PLEASE STOP trying to use Torque Pro to get ECU data AND TPMS. it wont work, here is why/how i do it

Please STOP trying to program your Torque Pro app to obtain TPMS when it is connected to the ECU. it cannot be done. here is why...

Canbus descriptions have been basically explained by some contributors on this link (it helps to look at post #5 and #12) then continue here


https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/what-obd2-protocol-do-we-have.312637/

Actually the 2nd and 3rd gen tacomas dont use only ODB protocol like CAN-SF or the list of ISO type protocols listed in the above pasted post link, instead of using just one, the multiplex High and Low wires are interconnected to various units that Toyota picked from different sub vendor which many of them each work on different protocols. thus Toyota used UDS protocol which is a more modern service or protocol that allows for multiple types of boxes with different protocols to be interconnected and still transfer data without any master clock controlling the timing. but when you to connect your "ODB reader" you bought from Amazon and using whatever app to command it to connect to a unit that that app wants to communicate with, you have to manually set the protocol specific for the unit you want to get info from. ie the ECU or the TPMS/RF REMOTE Unit or the Instrument cluster or the ABS/TRAC unit or the Immobilizer, or the SRS system (airbags) or whatever unit. yeah not all of these use the standard "ODB protocol" that most ECUs are, so when you get the ECU data but cant get the data from othe things like the TPMS, its because your reader cant talk like a UDS system can.



Unified Diagnostic Services
UDS is best explained by this statement i found:

UDS as a diagnostic protocol was developed to unify all the diagnostics standards that existed previously and to come up with a single valid set of diagnostic services for the automotive ECUs.

This has ensured that integration of the UDS protocol stack reduces the additional costs for the development of diagnostic communication applications.

Comparison Between KWP 2000 and UDS Protocol:
While, UDS protocol can be seen as a superset of the KWP 2000, since it is derived from the latter, a basic comparison of both

Support for in-vehicle communication networks: The KWP 2000 protocol supports CAN and K-line bus systems .

The UDS protocol is designed to be independent of the underlying vehicle network as it supports a range of bus systems including CAN, CAN -FD, LIN, etc.

KWP 2000 is highly preferred where the vehicles are based on legacy systems such as K-line. Otherwise, these days UDS protocol is the goto standard for vehicle diagnostics.


SO.....


What i did was i have 2 OBDLINK MX+ units and a ODB 3 way splitter with both of these bluetooth units plugged into it at my maintenance port. (actually behind it but wired in so there are three available connection points. you get the idea Hopefully ...... Anyway, 2 ports have these MX+ units connected to them and the third is open for whatever i may need to connect for Maintenance purposes)

my truck tablet (AUCAR andriod 11 12.1 display) has Torque Pro app loaded and also the ODBLINK app loaded.

Both MX+ units are paired to the tablet (up to 7 devices can be paired to most Tablets)

The Torque pro App connects to one of the MX+ units which is on the Standard automatic protocol defaut setting (which i believe is ISO 9141-2,) so it connects to the ECU and gives me all stadard PIDS and some add ons i programmed for Trans Fluid temp of the Torque Converter and the Pan

The ODBLINK app connects to the other MX+ unit simultaneously and its configured within ODBLINK app to connect using the KWP 2000 which allows me to talk to the TPMS unit and get tire pressures, tire temps, and the tire low limit setting value (which is set when the trucks "TPMS SET" button is pushed and held for a few seconds). so i can see what values each tire has to fall to to trigger the TPMS idiot light on the dash. this value is calculated for each tire based on the current pressure reported at each tire and then a computed lower threshhold is set and no ...not all 4 tires will have the same threshold value if their pressures werent equal at the time of pushing the set button. Those of you that cue in on this can see how thats handy to know what the threshold is when using the set button and knowing in advance of when your idiot lihht will illunate. so many people misunderstand that button and think its a TPMS reset or whatever when its really used for seetting the threshold based on your desired pressure you have inflated each tire too. for those not quite getting this, lets give a further example. lets say i want to deflate all my tires to go offroading. i can then press the set button and it will lower the threshold for when the warning for each tire is to below the deflated level i desire. say i went ahead and deflated my tires to 15 psi, and press the set button..... then the threshold for that tire will be probably around 10 psi. I dont know the exact calculation the unit uses but it does set to threshold to below what ever each current tire is at the time of pushing and sets thresholds independently for each tire. so you can see how knowing those values are useful or at least have piece of mind knowing that your tpms idiot light is going to work and the values arent all screwed up

for those that have been trying to get TPMS on their Torque App while connected to ECU data... STOP... you cant do it. ive read many many blogs on here and have seen so many people attempting to get data from TPMS via the protcol setting for the ECU when when their ODB reader is connected to the ECU, you cant, you have to log off and then change protocol and reconnect and then you can only get TPMS and not ECU data. only way to do this is like i have done using two "ODB readers"

yes i have both apps open and yeah sure i can do split screen if i wanted to, but i dont. I just watch my torque Pro page and have the ODBLINK open in the background to switch to if i get a TPMS idiot light ON or if i just want to glance at tire temps and pressures i can just chnage to the various open apps like you can do on any Personal electronic device

 

OBDLINK app connected via kwp2000 to the TPMS unit …

 

What about this method?

