Glennster was saying that finance companies use OnStar to disable cars,making them easier to repo. Laying awake this morning,I got to wondering. You can usually get a check engine light to turn off by taking a battery cable off for a while. Would it disable the OnStar and reset something so the car could be started if you took a cable off for a while?
- Thread starter rrlund
- Start date
Russ from MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Bemidji MN
It worked for me when I had a false high temperature fault.
pete black
Well-known Member
removing battery cable for a few minutes works for a lot of things on toay,s vehicles. wife's 04 ford f150 not driven much; last summer the a/c compressor failed to come on. after review of web sites i learned it was a somewhat common occurrence and the fix, disconnect battery for a few minutes: did so and it worked and has been since.
John M
Well-known Member
- Location
- Nunyafn business
Only long enough for OnStar to realize the car is running again, which is almost instantly, assuming the OnStar is turned on. Have a buddy who is in the repo business and thats what he just told me. He had one he picked up last weekend that had the battery disconnected and had to find the car the old fashioned way. Said hes come across a few where the antenna was ripped off. He also told methat he has paid OnStar to turn on the particualr unit hes trying to find, it costs, but he finds more cars faster that way, and in turn it pays for itself in time.
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
It's going to be tough disconnecting the battery cable while you're handcuffed and locked up in the back seat of a patrol car.
John M
Well-known Member
- Location
- Nunyafn business
Havent hecked on my 13, but my 08 was tied in with the radio/nav system, and Im sure other things.
Randy,
You cannot disable OnStar that easy. It has its own internal battery inside the VCIM, which is the OnStar module. If I recall, you can change the battery, or remove it.
Its been a few years since I have messed with them.
Supposedly...
A while back two Flint, MI cops decided they would steal cars for side money and chop them. Being "smart", they removed the OnStar module and put it on the kitchen table. When the owner reported the car stolen, they pinpointed the signal directly to the house. They were not that smart when they got busted.
Not sure I believe this since the antenna would be disconnected to remove the module.
Remember OnStar is not a GM thing, its installed on many OEMs.
Rick
You cannot disable OnStar that easy. It has its own internal battery inside the VCIM, which is the OnStar module. If I recall, you can change the battery, or remove it.
Its been a few years since I have messed with them.
Supposedly...
A while back two Flint, MI cops decided they would steal cars for side money and chop them. Being "smart", they removed the OnStar module and put it on the kitchen table. When the owner reported the car stolen, they pinpointed the signal directly to the house. They were not that smart when they got busted.
Not sure I believe this since the antenna would be disconnected to remove the module.
Remember OnStar is not a GM thing, its installed on many OEMs.
Rick
glennster
Well-known Member
im not sure of all the capabilities of onstar, but it does have vehicle tracking, so if you are in a wreck and unconscious with an air bag deployment, the car sends out a signal notifying onstar to call police for help and relays the gps location. also if you lock your keys in the car, you can call them and they can remote unlock your vehicle. that leads me to believe it is connected to both the body control module, and the engine control module. i also think it can relay maintenance information too. progressive insurance advertizes that snap shot thing, it plugs into the obd2 port under the dash and records your driving activity for 30 days. if they like the way you drive you get a lower rate. i dunno about anybody else, but this technology is getting too much like george orwells book 1984. pretty scary.
jimg.allentown
Well-known Member
I'll just add thought. If the system were that easy to disable or work around, it would quickly become common knowledge, and every deadbeat, car thief, and repo man would have a completely different life. This is DEFINITELY shades of George Orwell's 1984. My solution is simply NOT to buy a vehicle equipped with OnStar. Or any other navigation/GPS system for that matter.
Keep in mind also that these high security electronic systems are prone to failures - either of the electronic kind or of the human kind. Lost keys/key fobs lead the list. Currently, support for these systems by the manufacturer only goes for 7 to 10 years. After that, parts become scarce, expensive, and are generally made of an exotic material called unobtainium. Replacing a lost key amounts to a tow to the dealership, recutting the key to fit the lock, and flashing the computer accept the replacement key. Overall, an expensive reminder not to lose the key again.
Also, as was stated in this thread, OnStar is a PROPRIETARY GM trademarked system. It is NOT found on non-GM cars. Ford has their own system as does Chrysler and every other manufacturer.
Keep in mind also that these high security electronic systems are prone to failures - either of the electronic kind or of the human kind. Lost keys/key fobs lead the list. Currently, support for these systems by the manufacturer only goes for 7 to 10 years. After that, parts become scarce, expensive, and are generally made of an exotic material called unobtainium. Replacing a lost key amounts to a tow to the dealership, recutting the key to fit the lock, and flashing the computer accept the replacement key. Overall, an expensive reminder not to lose the key again.
Also, as was stated in this thread, OnStar is a PROPRIETARY GM trademarked system. It is NOT found on non-GM cars. Ford has their own system as does Chrysler and every other manufacturer.
Bryan inIowa
Member
Just wait till these self parking Fords and foot sensing rear tail gates start breaking ! lol $$$$
T in NE
Well-known Member
- Location
- Cambridge, Nebraska
There's also no disconnect between the vehicle computer/Onstar/internet connection, either. A couple years ago I read where some university hacked into the vehicle computers through the internet connection on a Suburban. They were able to drive it across town using a laptop, used the ABS to steer it. Once they disconnected, GM was unable to tell that anyone had hacked into the system.
A couple guys also broke into a Toyota and a Ford last summer. Toyota's response was something along the line of it "took hours with physical access to the car" to do it. I guess they forgot the fact that since 96 every car sold in this country has an OBD port and small wireless internet modems are fairly cheap and can be plugged in in under a minute.
A couple guys also broke into a Toyota and a Ford last summer. Toyota's response was something along the line of it "took hours with physical access to the car" to do it. I guess they forgot the fact that since 96 every car sold in this country has an OBD port and small wireless internet modems are fairly cheap and can be plugged in in under a minute.
blinwmiaol.com
Member
Just one thing you are wrong about, you can get several other brands of cars with onstar equipped. Last car was an Acura RL and it had Onstar from the factory. So Honda is putting Onstar in its lines.
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