OnStar removal
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,901
Likes: 361
From: TX
Ok, I located the OnStar VCIM module. I'm including this photo hoping it may help others in locating it. In my 08 it was in the right rear storage compartment in the trunk. I had to peel away the forward section of carpet to expose it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,415
Likes: 154
even if you don't subscribe and i dont subscribe to on star it will still send a signal if you are in a accident and the air bags go off and that COULD save your life some day so i think it is dumb to remove it. it is also a item you paid for in the price of the corvette so why not use it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,207
Likes: 147
From: St. Louis MO
even if you don't subscribe and i dont subscribe to on star it will still send a signal if you are in a accident and the air bags go off and that COULD save your life some day so i think it is dumb to remove it. it is also a item you paid for in the price of the corvette so why not use it.
It may be hard to wrap your mind around this, but we can remove the survelliance system from our autos, and you can leave it in, and these actions are mutally exclusive.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,415
Likes: 154
Every time a self-reliant individual posts a question about how to remove a piece of corporate-sponsored monitoring/observance equipment, there pops up a poster who insists that we should all embrace the surveillance society because of the perceived beneficial aspects.
It may be hard to wrap your mind around this, but we can remove the survelliance system from our autos, and you can leave it in, and these actions are mutally exclusive.
It may be hard to wrap your mind around this, but we can remove the survelliance system from our autos, and you can leave it in, and these actions are mutally exclusive.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,207
Likes: 147
From: St. Louis MO
A totally idiotic and non-relevant analogy.
Milquetoast like yourself, and the other fool that posted the license plate above can find all kinds of excuses for surveillance. Makes you feel warm and fuzzy for sure to have a nanny watch over you.
I'm sure you're just quick to write off the excesses like the Philadelphia-area school district that remotely activated cameras on school-owned laptops and watched students (including female students) their homes.
If I guy wants to disable the surveillance equipment installed in his personal vehicle, it's his decision, as it's your decision to keep yours operating.
The perplexing thing about you and your conformist friends is how quick you are to ridicule and rip people that are seeking to increase their privacy.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,415
Likes: 154
A totally idiotic and non-relevant analogy.
Milquetoast like yourself, and the other fool that posted the license plate above can find all kinds of excuses for surveillance. Makes you feel warm and fuzzy for sure to have a nanny watch over you.
I'm sure you're just quick to write off the excesses like the Philadelphia-area school district that remotely activated cameras on school-owned laptops and watched students (including female students) their homes.
If I guy wants to disable the surveillance equipment installed in his personal vehicle, it's his decision, as it's your decision to keep yours operating.
The perplexing thing about you and your conformist friends is how quick you are to ridicule and rip people that are seeking to increase their privacy.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,207
Likes: 147
From: St. Louis MO
Another totally idiotic and non-relevant analogy.
Not to flame you as a person, with respect, you are having trouble assimilating the definition of a surveillance society, aren't you?
Do you do much reading? No? Time to start. Try looking up "surveillance society" on Google.
You'll find the U.S. Surveillance Society is running rampant, with the tact consent of you and your friends.
Then look up the web definition of "sheeple" Sorry about that one, but if the shoe fits. . . . .
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,415
Likes: 154
Another totally idiotic and non-relevant analogy.
Not to flame you as a person, with respect, you are having trouble assimilating the definition of a surveillance society, aren't you?
Do you do much reading? No? Time to start. Try looking up "surveillance society" on Google.
You'll find the U.S. Surveillance Society is running rampant, with the tact consent of you and your friends.
Then look up the web definition of "sheeple" Sorry about that one, but if the shoe fits. . . . .
Last edited by PAmotorman; Apr 2, 2010 at 04:00 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,901
Likes: 361
From: TX
even if you don't subscribe and i dont subscribe to on star it will still send a signal if you are in a accident and the air bags go off and that COULD save your life some day so i think it is dumb to remove it. it is also a item you paid for in the price of the corvette so why not use it.
I used the new CoStar Bluestar unit today, and it works great, and uses the OnStar buttons to place calls, and I can do voice dialing just like with OnStar, except I don't have to pay for more airtime minutes. How "dumb" is that?