 

Sure if that works for you

me personally, i prefer to monitor my 315mhz sensors that are built in

the cons for using a system like that for me are:

1) i have a Tablet display and dont want additional displays like scangauge or other things ...... my mentality, i have the tablet... use it. and the MX+ Blutooth is cheaper than adding a scangauge just to get the TPMS data
(FYI, Scan guage uses a form of UDS where they modified their software at ver 4.5 and above to allow the unit to connect more than one protocol like your factory ECU does, Torque pro cant do this)
2) those caps are holding your schrader valve open which is dangerous in my opinion, at the very least consider that if those caps get damaged they will will leak and they are vulnerable to being hit. albeit the schrader stem on any tire can itself can be hit too, but these connected onto them make them hang out there even more.
3) those work on 433.92 and not 315, basically thats reserved for HAM and is not suppose to be used in the USA< which isnt worth an argument, but just worth a mention. albeit, im also a licensed HAM but fyi, I can jam those by keying up my radio on that working frequency that is allocated Ham operators. and adding the point again, same concept as #1, I have existing sensors...use them instead of adding a second duplicate system.

whatever works for others, my preference is to use the tablet and use the existing 315 sensors and definitely no need to disable my factory system for want of a chinese 433 system where you could also use in tire transmitters on 433 instead of caps and carry a canister with the 315 or disable the tpms and deal with the idiot light disable and the codes (especially in california where you fail emission and annual vehicle inspection if your sensors are failed, blah blah blah) i know, but it is what it is.

Just helping out with others that may be looking to do it clean and get the readouts on truck mounted table for ECU and TPMS PIDS and keep a factory set of sensors and your idiot light working and all. have to admit its a much cleaner method

Plus my tablet not only has its own phone number for voice and data and can stream movies or whatever, it also connects to my HAM radio and can use amatuer satellites and mountain top repeaters to TX/RX or relay SMS messages when out of cell range and also for APRS, position reporting when i want to be sending position for others to locate me (i can enable/disable on the fly)

bottom line is i dont have a single RAM mount anywhere and dont want that type of mounting system with gadgets attached all over the dash wherever people can find real estate.

 

also...It is important that before anyone buys two odb units that you check to see if you can configure your personal device to open more than one virtual serial port via bluetooth if you cant then my method wont work for you either. I was able to get my tablet to do so but it wasnt easy and took some hacking ad its a chinese off brand unit. My iphone cant do this nor any of my other personal devices that can pair multiple bluetooth

actually itll still work with just one adapter but you have to completely exit torque pro before launching odblink and vice versa so the bluetooth is completely released from the app controlling the virtual serial port before connecting with the other app and using a different protocol

not a huge deal but you cant keep them both open with one in the background


Ill tell you, since there is a growing trend of aftermarket tablet upgrades in vehicles....what would be nice is if scan gauge would make a scangauge iV that is app based with a usb cable with a converter unit in the cable housing their software and all for direct wire connection of tablet with a app that interfaces to controll the settings and display options.... seems scan gauge inside their unit already has the capability to serial to multiple vehicle units at once that are on different protocols asort of UDS type of control they have over all other odb reader type of interfaces that all all just one protocol at a time

all they need to do is take it one step further and instead of using their scangauge II or III cable and unit as a brain and a display, make a version IV and move the display to an app that control the brain thats in an interface cable bettween the odbII port and the head unit for adding "Xgauge PIDS" and for changing setting in their brain and updating firmware etc... and the app also allows you to customize your layout

i know id ditch torque pro and other apps and i think others would too... anyone with a aftermarket android head tablet installed in their vehicle would buy it as a addon

or maybe the Torque Pro creator and Scangauge need to get in business together and merge their products since everyone likes a lot of the features of torque pro when it comes to gauge creation and page layout and Scanguage knows how to talk to multiple vehicle units that are on different protocols via a single connection and their software is handling the connections and interface and retrieval of data

oh ....one can dream