Fault Codes...

[jay m]

Alright folks,

After driving home from work my engine management light has come on and with past experience with cars this would mean one of two things, put it to a garage or the old trick with the paper clip etc.

is it possible to carry out the trick where you bridge two terminals and count flashes on the dash etc wit the is200? If so does anyone know how to do it and what codes there are etc?

I just fitted a new manifold and hi flow cat so sensors are all there etc, wasn't drining hard at the time eiter, i was sitting behind a tractor waiting to over take lol.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

cheers

jay

[stuie]

Alright folks,

After driving home from work my engine management light has come on and with past experience with cars this would mean one of two things, put it to a garage or the old trick with the paper clip etc.

is it possible to carry out the trick where you bridge two terminals and count flashes on the dash etc wit the is200? If so does anyone know how to do it and what codes there are etc?

I just fitted a new manifold and hi flow cat so sensors are all there etc, wasn't drining hard at the time eiter, i was sitting behind a tractor waiting to over take lol.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

cheers

jay

If youve just changed the manifold have you done an ecu reset? My first though would be that a sensor has possibly got damaged if that doesnt work or has been tried

[jay m]

thats what i tried, unpluged the Battery for a half hour then pluged it back in and it seems to be fine again though.

Will have to keep an eye on it though.

Out of interest though does anyone know if the paper clip method could be used for future refference.

[yemgi]

I use my laptop and an OBDII reader. Never heard of the paper clip method on the IS

[Vyker]

I use my laptop and an OBDII reader. Never heard of the paper clip method on the IS

Yemgi, which OBDII reader do you use? ive searched on eBay and there are loads, and i have no idea which is which and which will work on the IS.

Any ideas?

[yemgi]

I have an ELM327 with USB interface, I bought it from Gendan, they do a pack with the software wich is quite good but you can get free ones from Internet

[trevman]

I have an ELM327 with USB interface, I bought it from Gendan, they do a pack with the software wich is quite good but you can get free ones from Internet

I've been looking at getting one of these for a while, can you display real time data with it ? Like O2 sensors MAF readings etc. ?

[yemgi]

Yes you can have real time readings :)

[trevman]

Yes you can have real time readings :)

Great stuff, :) just one more question though.

Can I use the ELM323 interface which supports ISO protocol, or do I have to use the ELM327 which supports ISO & CAN protocols ?

Looking at my diagnostic port it has 8 pins fitted.

[yemgi]

I have no idea. Afaik the IS has no CAN so it should work fine. I bought the ELM327 because it was the top end one but looking at ELM website I would say the 323 should do the job.

[trevman]

I have no idea. Afaik the IS has no CAN so it should work fine. I bought the ELM327 because it was the top end one but looking at ELM website I would say the 323 should do the job.

Cheers mate, that's what I thought, the IS appears to use only ISO9141.

So I shall order a 323. Many thanks. :)

[jay m]

where can you buy them from and how much for? Typed ELM327 into E-bay but there was so many different types.

Would be a very handy thing to have!

[yemgi]

ELM327 is the chipset so any box using it should be OK.

here is the one I bought, got it 24 hours later :)

[Unregistered_User]

Very interesting topic. A very useful item to be honest and displaying realtime info could be highly beneficial in some circumstances.

J

[trevman]

Ok guys, I purchased the interface, got to say I am very impressed. :)

The only downside is that all the free software seems very basic and the demo versions of larger packages have a lot of the features unavailable.

This will be a great aid to fault finding if ever I need to. I only wish I'd had this kind of thing in the past, It would have saved me a lot of time and trouble on other cars.

Thought I'd take a pic whilst messing around with it :)

[jay m]

which one did you buy mate?

engine light came on again today so will have to find out what the problem is.

[trevman]

which one did you buy mate?

engine light came on again today so will have to find out what the problem is.

I brought the ELM323, got it on eBay from Germany, it arrived within two days. Got from this seller http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ISO-USB-OBD2-Interfa...oQQcmdZViewItem

It should be pretty easy to get the fault codes off, all the software I've tried supports that feature.

[Moffet]

Anybody know of any devices that will show the real time readings through a video out to screen rather than a USB connection to a laptop using software?

[jay m]

just bought it as the light came on again today, was thinking of getting it looked at by a local garage and with "mates discount" it would still work out to be cheaper to buy one and do it m self lol.

Hopefully this will help me fond the root of my problem!

[dibsLPG]

which one did you buy mate?

engine light came on again today so will have to find out what the problem is.

I brought the ELM323, got it on eBay from Germany, it arrived within two days. Got from this seller http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ISO-USB-OBD2-Interfa...oQQcmdZViewItem

It should be pretty easy to get the fault codes off, all the software I've tried supports that feature.

