How to disconnect OnStar?

[Rogue Leader]

You're concerned about onstar, but not about bluetooth, a supposedly secure connection between your phone and car that has already been hacked once.

OnStar does not listen to your private conversations. They have millions of subscribers, they could give a crap what you are saying in your car. Hackers, are gonna go for the easy mark - your cell phone.

If you are afraid, then don't use either service and prepare to do all your personal business face to face. I can understand the paranoia you are feeling because of your past situation, but unfortunately that is blinding you to see that in some cases (this one in particular) its completely unfounded. However that is what paranoia is, irrational fear of something.

[Rogue Leader]

same microphone, built into the rearview mirror or the roof console I don't remember which. Not only that the bluetooth for your phone is built into the OnStar module.

[Sword5]

I agree with Rogue Leader, millions of subscribers. I would go with the odds and think you wouldn't be one of those millions they decided to listen in on. Not hating OnStar here, could be very useful should the need arise.

[Jamie Mac]

Since your talking to lawyers anyway perhaps you could ask them about the legalities of onstar doing all the things you think they are doing. Considering how many cars have onstar or similar systems the onstar center must employ many many thousands of people and massive computer systems in order to steal our privacy. Personally I don't believe GM has the funds to do that. Could you direct us onstar fans to any factual information that supports your position?

[daphatgrant]

Sorry, I had to .

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by SlingShot

Way over reaction to nothing..... You put yourself out there more with computer and cell phone ..... OnStar only listens when you call them ..... Or a sensor is triggered ....

thats what they tell you. lol


I do doubt that they are listening to random conversations. I'm more interested in their tracking capabilities and with the random times I've driven "spiritedly' I dont want them messing with me.

Big Brother is watching.... big brother has been watching for decades... nothing new... just a new way of going about it is all.

pull the Onstar fuse. if my car gets stolen, I dont want it back. thats what my insurance is for.

for those that think that having Onstar means you can leave the keys in the car and the doors unlocked and your baby/pet in the back seat and you'll be ok, you are sadly mistaken. Yes, in a lot of cases Onstar is able to shut down the car after its been stolen in a recent amount of time. but a lot of times, the car is miles away before onstar ever does anything about it. the people stealing these cars know what they are doing... all they have to do is get into the car, and pull the onstar fuse, or cut the wiring and the car is theirs. I've seen it happen. A friend got a call from Onstar stating that "someone was tampering" with his truck. he stepped outside and the headliner for his truck was sitting in the driveway. they had popped the locks, pulled the headliner and yanked the onstar wiring and then drove off.

about 2 years ago I was leaving the mall and as I approached my car, I noticed a brand new escalade parked next to me. a quick glance at the interior showed that the owner had just purchased the car and all of their sales information was sitting on the passenger seat. so.... just to test a theory, I called onstar from my cell and told them that I had just bought the car (using the name and information on the paperwork sitting in the car) and told them I had locked my keys in the car. about 20 seconds later... the doors unlocked. so I took the guys papers and turned them over so nothing could be read, then locked and closed the door.
then I waited at my car for nearly an hour for the owner to come out (think about how far someone could drive/tow a car in an hour.....) and told him that he needed to be more careful with his information. He didnt believe me so I called onstar again to show him....


nothing is truly private anymore, except what you keep to yourself.

[DC-SS]

If you are making a cell phone call to give out a Credit Card number then it wont matter if Onstar is listening or not. More people know how to pull a cell and mirror it then there are employees at Onstar... No cell phone call is "safe" unless it is encrypted and even then others can still pull the cell contact info and see who you called and for how long... Just food for thought...

[The Viz]

First off, the dealership can not disable Onstar, no matter what the salesman said. Secondly, doesn't listen in on conversations, unless you pissed off the wrong person and they were able to get a federal grand jury to award a warrant for such wiretapping. If you don't opt in for the online diagnostics, Onstar won't ever connect to your vehicle except in such case as an accident. They don't monitor vehicles, they don't listen in, and they're not recording you in the backseat with your boyfriend for everyone in the Onstar office to get a kick out of you yellin' out "Oh Papi!!!" while he's slappin' your ass.

[BOETIE]

Originally Posted by almhath

So, how can I disconnect OnStar's ability to listen in, in my Camaro? I don't need to disconnect the whole thing; just (or at least) their ability to listen to speaking inside the car.

OnStar's ability to listen in is a problem for anyone who has had their identity stolen. Someone tried to steal mine, once. I stopped it.

I don't need to talk on the car's phone and have my own phone number; I talk on my iphone at will through the car's blue-tooth. OnStar can listen in at will.

