Onstar whole system delete?

[JKaechler]

My Tahoe has the onstar system installed in it, and of course it does not function. I have zero intention of ever using it, and I would like to make it completely go away. Onstar is cybercrime looking for a place to happen.

I will be putting in an aftermarket stereo headunit in the near future.
Can i simply unplug and remove the onstar box behind the dash?
what about the mirror? is there a mirror available that has the other functionality without the onstar button on it?

What kind of complications am i looking at having to solve?

It occurs to me that if i can truly kill it, but components need to stay behind the dash i can live with that. Swapping to a mirror that lacks the blue button would be awesome.

 

[mikez71]

Pretty sure you can remove it **IF** you jumper 4 GMLAN wires.. (not all together, 2 and 2)
See attached file, I am guessing J1-10 and J2-3, J1-12 and J2-4..

I opted to leave it plugged in so I wouldn't have to make jumpers and worry about them coming loose.
Instead I disconnected the antenna, radio board, and power (INFO fuse).

If you wanted to retain bluetooth phone interface, you can just disconnect the radio board inside.
(when you disassemble the VCIM, there is a jumper connecter that unplugs, search youtube!)

 

[Doubeleive]

pretty sure you can just unplug it, mirror will not matter anymore the light on the mirror may be red then instead of green.
the module is under the hvac control area in the center console

 

[91RS]

The truck will not run with it unplugged. I highly doubt any cybercrime can happen through the Onstar on a 900 and what would be the gain?

 

[mikez71]

What's the point of leaving something powered up you never use?

For me, I get distracted with all the noise, has happened on newer vehicles, accidentally pushing buttons while steering and suddenly car is talking to me. HATE IT! Same reason I killed the chimes and park assist. Don't need it beeping every time I back up. (always objects nearby)

Here's a story from about 2004. Someone (not me) was getting in an argument with their son, drove at a high rate of speed. Pulled over to discipline his kid. Car would not start. OnStar assumed there was an accident. He could not drive away! Had to wait for police to come and *may* have landed him in some other trouble even.. NO THANK YOU!

To each their own, why we are individuals!

You need to jumper the hslan wires if you want to remove it.

 

[91RS]

Here's a story. Someone (not me) was getting in an argument with their son, drove at a high rate of speed. Pulled over to discipline his kid. Car would not start. OnStar assumed there was an accident. He could not drive away. Had to wait for police to come and may have gotten him in some other trouble even.. can't remember, but NO THANK YOU!

Sorry, I don’t believe that for a second. Every Corvette, Camaro, SS, etc. has Onstar and this just doesn’t happen. I’ve heard of a couple instances of side airbags deploying on a race track but never Onstar disabling the vehicle after driving a “high rate of speed.” People drive at a high rate of speed every day around here.

 

[mikez71]

Was a friend of my boss at the time, no reason for him to make this up... but

!!! You make a very good point !!!

Could it be they changed their protocol after a few complaints? Accidentally hit onstar button and operator heard them arguing?
Maybe the guy was a liar who liked to make up stories. Either way, with all the data collection going on, I feel it is a valid concern.

Is there no instance OnStar will disable the vehicle? If in an accident, and you want to move the car to side of the road?

 

[91RS]

We weren’t talking about data collection but no data can be from a system that no longer has a cell network to operate on.

 

[TollKeeper]

The truck will not run with it unplugged. I highly doubt any cybercrime can happen through the Onstar on a 900 and what would be the gain?

Where are you getting this info from? I have unplugged many on-star units, and never had an issue..

 

[mikez71]

When I unplugged mine, dash lit up. Got about 16 dtc's.. but I did not try and start it.

??? Maybe I had to disconnect battery? I have seen other webtalk about needing to keep the hslan wire connected. ? IDK

 

[B-train]

@JKaechler I'm totally on board with you. I don't want big brother in my vehicle uninvited. I have 2008 and 2017 Denalis and plan on disabling both of them.