This bit of kit looks great, how detailed does the Diagnostics’ software go? meaning will it give the meaning of each fault code and what it is etc...

My mates bought one for his Saab 9-3 (UK seller) and I plugged my Lex up and it managed to tell me which piston was miss-firing as-well has the fuel-mixture to rich etc.. loads of info. He has the Saab DVD (Dealers Diagnostics) and it breaks it down even further by telling him which part and how to even replace it with schematics and diagrams, amazing.

I have emailed several guys but no one does the Lexus CD's which is a shame

Do you know if the kit came with the software for a Lexus?

Cheers

Dibslpg.

[Freds Lex]

dibsLPG,

I got the ELM323 which works fine with my IS.

There is alot of free ware software out there that you can try.

Some do some things, others do other stuff.

I've just started reading up on this stuff so still not up to speed.

The software that mechanics might buy can be very dear but very good.

i think I might be sticking to the freeware for a while.

Fred.

[trevman]

This bit of kit looks great, how detailed does the Diagnostics’ software go? meaning will it give the meaning of each fault code and what it is etc...

My mates bought one for his Saab 9-3 (UK seller) and I plugged my Lex up and it managed to tell me which piston was miss-firing as-well has the fuel-mixture to rich etc.. loads of info. He has the Saab DVD (Dealers Diagnostics) and it breaks it down even further by telling him which part and how to even replace it with schematics and diagrams, amazing.

I have emailed several guys but no one does the Lexus CD's which is a shame

Do you know if the kit came with the software for a Lexus?

Cheers

Dibslpg.

At present I only have the freeware and demo packages which are pretty basic, they will however give you fault codes and show you live temperatures and data readings for various components. The one I find usefull is the oxygen sensor voltages.

Other stuff includes, throttle position, rpm, engine load, timing advance, intake air pressure, coolant temp, long & short term fuel trim, air flow.

Different packages show different things, some allow you to perform brake and speed tests calculating your 0-60mph time and stopping distance etc.

The top end software packages have much more in-depth features.

As for Lexus software, I don't know what they use or if it is available to buy elsewhere. I have seen other professional packages but they can cost hundreds.

[sparkystav]

Damn these gimmicky things made me buy one now!

Gonna ask a couple of friends if they can find a Full version of the diagnostics software cheaply. I'll let you know if i can.

Stav

[dibsLPG]

dibsLPG,

I got the ELM323 which works fine with my IS.

There is alot of free ware software out there that you can try.

Some do some things, others do other stuff.

I've just started reading up on this stuff so still not up to speed.

The software that mechanics might buy can be very dear but very good.

i think I might be sticking to the freeware for a while.

Fred.

Cheers guys,

My mates freeware software does the same things has you describe, but the diff is that the dealers DVD which has all the methods of how to fix the relevant codes which are raised by the ODBII package. This makes a massive diff since you can diagnose the error and look it up on the dealers DVD to see what it is + it also shows you, diagram, schematic, where, how and approx time it would take to correct the problem too, which can be invaluable.

Main example: his threw up an error code (reading it with the freeware) then he cross-referenced it with he the dealers DVD to find out what it was: Throttle response tensioner, the DVD showed the schematic, and notes on how to replace + tension settings etc.. al the info a mechanic will need to do the job. Prints it out and takes it to the local Mechanic and talks it through with him and he new how long it would take so the he will get the right price for the job too. in no time the thing was fixed and he was a happy lad. It paid for it self in just one job.

PS. The hardware and freeware was £60.00 + the DVD was on about £20 (copy) from the guy who supplied him the ODB2 kit off eBay. The best £80.0 he ever spent has stated by him. ( I have already asked him and he does NOT have the Lexus one :tsktsk: )

Let the Lexus software hunt begin..

[guitarman149]

Hey all, i recently got my self a 2000 x-reg lexus is200se and absolutley have fallen in love... (the G/f is getting a bit jealous i think :P)

The problem is the light on my dash came on whilst i was driving, so i took it back to the garage where i bought it from and all they did was disconnect the Battery and put it back on, i want to be able to check for myself the fuel mixture, emmisions and see if there have been any previous fault readings (does resetting the ECU wipe the history or just make it ignore any of the previous errors so the light doesnt stay on?).

I went to buy the USB ELM323 that you all suggested but it states that its for 2001+ models only and mines a 2000 (x-reg) is that just the description being vague to cover more cars in general, or did lexus change the protocol in 2001 so i wont be able to use it with mine even though it works with yours? if it is different do any of you know which will work. (shot in the dark)

P.s. can you suggest your favourite freeware software to go with it?

any help will be really appreciated. im deffinately a convert and im already looking for a newer lexus to trade mine in for with a lot less miles cos i want to be lexus for a long time.

chris