Last edited by CSixDude; Apr 2, 2010 at 10:41 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Bristow VA
Wow, I didn't know it was so tied in like that, I really don't want On Star (or XM Radio) at all so this will continue to be a small dilemma for me and any future new Corvettes I might be considering. 
Did you weigh it at all, it looks like it could be a couple of pounds or so but maybe not.
Did you weigh it at all, it looks like it could be a couple of pounds or so but maybe not.
Hiding from the Man? Don't want GPS to prove you were at her house huh?? lol j/k.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,415
Likes: 154
I'm disconnecting the OnStar so I can hook up a BlueStar Bluetooth module in it's place that will allow me to make calls on my cell phone and not have to pay a fee for minutes. I really don't have a use for OnStar, but I do have a use for BlueTooth to my cell phone.
I used the new CoStar Bluestar unit today, and it works great, and uses the OnStar buttons to place calls, and I can do voice dialing just like with OnStar, except I don't have to pay for more airtime minutes. How "dumb" is that?
I used the new CoStar Bluestar unit today, and it works great, and uses the OnStar buttons to place calls, and I can do voice dialing just like with OnStar, except I don't have to pay for more airtime minutes. How "dumb" is that?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,901
Likes: 361
From: TX
Same thing when someone calls me. The radio mutes, I hear two ring tones, the phone then auto-answers the call after the second ring (if I have it set to do that), and I can take the call without ever taking my hands off the wheel.
And the best part is that I don't have to pay OnStar a monthly fee since it uses my cell phone minutes.
Last edited by CSixDude; Apr 3, 2010 at 09:57 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
Your welcome! 
*** UPDATE INFORMATION ***
Looks like J4 can be unplugged!
After pulling up the rear carpet .... the J4 connector just needs the comm wires jumpered together as shown in the picture below. This seems to be a good technique because the factory wires are not cut. You can reverse this process by cutting (removing) the jumpers and plugging the connector back in.
Now the OnStar box can remain in the attic until you decide you want it back in the car or to sell the car. With this jumper method, the car will run quite nicely with the jumpers in place of the box!
IF anyone decides to do this.....
Disconnect the Battery.
Example: 2007 VCIM Connector C4
Pin-Color--Circuit--Functions
2---TN/BK--2500----High Speed GMLAN Serial Data (+)
3---TN-----2501----High Speed GMLAN Serial Data (-)
8---TN/BK--2500----High Speed GMLAN Serial Data (+)
9---TN-----2501----High Speed GMLAN Serial Data (-)
The GMLAN loops through the VCIM on these 4 pins.
About 1" behind the connector cut the TN/BK (Tan with Black Tracer) wire going to pin 8. About 1" behind pin 2 remove about 1/2" of insulation from the TN/BK wire going to pin 2 (DO NOT CUT THE WIRE). Strip about 1/2" of insulation from the wire in the harness that was cut from pin 8. Connect the wire just stripped to the wire from pin 2 where the insulation was removed. Solder the connection and wrap the connection with electrical tape. You might also want to put a small piece of heat shrink tubing on the wire coming from pin 8 in the connector so it cannot short to anything.
About 1" behind the connector cut the TN (Tan) wire going to pin 9. About 1" behind pin 3 remove about 1/2" of insulation from the TN wire going to pin 3 (DO NOT CUT THE WIRE). Strip about 1/2" of insulation from the wire in the harness that was cut from pin 9. Connect the wire just stripped to the wire from pin 3 where the insulation was removed. Solder the connection and wrap the connection with electrical tape. You might also want to put a small piece of heat shrink tubing on the wire coming from pin 9 in the connector so it cannot short to anything.
Remove the VCIM, wrap the loose connectors in foam so they do not rattle and reconnect the battery.
If you do it as suggested above, you can reinstall the VCIM at a later date and it will once again function.
*** UPDATE INFORMATION ***
Looks like J4 can be unplugged!
After pulling up the rear carpet .... the J4 connector just needs the comm wires jumpered together as shown in the picture below. This seems to be a good technique because the factory wires are not cut. You can reverse this process by cutting (removing) the jumpers and plugging the connector back in.
