Win7 laptop appear pretty quick. Thanks landphil.

 

FYI.... i bought a techstream cable and got the software working on my win 7 64bit comp rather easily. pretty neat to see all the stuff the ecu reports back.

 

i picked up two cables off Amazon... one of them will show up tomorrow so i can play. Crossing fingers that it won't break anything.

 

Been looking for a thread like this for a while. I would love to pick up the software and check things out. However messing up the ECU is not something I want to do! But would love to mess with it.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00W97K7O6

 

There really is not a whole lot you can do in the techstream software to mess stuff up. You can see all the data , program TPMS, program keys, and change configurable settings (seatbelt beep, n how doors unlock)

 

I could only get mine to work on an XP laptop, but, it connects to all three of my Toyota's. It is pretty "neat".

 

So I guess no way to turn off the downhill assist then huh...Also be great to change shift points but again that might be getting to deep thus not available through the software.

 

Where is the Techstream download able to be found?

 

I believe it comes on a burned CD with the cable. Which is cute.

 

Intriguing..

 

I bought the kit in 2011 for my tundra & used it on an old XP laptop. I never thought of using it on my 2013 Tacoma.
If I could turn off the seat belt beep & fix the key fob unlock I would be super happy.
Do you think it would work the same on my 2013 or does the software need updating? The CD I have is from 2011....Hmmm....

 

Give it a try, worst case scenario it doesnt read properly and you wont connect.

fyi latest techstream right from toyotas site

https://www.toyota-tech.eu/GTS/Wizard/Step5-Software.aspx

 

A tad bit expensive.

1 Year Subscription* € 2400.00
1 Month Subscription € 240.00
1 Week Subscription € 72.00
1 Day Subscription € 16.00
4 hours Subscription € 12.00
3 hours Subscription € 9.00
2 hours Subscription € 6.00
1 hour Subscription € 3.00

 

Yup it'll work on a '13. I use it to reprogram the TPMS cpu when I install my winter tires and again for the summer wheels. Turned off the seatbelt ding too...

 

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/44020/techdoc3/GTS+OTHER+PC/GTS_10.20.030_TME_NDSI.exe

there is the link to the installer.... and if you do 10 min of googling, you can use the program without issue, no need for a subscription.

 

You guys were right on!
worked like a charm.
No more seat belt chime!
Thanks.

 

I ordered this and one of the files on the CD has a virus (trojan) on it. And it is a key file needed to get the driver installed.

The file "MVCI Driver for TOYOTA.msi" has firmwareupdatetool.exe embedded within it, which contains the virus:

http://www.herdprotect.com/firmwareupdatetool.exe-e09869815fe47fb72abd978d46080b2af2cce8ab.aspx

So I am going to find a trash laptop to install this software on, which if it gets infected, it won't matter.

Be careful!