Buying a used car nowadays can be useful any help. As electronics in vehicles have been used more and more in recent years, it is also becoming increasingly difficult to assess vehicles in a short period of time. However, this can be very important when buying a used car to avoid being faced with large repair costs later on. As a result, a Toyota readout device can be very important for taking all the precautions with a used car and being able to spot the signs of problems in the vehicle.
A Toyota readout device offers the possibility to read out all occurred faults of a vehicle when it is connected to the OBD diagnostic connector. All control units in a vehicle store error messages as soon as values cannot be maintained or functions are no longer guaranteed. These can be signs of problems that can cost the vehicle owner dearly later. However, a Toyota readout device not only offers the possibility to read out the fault codes from the ECUs, it can also be used to query all other electronic components. This gives the used car buyer the opportunity to test all electronic components and make an accurate assessment of the used car.
So, a Toyota readout device can be a very useful tool when buying a used car if you want to be prepared just in case. In this article, we would like to present all the uses without advantages of a Toyota readout device when buying a used car.
What is a Toyota readout device?
In the automotive trade, Toyota readout devices are also offered under the name OBD scanner or Toyota diagnostic device. They are all connected to the vehicle via the OBD diagnostic connector and can read important data from the ECUs. In a vehicle, up to 100 ECUs can be interrogated, which control and monitor various functions. When buying a used car, this offers the possibility of accessing the individual control units in the vehicle and making a precise analysis of the faults that have become apparent in the past and are currently occurring in the vehicle.
The tasks of these control units can be very different. They can be used to control the engine or even the anti-lock braking system. Although the uses for control units can vary widely, they all have something in common. Once faults are detected, they store fault codes that can be read with a Toyota readout device. These do not necessarily indicate severe damage, but with the appropriate Toyota readout device, they can offer importantinformation about the vehicle.
For this reason alone, a Toyota readout device can be a great help when buying a used car to avoid buying a defective car.
Why were Toyota readout devices developed?
Since electronics have been installed in automobiles, vehicle manufacturers have developed equipment that allows contract repair shops to easily diagnose and repair cars. The first devices from Ford and Volkswagen were developed as early as the 1960s. However, they no longer have anything in common with the Toyota readout devices that we can buy in specialized stores today.
However, one of the most important reasons why Toyota readouts became so popular is the introduction of the OBD standard. This was Introduced in 1988 by the California Air Resources Board (CARB ). At that time, this authority had to deal with major problems of
Air pollution struggles in major California cities. As a result, they enacted new and stricter emissions regulations for motor vehicles to better control pollution.
However, the authorities quickly realized that it was not enough to test only new vehicles for exhaust emissions. It was also necessary to ensure that the vehicles could be tested over the entire period of use. In addition, a system was to be introduced that informed the driver about malfunctions in the exhaust system. They developed the on-board diagnostic (OBD) system. An electronic system that constantly monitors the exhaust systems and issues a message in the event of deviations, problems or faults. This system also provides technicians with the means to read the data from outside through a standardized diagnostic connector. So the first version of OBD was still developed to provide a way to control the exhaust system and its efficiency. If faults occur, a red warning light in the dashboard indicates to the driver that he must have his vehicle checked.
Since the development of the first version of OBD was completed, more and more electronics were installed in the vehicles. Meanwhile, modern vehicles can be equipped with up to 100 control units that are interconnected with a modern bus system. Electronic control units are used to provide safety functions in the vehicle, but also to increase comfort. Meanwhile, the OBD2 standard is mandatory in all vehicles, even in the European Union. Thus, all Toyota vehicles since 1990 can also be checked with a Toyota readout device. This can prove to be an important advantage when buying a used car.
Does my Toyota have an OBD2 connector?
Japanese car manufacturer Toyota is one of the most famous and valuable car manufacturers in the world today. The company only produced over 9.5 million vehicles in 2020 alone. The company now employs more than 400,000 people at 51 locations in 26 countries. Toyota is now considered the world’s 12th largest publicly traded stock company and is known for its high-quality vehicles.
The first vehicles were built by the company in the Japanese city of Toyota in 1935. The A1 and the GG Track were still produced exclusively for the Japanese market. The Japanese car manufacturer only began to export vehicles to Germany in 1970. They were so successful that by 2004 Toyota already had a market share of 5% in Germany and as much as 12% worldwide. The high quality standards also enabled the noble Lexus brand to be marketed very successfully in the USA.
