Thread: My car gave birth to......

This......



I figured seeing that OnStar discontinued their analog subscription, there was no need for this puppy to sit in my trunk any longer. It was simply fastened on by two bolts and the connector leading back to the car. The thing weighs about 3-4lbs and it freed up the corner of the trunk that was occupied by this thing.

And it didnt affect my mirror in anyway. I still get the direction and temp and the dimmer still functions normally. Just now I cant accidently hit the OnStar buttons anymore

so basicly..... all the GM cars with this unit...are essentially....out dated?

Pretty much. Apparently you can have them updated/upgraded but Im not so sure it is worth the expense. Ive been wanting to pull mine out but I just havent had the heart to come to terms with mine being outdated and then going through with the action of actually ripping something out of the car.

I guess Im going to have to buckle down and just do it.

My 2004 also came with the analog OnStar. I bought the car on 7-18-03 so they hadn't installed the digital ones yet. I have since done the upgrade, and have had no issues. I like the newer features that the digital OnStar has.

I am also a Verizon Wireless customer, so I have added my OnStar phone as an additional line on my Verizon plan. You can only do this if you are digital, and Verizon. Also once you become digital they can also send you monthly diagonstics to see how your car is doing.

I got a letter in the mail stating that if I wanted to upgrade I could at no charge for the upgrade or labor, as long as I signed up for another year of safe & sound. Which I was going to do anyways.

So when you dried it did you use the Delicate cycle?

I assumed it had to remain hooked up for rest of the car (BCM and PCM) to function properly. Back when I had a Hypertech programmer, you had to disconnect the OnStar before porgramming. After the Hypertech finished the lights on the car would act weird until the OnStar was plugged back in.

I think I'll remove mine while the car is still out of commission.

is it a free upgrade? I havent recieved anything from Onstar, or GM for this.....

interesting...

Originally Posted by UR LOSN

is it a free upgrade? I havent recieved anything from Onstar, or GM for this.....

interesting...

I believe this was only for the 04+, I will try and locate the letter.

Originally Posted by UR LOSN

is it a free upgrade? I havent recieved anything from Onstar, or GM for this.....

interesting...

$15.

ONSTAR | ANALOG TO DIGITAL TRANSITION | UPGRADE OFFER

Your VIN Result

You entered VIN 1G2***********

As of early 2008, cellular carriers, including the carriers on whose networks OnStar depends for the delivery of OnStar services, will no longer support analog service on a national basis. Without the analog network, we can't ensure the coverage that will allow us to provide subscribers, with analog equipment, the services they expect from us.

As a result, starting January 1, 2008, OnStar service in the United States and Canada will be available only for vehicles that operate on the digital cellular network. This is an analog-only vehicle, with equipment that can only operate on the analog cellular network. Since this vehicle's equipment is analog-only, its OnStar system will not operate on the digital cellular network and upgrades are not available. This means, in an emergency, despite what the system may indicate, this vehicle will not have a connection. We regret that we will not be able to provide OnStar service to this vehicle after December 31, 2007.


Well that just bites. Not like I really needed to use it anyways

Im curious if you could perhaps grab the onstar set up from a newer vehicle and just swap them out?

Then the change must have started in 2004, as my Impala can be upgraded.

Originally Posted by SyntheticShield

Im curious if you could perhaps grab the onstar set up from a newer vehicle and just swap them out?

That is a curious thought, but I am guessing there is something with the cabling and the newer OnStar equipped mirrors that will probably negate that possibility. I really think it is truly sad that they offer this service and then say OPPS Sorry! You cant have it anymore. They should have planned ahead better. I bet they lost potentially lots of customers who still have their older cars with Onstar on them.

Shame shame on OnStar.

I agree to a point with you. Analog service is expensive to operate due to the power requirements and such, you cant get the feature sets you have with digital and so on. So while I agree I wish they would have done something more to phase or transition the analog users over to digital rather than just cut off the service.

I had actually tossed around the idea of activating the service at the prompting of my wife. She was kinda wanting the service when I got the car back together but I guess that wont be happening now.

How is OnStar tied into the mirrors? Or do you mean the rear view mirror? If thats the case and the only thing to worry about, I dont think it would be an issue. I was under the impression that the onstar equipped mirrors were all the same even on the 04+ models, no?

I guess it will come down to, how hard will it be to do and how much will it cost to get a digitally equipped OnStar box.

Don't forget there may be something required on the radio, but again, that might mean just getting a 04+ radio and putting it in. Then maybe only the antenna matters? I thought about getting it too, but I'm already paying for emergency road side assistance through my car insurance, and for the less than double the OnStar price of one vehicle, I get all four vehicles covered. My phone service is Verizon, so that negates having a secodn different phone provider. If only I could just pay $10 and add phone service, but NOT OnStar, I'd consider it.

Originally Posted by Deezul_AwT

$15.

ONSTAR | ANALOG TO DIGITAL TRANSITION | UPGRADE OFFER

15 for shipping, plus you have to pay for a 1 year (or two i dont recall) subscription. there is actually a recall issued (or special policy) that having that vcim in the car, could cause battery drain issues, so we are to remove it at the customers request, for free.