Autel software update gains access to Nissan’s restricted CONSULT 4 vehicle line

Nissan’s CONSULT 4 vehicle line secures access to critical vehicle systems, but Autel says it has gained access for ADAS calibrations and other services.

A news release from Autel says that available functions include ECU information, code reading and clearing, live data, active tests and ADAS calibration procedures, depending on the vehicle. 

The software gives access to protected vehicle functions through AutoAuth, the release adds. 

“Our current licensing covers data and all current secure gateway access,” Paul A. Marshall, Autel director of product development, told Repairer Driven News (RDN). “This includes AutoAuth and the MAC Keys Auth licensing process to access secured Body Control Modules.”

Marshall said this access is necessary to calibrate some 2025 and 2026 Nissan vehicles. 

“We worked with Nissan U.S. and Japan to validate our process,” Marshall said. 

The Equipment and Tool Institute (ETI) manages Autel’s Nissan licensing, Marshall further explained. He said ETI worked directly with Nissan during the process. 

Allison A. Whitney, Autel’s director of corporate communications, told RDN that Nissan provided security-access information and reviewed diagnostic logs supplied by Autel. She adds that the automaker also provided guidance on accessing protected vehicle control modules and that in specific logs, Nissan confirmed successful security access and command transmission. 

Whitney noted that “technical assistance is distinct from Nissan’s endorsement or certification of Autel products.” 

Nissan’s technical review of particular access sequences and diagnostic logs should not be interpreted as product-wide validation, Whitney said. 

“Approval for a dealer equipment program is also a separate matter,” Whitney said.

She adds that Autel is pursuing approval for its IA1000 through that process and approval is pending. 

Autel’s diagnostic software for Nissan is available on MaxiSYS Ultra and Ultra S2 tablets, Autel’s release states. The ADAS calibration capabilities are available on Ultra and Ultra S2 series tablets with ADAS calibration software.

“On newer Nissan platforms, security-gateway restrictions previously prevented aftermarket diagnostic tools from accessing certain protected functions, including code clearing, Active Tests, and ADAS calibration procedures,” said Vinie Putrino, Autel senior testing specialist, during a live demonstration at Auto Glass Week 2026, according to the release. “This expanded access gives Autel users the ability to perform supported diagnostic and calibration functions through the established AutoAuth authorization process.”

The release notes that Nissan began incorporating security-gateway protections into select North American vehicles with the 2020 model year. The protections restrict access to designated bidirectional functions unless the technician, shop, and diagnostic tool are properly authenticated. 

Autel has offered AutoAuth-based Nissan security-gateway access for several years on applicable vehicles supported by Nissan’s CONSULT-III plus diagnostic platform, according to the release. 

CONSULT 4, Nissan’s newer web-based diagnostic software, was introduced for the 2023 Nissan Ariya and is now on a growing number of newer Nissan vehicle platforms, the release states. It adds that supporting functions on these vehicles required Autel to develop and validate a reliable authorization process compatible with newer electronic architectures. 

Whitney says that AutoAuth provided the authentication and authorization process used to obtain secure access to protected Nissan vehicle functions with compatible aftermarket tools. She adds that it connects eligible shops, users, and tools with Nissan’s security access process. 

“Gateway access and access to a particular protected control module can involve separate requirements,” Whitney said. “Successful authentication does not, by itself, establish that every function is supported or that a calibration has been completed successfully.”

Autel-developed software communicates with the vehicle’s control modules to request supported diagnostic and service functions, Whitney explained. She said that the announced functionality does not run Nissan’s CONSULT 4. 

Autel describes the new capability as “comprehensive diagnostic and ADAS calibration access across supported Nissan vehicles using the CONSULT 4 platform.”

Whitney describes the access as the breadth of supported bidirectional functions beyond reading fault codes and live data. 

“Bidirectional capability allows the tool to send commands to the vehicle — for example, to activate a component for testing or initiate a supported ADAS calibration routine,” Whitney said. “Coverage varies by vehicle, control module, and procedure. The term should not be read as a guarantee of every CONSULT 4 function on every Nissan vehicle. Shops should verify coverage for the specific vehicle and procedure and use the required software, equipment, targets, and accessories.”

The release states that North American Nissan vehicles using CONSULT 4 include: 

• • 2023 and newer Nissan Ariya;
  • 2024 and newer Nissan Rogue;
  • 2025 and newer Nissan Kicks, Murano, Pathfinder, and Armada; and
  • 2026 and newer Nissan Sentra and Leaf.

Autel says that its expanded Nissan coverage is included in its new MA800 mobile ADAS calibration system. It is built on the MA600 platform and combines dual-laser positioning, mirror alignment, and independent pitch, roll, and yaw adjustment. 

“Integrated validation features allow technicians to check target height, target distance, and vehicle-to-frame distance against applicable specifications before beginning a calibration,” the release states. “These checks are designed to support accurate, repeatable target placement under appropriate shop conditions.”

When RDN asked what determines successful calibration, Whitney said the vehicle’s control module executes the routine and evaluates completion using manufacturer-defined criteria. 

“Autel’s software initiates the supported routine and reports the result returned by the vehicle; Autel does not substitute its own acceptance thresholds for those programmed by Nissan,” Whitney said. “A proper calibration also depends on meeting the applicable service procedure’s requirements, including vehicle condition, equipment and target setup, environmental conditions, and any required verification steps. A successful routine result must be interpreted within that complete procedure.

“The benefit of this release is that appropriately equipped independent shops can perform additional supported Nissan diagnostic and calibration work in-house, subject to the stated coverage and procedural requirements.”

Late-model Nissan and Infiniti vehicles may incorporate forward and rear-facing radar, cameras, around view monitor systems, and other ADAS capabilities, the release states. These systems may require calibration following windshield replacement, collision repair, suspension or alignment work, component replacement, or other service events as specified by the automaker. 

Autel’s expanded capabilities are available through Autel Nissan V7.40 diagnostic software and Nissan ADAS V5.20 software release. 

Access requires an active Autel software subscription and AutoAuth account for Nissan access and applicable Autel ADAS calibration software, equipment, targets, and accessories when performing a calibration.

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Photo courtesy of Autel