Since Toyota exported its first vehicles in the 1970s, the U.S. has been one of the company’s most important sales markets. This also required the company to comply with U.S. legal requirements and integrate OBD into its vehicles. Starting in 1991, all of the Japanese company’s vehicles had to be equipped with on-board diagnostics to comply with all legislation in the Americas. For this reason, it can be assumed that all vehicles built after 1991 are equipped with an OBD1 or later also with an OBD2 diagnostic connector.
Where is the OBD2 diagnostic connector for the Toyota readout device?
The OBD2 diagnostic connector for the Toyota readout device is located inside the vehicle. Usually it is within reach of the driver, located on the left side of the steering wheel in the lower half of the dashboard. It is protected by a plastic cover and is usually white on Toyota vehicles. This allows it to be distinguished from other connectors.
If you have trouble finding the OBD two diagnostic connector, you can also check the vehicle’s manual to find out the exact location. If you want to check a used car with a Toyota readout device, you should find out the exact location beforehand. This saves time when buying a used car and is sure to impress the seller.
How can I use a Toyota readout device when buying a used car?
In modern vehicles, all of which have OBD2, the OBD2 diagnostic connector is integrated into the vehicle’s communication network. This not only offers the possibility to query all error codes of the control units, but also to read out further data about the system. Modern scanners, such as the Carly OBD Scanner, can evaluate this data and make predictions about the reliability of the vehicle. Let’s take a look at the information that can be useful when buying a used car with a Toyota readout.
Error codes of the control units
Nowadays, electronic control units offer the possibility of integrating many important safety functions in motor vehicles and can also perform engine control so precisely that as little fuel as possible is consumed and exhaust gas pollution is kept to a minimum. However, they can also be used for tasks to make the ride as comfortable as possible for the occupants of a vehicle. These include, for example, automatic climate controls or the ability to connect smartphones to the communication network in the vehicle. All these control units have one thing in common. You can output error codes when problems occur or data is measured that is outside the defined range.
If an error is detected by a control unit, it is first stored in the debouncing counter. Only when this error is detected again or occurs constantly, it is stored in the register of error messages. Since modern control units nowadays have several microprocessors, up to 1000 queries per second can also be made. The debounce counter ensures that the error is not a one-time and incorrect measurement. Depending on which error occurs, the red warning light in the dashboard is also activated. In the
vehicle electronics, these errors can also be used to initiate action when serious errors occur. For example, the electronic engine control system could switch off the engine if there is a risk of endangering the occupants in the vehicle or to prevent the engine from being totaled.
How are error codes composed?
Fault codes have also been established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It always consists of five characters, with which the errors can be precisely identified. They were first defined in the DTC (Data Trouble Code), which was later standardized in the SAE J2012 and ISO 15031-6 standards. In the meantime, there are already more than 11,000 defined error codes, but these can also be extended by the manufacturers themselves as required. Error codes are always defined as follows:
- Digit
In the first of the error code, the location where the error in question occurred is indicated. For this purpose, a letter is used with which it is possible to narrow down the error. One example:
P – Powertrain – Drive train
C – Chassis – Chassis
B – Body – Body
U – User Network – Communication Networks
2nd digit
Since vehicle manufacturers also have the ability to briefly define their own faults that were not defined in the DC or standards, you can use the second to identify your own fault feces. A “0” can be used to indicate a normal error and a “1” to indicate a manufacturer-specific error code.
3rd digit
The third digit is used in the error code to identify the exact location of the error. The following numbers can be used for this purpose:
0,1,2 – Air or fuel metering control
3rd-5th digit
The last two digits of the DTC are used to identify the specific error. It is used to specify more detailed information about the problems recorded in the control unit.
Query current errors in the vehicle
All error codes are kept in the error memory until they are deleted. When the fault memory of a used car is read out, there may also be many fault codes whose problem has long since been rectified. The easiest way to identify current errors is to completely clear the error code and test drive the vehicle. If new fault codes can be read out with the Toyota readout device after the test drive, this means that they were currently detected during the test drive. This could be a problem when buying a used car.
Mileage
One of the biggest problems with buying used cars these days could be manipulated mileage. It is assumed that a large proportion of used cars are offered with manipulated mileage in order to achieve higher sales prices . Nowadays, with very cheap manipulation devices, the speedometer reading can be changed in a short time.
Modern Toyota readout devices, such as the Carly OBD Scanner, read the odometer readings in all ECUs and can thus warn of tampering. If you want to make sure you’re buying a used car whose mileage hasn’t been altered, when you buy it, you should use a Toyota Readout from Carly when you buy it, so that you don’t buy an inferior vehicle at an expensive price.