I need to talk to lawyers. I don't know if it's private or not if I'm in that car. So I can't do it.

I need to discuss private medical concerns in the car, say, with doctors on the phone (for my charge or myself), and I don't know if I have privacy. It matters to me; it matters to others.

I need to give my, or my husband's, credit card numbers to others. I don't know if it's being heard or recorded. It's like listing my credit card on the internet with unsecure sights. Everyone says no one involved will do anything wrong, but how do you think things wrong happen? When people don't follow the rules.

And there are some other people who call me who, themselves, want privacy, and as a former social worker, I respect that. I would have to tell them I can't assure privacy while I'm in the car, and that'd stop the call.

I would like to know how to disable their ability to listen to me/us inside the car.

(I sure am feeling I made a mistake buying this car.)

I think that if you are that concerned about privacy,you better get rid of your personal cell phone, and the next time you use it be sure to tell the person on the other end ,sum one could be listening.I have an idea,ask NASA for a space suit to wear in your car,OnStar couldnt hear you then......just NASA.

[tjd24]

...always feels like somebody's watching...

[Xanthos]

The onstar microphone can't be activated from outside the car. Each and every time the onstar microphone is activated, its from a signal inside the car - a push of a button usually, or the car sensing a collision. There's a reason why onstar can use GPS to find stolen vehicles, but not the microphone to listen to the thieves.

Not going to tell you that you should or shouldn't remove it - and removing it should have no effect on your warranty (I've removed the onstar computer in my dad's HHR and its didn't affect any of his other systems). Just do what you want to do.
- X

P.S. - Spike, the onstar fuse doesn't disable to GPS, and that fuse *is* used for other systems. Your only sure way to disable the GPS is to remove the onstar computer. I don't know where its hidden on the Camaro though. On the HHR its behind the inside trim panel just above the right rear wheel.

[almhath]

Originally Posted by THUMPER20X

Its like shaving your balls, its a personal thing. LOL. Seriously just undo the connector to the mirror. Easy like Lindsay Lohan.

I know the connector is there. That would disable the call button, which is on the mirror.

But I'm also asking where the MIC is. Because I've been told it's not in the mirror, but in the roof panel. If so, the mic may still be connected.

Frankly:

My dealer has now been "wrong" to me on this OnStar thing twice:

(1) It was a condition of sale to disable the pick-up mic, and right after taking my money, he said he couldn't. I said, "Do you know you just took mymoney and then right afterward said you had to break our deal?" And

(2) then he disappeared for 5 minutes and came back and said it could be done at the connector to the rear view mirror, and he did it in front of my eyes. But I've learned the mic is supposed to be in the overhead, not in the mirror, and that we don't know if the mic has been disabled.

I don't think I'd trust him on the OnStar thing again.

[Xanthos]

Originally Posted by almhath

I know the connector is there. That would disable the call button, which is on the mirror.

But I'm also asking where the MIC is. Because I've been told it's not in the mirror, but in the roof panel. If so, the mic may still be connected.

Frankly:

My dealer has now been "wrong" to me on this OnStar thing twice:

(1) It was a condition of sale to disable the pick-up mic, and right after taking my money, he said he couldn't. I said, "Do you know you just took mymoney and then right afterward said you had to break our deal?" And

(2) then he disappeared for 5 minutes and came back and said it could be done at the connector to the rear view mirror, and he did it in front of my eyes. But I've learned the mic is supposed to be in the overhead, not in the mirror, and that we don't know if the mic has been disabled.

I don't think I'd trust him on the OnStar thing again.

Undoing the wires from the mirror will ***NOT*** disable any portion of the onstar service except your ability to contact them. The only way to disable all connection to your car is to remove (completely) the onstar computer. Removing the shark fin will not disable GPS, for example. The only problem is... I don't know where the onstar computer is on the new Camaro.
- X

[almhath]

[QUOTE=Milk 1027;1140042]you dont have any privacy anywhere you go, trust me.


I know you're IP adress and where you are posting from. Trust me it's not that hard. You think there aren't already people listening to your conversations?


As I've said:

If 50 people already can listen in, you should just allow ANOTHER 50?

If your doctor sees you naked, you shouldn't be concerned if your neighbors do, too?

If one of your neighbors, who works at the SSA office, has all your private information, then your other neighbors should?

If law enforcement types can listen in when needed, then they should also be able to listen in when not needed? (OnStar sued FBI because they were doing that.)

If X number of people can listen in appropriately, then X-.9X won't use the information inappropriately? Financial information, legal...

And forget about that for now: What about just wanting to be private?

Why do I have to defend my desire for privacy?