From what I've researched, you just have to pull the onstar module out from behind the radio. I has 2 antennas connected to it. One for XM, other for cellular. You need to pull the module apart and remove the SIM card. It's buried in the bottom. Install all boards back and reconnect.

Test by hitting onstar by hitting the call button - should get a no service message or something like that. Check out YouTube and other forums. There was one I found awhile back where a guy made a detailed thread about disabling his corvette and Denali.

Looks like it shouldn't take too long to do. Also to note, just simply removing the antenna won't disable it. If you are right next to a cell tower, it can still pick up signal. Hence pulling the Sim card.

 

[TollKeeper]

When I unplugged mine, dash lit up. Got about 16 dtc's.. but I did not try and start it.

??? Maybe I had to disconnect battery? I have seen other webtalk about needing to keep the hslan wire connected. ? IDK

Maybe they changed how the OSCM is integrated in the system in later years..

I need to remember I havent owned anything newer than a 2006 (on purpose), so technology changes... So I could be wrong.

 

[mikez71]

We weren’t talking about data collection but no data can be from a system that no longer has a cell network to operate on.

Good to know! I thought I heard it would not operate. Sounds like the only reason to leave it powered up would be for bluetooth phone interface? Can't get emergency help anymore?

 

[91RS]

Where are you getting this info from? I have unplugged many on-star units, and never had an issue..

From my brain. If you unplug it, the HS LAN will be open and there will be no communication for the truck to work.

 

[91RS]

@JKaechler I'm totally on board with you. I don't want big brother in my vehicle uninvited. I have 2008 and 2017 Denalis and plan on disabling both of them.

From what I've researched, you just have to pull the onstar module out from behind the radio. I has 2 antennas connected to it. One for XM, other for cellular. You need to pull the module apart and remove the SIM card. It's buried in the bottom. Install all boards back and reconnect.

Test by hitting onstar by hitting the call button - should get a no service message or something like that. Check out YouTube and other forums. There was one I found awhile back where a guy made a detailed thread about disabling his corvette and Denali.

Looks like it shouldn't take too long to do. Also to note, just simply removing the antenna won't disable it. If you are right next to a cell tower, it can still pick up signal. Hence pulling the Sim card.

Just unplugging the antenna should be enough. The XM is a separate module though, the two antennas on the Onstar module are GPS and cellular.

 

[91RS]

Maybe they changed how the OSCM is integrated in the system in later years..

I need to remember I havent owned anything newer than a 2006 (on purpose), so technology changes... So I could be wrong.

That’s why yours works. 800s are class 2 communication in a STAR configuration so unplugging one module doesn’t cause an open in the network.

 

[91RS]

Good to know! I thought I heard it would not operate. Sounds like the only reason to leave it powered up would be for bluetooth phone interface? Can't get emergency help anymore?

900s use Verizon 2G and 3G which has been sunset in the US since 2022.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2022/11/onstar-no-longer-available-in-older-gm-vehicles/amp/

 

[Doubeleive]

unless you use cash only and do not carry a electronic device anywhere with you and if you do not have a license plate on your vehicle. then you are being tracked. that's a given
so kind of pointless.
so much crime going on anymore anyway so unless you are really up to no good then nobody cares anyway.
it's kind of silly to think you are not being watched by technology in some form.

 

[petethepug]

Why not just move the off/3g/4G switch back to off? There’s also supposed to be some kind of sequence of unmarked button pushes of the volume & tuner button that mutes the mic to blue light the mirror indicator.

 

[91RS]

unless you use cash only and do not carry a electronic device anywhere with you and if you do not have a license plate on your vehicle. then you are being tracked. that's a given
so kind of pointless.
so much crime going on anymore anyway so unless you are really up to no good then nobody cares anyway.
it's kind of silly to think you are not being watched by technology in some form.

Definitely. Google is gathering much more info about you than your old Onstar ever will. How do you think they show you ads for things you only thought about?