Now the OnStar box can remain in the attic until you decide you want it back in the car or to sell the car. With this jumper method, the car will run quite nicely with the jumpers in place of the box!
IF anyone decides to do this.....
Disconnect the Battery.
Example: 2007 VCIM Connector C4
Pin-Color--Circuit--Functions
2---TN/BK--2500----High Speed GMLAN Serial Data (+)
3---TN-----2501----High Speed GMLAN Serial Data (-)
8---TN/BK--2500----High Speed GMLAN Serial Data (+)
9---TN-----2501----High Speed GMLAN Serial Data (-)
The GMLAN loops through the VCIM on these 4 pins.
About 1" behind the connector cut the TN/BK (Tan with Black Tracer) wire going to pin 8. About 1" behind pin 2 remove about 1/2" of insulation from the TN/BK wire going to pin 2 (DO NOT CUT THE WIRE). Strip about 1/2" of insulation from the wire in the harness that was cut from pin 8. Connect the wire just stripped to the wire from pin 2 where the insulation was removed. Solder the connection and wrap the connection with electrical tape. You might also want to put a small piece of heat shrink tubing on the wire coming from pin 8 in the connector so it cannot short to anything.
About 1" behind the connector cut the TN (Tan) wire going to pin 9. About 1" behind pin 3 remove about 1/2" of insulation from the TN wire going to pin 3 (DO NOT CUT THE WIRE). Strip about 1/2" of insulation from the wire in the harness that was cut from pin 9. Connect the wire just stripped to the wire from pin 3 where the insulation was removed. Solder the connection and wrap the connection with electrical tape. You might also want to put a small piece of heat shrink tubing on the wire coming from pin 9 in the connector so it cannot short to anything.
Remove the VCIM, wrap the loose connectors in foam so they do not rattle and reconnect the battery.
If you do it as suggested above, you can reinstall the VCIM at a later date and it will once again function.
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 289
Likes: 1
From: NJ
In LS1/LT1's case, I believe it's more of a weight saving concern as opposed to hiding from Da' Man.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,256
Likes: 66
From: San Luis Obispo, California
Disabling or removing OnStar
Just an update for anyone looking to disable or remove Onstar;
The '12 grandsport 1LT now has a power passenger seat(no room under it now for the VCIM), & the battery is in the trunk. This means the only location for the VCIM box to fit is in the passenger footwell, just above the fuse panel. I pulled the Onstar fuse first.
Mine has only 3 plugin/connectors however. I unplugged what looked like(previous pictures) J1 & J2, & left the Black 12-way female 100A micro-pack series connector, w/ four small wires going to it. Two Tan, 2 Tan w/ BLK stripe. Car starts up fine, no error messages etc.
I then removed the onstar antenna/black box easily by sliding it to the right & off it's bracket. I then un-stuck the bracket with gentle force & it popped right off.
Lastly I pulled approx. 6" of antenna wire out from above the headliner until the connector appeared, & then disconnected it & stuffed the connector end back in the headliner. It only took about 15 minutes as I was being very careful.
The '12 grandsport 1LT now has a power passenger seat(no room under it now for the VCIM), & the battery is in the trunk. This means the only location for the VCIM box to fit is in the passenger footwell, just above the fuse panel. I pulled the Onstar fuse first.
Mine has only 3 plugin/connectors however. I unplugged what looked like(previous pictures) J1 & J2, & left the Black 12-way female 100A micro-pack series connector, w/ four small wires going to it. Two Tan, 2 Tan w/ BLK stripe. Car starts up fine, no error messages etc.
I then removed the onstar antenna/black box easily by sliding it to the right & off it's bracket. I then un-stuck the bracket with gentle force & it popped right off.
Lastly I pulled approx. 6" of antenna wire out from above the headliner until the connector appeared, & then disconnected it & stuffed the connector end back in the headliner. It only took about 15 minutes as I was being very careful.
Last edited by Bedouin; Mar 28, 2012 at 04:17 PM.
