Onstar added and working great

khaledfarid · November 6, 2005

Just wanted to let you all know that I finished putting Onstar last part which was the mirror and it took a few minutes with OnStar representative for activation. I even got the promotional 1 year complementary Safe & Sound plan, 30 minutes hands free calling and 100 minutes half price. I also wanted you all to know that OnStar people are so friendly and will work with you and help you anyway they can which is completely opposite to GM people who will not help you at all in anyway if you are adding an option your truck came without even using their own parts as they ask for your VIN and they will verify your truck options to help you with a part number and when I say GM people here, I don't mean the dealer as my dealer is one of the most helpful crew but sometimes they have to call GM to find a part number. Anyway, Like I said, OnStar is on and functioning perfectly.

lrymal · November 6, 2005

Wow! Maybe I missed this............ you had ONSTAR retrofitted to your 2005 Silverado? In other words, prior to this upgrade, you had no ONSTAR components on your truck?

khaledfarid · November 6, 2005

Actually, at the time I was buying my truck, I had only one day to pick a truck that has most of the options I want before the promotional dixcount ends. As I wanted a Duramax diesel, I didn't really have a lot to choose from so the truck that I got was a crew cab with 40/20/40 seat, no XM, no OnStar, no rear audio, no Bose and no rear entertainment system.

I got the truck and added all of the above options pluse the seats with arm rest and center console, TNR navigation and 6-CD changer front slot loading. And it's all been done with no splicing, i.e. original GM harnesses, headliner and components. The only splicing was for the CD changer.

lrymal · November 6, 2005

I was basically about the same way. Rebates and incentives had me going after the CrewCab that I now have, but there weren't many trucks available. Would love to get the OnStar retrofitted, but my dealer is a, ummm, real trip, and I'd bet the cost would be more than I'd want to pay.

Congratulations on your upgrading, though.

holstbnet · November 6, 2005

Nice!! Lets see some pictures of the great work you did! I'd love to post them over on my site http://www.onstarforum.com

I added OnStar to my 03 S-10 a year or two ago and I agree with your comments, the OnStar folks are VERY helpful. You can take a junkyard setup and install it in your car, yet they are more than happy to help and give you free service for a year or six months too!

khaledfarid · November 7, 2005

By the way, I still have a VCIM out of an 04 that I put in first and it worked perfectly and then I changed it with one from an 05 which is the same model year of my truck if anyone needs it, I'll post it soon when I have time to take pictures for it on ebay. I'll put a buy it now price of $ 150.00 which is what I paid for it. If anyone needs it just let me know.

stolzri · January 20, 2006

Wow! Maybe I missed this............ you had ONSTAR retrofitted to your 2005 Silverado? In other words, prior to this upgrade, you had no ONSTAR components on your truck?

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I am doing a similiar upgrade to my 2004 Suburban, the question I have is how did you get the console wiring harness hooked up to the dash harness. Does it require a new dash harness or is there an extension that runs from the dash to the console. I have the console wiring harness. I am trying to add a Lux amp and sub-woofer, along with the RAC.

khaledfarid · January 21, 2006

Actually it's really not that hard. It took a lot of reading mainly within this great forum. I promise you'll find all the information you need in this forum.

Anyway, I did the console harness two times, the first time, I just wanted the bose system and the rear controlls to work so I went to a salvage yard and just took the part of the harness and put end plugs on the dash side on it so it was a plug and play. Later I decided to add OnStar, so I added the OnStar plugs to it. Later I decided to add the Nav, CD Changer and DVD ( Rear Entertainment System ). So I bought the whole dash harness and the whole project including the NAV, CD Changer, Headliner, Harness, Roof Bracked, Rear Entertainment Center, XM with all attatchment and small parts cost over $5000.00. I know it's a lot but I love my truck.LOL..

Getting back to your question, if all you want to do is to add the dash harness and get the Bose system with the rear seat controls to work, if you do it the same way I did you probably be talking somewhere around $200.00.

If you need any help, just let me know and I'll do what I can. Thanks.

snyps · January 24, 2006

anyone do the upgrade to digital equipment? They said the cost will be about $300 and they will be dropping support sometime in the next few years for analog equipment.

PaulieK · January 24, 2006

I believe anything after 2004 was already digital. If you use the phone feature and can say the number in full rather than one digit at a time then you have digital. I love OnStar but I wonder about the information they keep, I mean these guys know exactly the mileage, diagnostics and exactly where YOU are at any given moment.Think about it, when you are in your truck you can be monitored. Like I said I love my OnStar but in the back of my mind I wonder.

khaledfarid · January 29, 2006

The upgrade is easy, you just go to the dealer and they will take your information and let you sign a form of commitment for a 3 year contract for somewhere around $550.00.

But installing OnStar on a vehicle that didn't come factory equipped with it, if it the vehicle was 04 or earlier, you will have to do the installation on 2 steps. First install the analog and then do the upgrade to digital. If you install the digital on 04 or earlier you will face a lot of problems as your model year specify the software that onstar use to comunicate with your vehicle. I've been through this before when I installed OnStar in a friends vehicle that was an 04 and we ended up taking the VCIM out cause it was out of an 05 and put a VCIM out of an 04 first and get his account activated then he went to the dealer and upgraded to digital. And by the way, when you upgrade, you can't take back the old analog VCIM because you'll sign that you'll give it back to OnStar and the dealer makes sure of this.

I've installed OnStar on 9 wheicles so far and I think I've been through every problrm any one might face to put OnStar on a non equipped vehicle..LOL.

camaudio · February 3, 2006

What will the Onstar display on the nav screen, any pics?

Chad H · April 27, 2006

Can anybody tell me what is needed to add this to my regular cab Z-71? Or a price? I am going to add steering wheel controls in the next week and would love to get this also.

jmassi · May 31, 2006

I too would like to add this to my 2500hd. Anybody have part numbers? Prices? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

wxman13 · July 29, 2006

Nice!! Lets see some pictures of the great work you did! I'd love to post them over on my site http://www.onstarforum.com

I added OnStar to my 03 S-10 a year or two ago and I agree with your comments, the OnStar folks are VERY helpful. You can take a junkyard setup and install it in your car, yet they are more than happy to help and give you free service for a year or six months too!

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Dave, or anyone know what happened to the OnStar Forum?

Thanks,

Robert