Query individual values from sensors
Even if it can only be used in rare cases when buying a used car, modern Toyota readout devices offer the possibility to query the current values of the sensors. This can be important later when repairing a vehicle. This means that sources of error can be quickly detected and repairs can be made inexpensively.
What Toyota control units are offered nowadays?
There are now many different types of Toyota readout devices. The automaker began manufacturing Toyota ECUs back in the 1970s so that vehicles could be diagnosed quickly and efficiently at authorized repair shops. Of course, these are not suitable for private use and for use when buying a used car, because the cost is very high. Also, some of them are also unsuitable to transport them more often.
Mobile Toyota Readout
After the car manufacturers had to offer the possibility to check the vehicle electronics by means of the OBD2 diagnostic connector, many new Toyota readout devices have been developed. With the first devices, workshops should once again be given the opportunity to diagnose vehicles and read out the fault codes. Even currently, these devices are still offered and are used by many independent workshops. They are mostly designed to be able to cover many different makes of cars and come with subscriptions so that the latest types of cars can always be checked with the devices.
For private use, these Toyota readout devices are only suitable to a limited extent, as they sometimes cost well over €1000 and private individuals do not necessarily need to read out many different vehicle types and brands. In addition, these devices can sometimes be very complicated and often require a longer learning curve. In many cases, manufacturers also offer courses emptying the function and operation of the equipment.
Software Toyota Readout Devices
Another option is through software offers that can be used with a laptop as a Toyota readout device. There are also many different providers for these software offers, some of which focus on a specific vehicle type or offer software for as many vehicle brands as possible. They can sometimes be quite complicated and require a longer training period. They are primarily intended for repair shops that also offer service outside their own workshop. In addition to the software, a laptop must also be available on which the software can be installed. Of course, there is always a risk that the device could be damaged during use, resulting in high costs. For testing a used car, these devices are only practical to a limited extent, since a laptop and the corresponding cables always have to be taken along.
Mobile applications as Toyota readout device
Only in recent years have smartphones and tablets become so powerful that they can also be used as Toyota readout devices. Nowadays, they offer so much memory and processing power that they can easily replace a laptop or a mobile Toyota readout device. They combine the advantages of the software and the
Mobile devices in one. In addition, we now constantly use smartphones and do not leave home without these handy devices.
So it makes sense to use a smartphone as a Toyota readout device, as offered by the provider Carly. To be able to diagnose a used car, you only need to take a small adapter with you, because any pants pocket will fit. It is plugged into the OBD2 diagnostic connector and by means of Bluetooth it connects to the software on the smartphone. Within a few minutes, the complete data is read out from the vehicle electronics and can be evaluated in the smartphone. The Carly OBD Scanner software is designed to provide users with the most important information to properly evaluate a used car within minutes.
The advantages of Carly OBD scanner as Toyota readout device
If you want to inspect a used car, there are a few factors to consider when choosing a Toyota Auslesegerät. In most cases, the seller does not have much time to present the used car. There is also the risk that if you buy at a good price, other buyers will arrive who also want to take advantage of this opportunity. For this reason, the Toyota readout device must enable reliable and accurate diagnosis within minutes.
The Carly OBD Scanner offers a diagnosis with a traffic light system for this purpose. Immediately after all the data has been read from the in OBD2, the smartphone displays the condition of the used car with three different colors. If the color green is displayed, no errors could be detected and the vehicle seems to be in perfect condition. If the traffic light color is yellow, errors have been found but do not represent immediate problems. Red then indicates that fault codes have been read out that require immediate repair of the vehicle.
In addition, the Carly OBD Scanner offers the following advantages:
- Quick check for mileage manipulation. The data of all ECUs are read out and can be quickly checked for mileage manipulation.
- With Carly Smart Mechanic, repair instructions from experts can be used to carry out repairs yourself. Diagrams and drawings are also offered for this purpose, which can normally only be used in authorized workshops.
- Due to the fast diagnosis of the vehicle’s electronics, the Carly OBD Scanner is also suitable for monthly or weekly checks of your own vehicles. This ensures that they are always in good condition.
- By analyzing all the data from the ECUs, Carly OBD Scanner can make a prediction about the possible problems that may occur in the vehicle in the future. This helps in the maintenance of the vehicle to avoid breakdowns and failures in daily use.
The Carly OBD Scanner can be used for Used car purchase repair and maintenance Maintenance of a vehicle and help save a lot of money.