Bluetooth Options For 2008 Silverado

Silver Wraith · April 9, 2009

Why does GM want to foil owners from doing this upgrade but sells the DIC controls as a kit? Because there's nothing to be lost by allowing us to upgrade the DIC, but this upgrade means you'll have no need for their overpriced Onstar service. I called to cancel my onstar yesterday because I've decided it's cheaper in the long run to pay for the BlueStar solution than to keep paying for Onstar. Of course they shuffled me right over to a hard-seller, who I told that the only use I have for Onstar is the handsfree phone but since the minutes are so pricy I'm going to do something else. She immediately gave me 120 minutes for free (which is worth like fifty bucks).

Nice, but I still don't want to pay 20 bucks a month just to have bluestar.

So far, nobody has has answered or explained why ordering the 09 VCIM will not work in a truck without steering wheel controlls

you need steering wheel controls to start and stop phone calls

The phone button on my mirror seems to do that just fine...

Grungir · April 15, 2009

Anyone able to get the module?

Ive got 2 different dealerships looking as well as a junkyard guy.

I would order from one of those other 'gm parts' sites but they look somewhat shady to me.

lhr360 · April 15, 2009

seems GM is figuring this out as fast as we are. making it difficult to program new modules, you have to call in and give them the new module info and then they say your truck is not supposed to have it and wont let you program it. looks like they are saying if you can find a module and install it you will not have onstar but your bluetooth will work. customer that I had installed one in came in today and said it worked good for 3 months then all of a sudden today the red light came on and his onstar is no longer working. seems onstar ran a vehicle system check and found the module part number stored in the module does not match what is supposed to be in his truck. now my service manager is going to call our gm rep and see if we can get him going again.

Grungir · April 15, 2009

seems GM is figuring this out as fast as we are. making it difficult to program new modules, you have to call in and give them the new module info and then they say your truck is not supposed to have it and wont let you program it. looks like they are saying if you can find a module and install it you will not have onstar but your bluetooth will work. customer that I had installed one in came in today and said it worked good for 3 months then all of a sudden today the red light came on and his onstar is no longer working. seems onstar ran a vehicle system check and found the module part number stored in the module does not match what is supposed to be in his truck. now my service manager is going to call our gm rep and see if we can get him going again.

Just WOW. Is GM really that retarded? They are actually stopping service for someone that is currently paying. All I want is to give them my money and be able to have bluetooth in my truck. I still subscribe to onstar for the safety aspect and i dont use it to make calls....

Is there some sort of legal issue (contractual with onstar) that has them all riled up about it? 07crewsierra, thank you very much for all the info you have been giving us. Ill keep hoping that I wont have to buy a 3rd party unit

kstell · April 15, 2009

Ok, I was going to hold off commenting until I got my ducks in a row. I want to thank 07crewsierra for his help in setting up this mod. I have one of the modules and the bluetooth works flawlessly for me and my Treo Pro in my 07 LTZ Silverado. Unfortunately, I was unable to get the dealer to successfully program the Onstar portion. In fact he wouldn't even follow up on it, citing legal issues with air bag deployment and Onstar notification. That is weak argument and I wonder if there were outside pressures.

I have been in constant contact with 07crewsierra and we have been trying to get a resolution to this issue. I suspect that it has to do with the agreement that GM has with Onstar or more specifically with Verizon. Now it seems that others may start to have issues with the Onstar portion. I believe bluetooth and Onstar can coexist, but why GM won't allow this mod is beyond me. It is enhanced safety in my opinion and they have a solution. Sell it and make some money instead of alienated your loyal customers.

Again, thanks to 07crewsierra for spearheading this mod despite that fact that for me it still is unresolved and may never be.

seems GM is figuring this out as fast as we are. making it difficult to program new modules, you have to call in and give them the new module info and then they say your truck is not supposed to have it and wont let you program it. looks like they are saying if you can find a module and install it you will not have onstar but your bluetooth will work. customer that I had installed one in came in today and said it worked good for 3 months then all of a sudden today the red light came on and his onstar is no longer working. seems onstar ran a vehicle system check and found the module part number stored in the module does not match what is supposed to be in his truck. now my service manager is going to call our gm rep and see if we can get him going again.

Just WOW. Is GM really that retarded? They are actually stopping service for someone that is currently paying. All I want is to give them my money and be able to have bluetooth in my truck. I still subscribe to onstar for the safety aspect and i dont use it to make calls....

Is there some sort of legal issue (contractual with onstar) that has them all riled up about it? 07crewsierra, thank you very much for all the info you have been giving us. Ill keep hoping that I wont have to buy a 3rd party unit

kmoney25 · April 15, 2009

Wow...It looks like people are having problems with this Mod. Really, this is pathetic on GM's Part. This is one very good reason why they are in such fast decline...Customer Service SUCKS! at GM. They just want to sell cars, not satisfy their customers.

In any case, I still have my module on order from GMPartsDirect. I will let you guys know if and when it comes in and what my experiences are. Many thanks to 07crewsierra for all his help. Please everyone...keep posting on this site with your experiences. It will help the rest of us. Thanks.

Grungir · April 15, 2009

I wonder what would happen if my current module were to 'break'

A guy I work with just bought a used vette and it had the old analog onstar.... he is getting his upgraded and he tells me that the new unit is bluetooth enabled.

edit:

Just confirmed. He has an 05 vette and BT is enabled in his new system.

If they will do it for older cars, why not the new ones?

I have my dealership looking into it for me.... I will let you know what I hear.

JTS1469 · April 15, 2009

seems GM is figuring this out as fast as we are. making it difficult to program new modules, you have to call in and give them the new module info and then they say your truck is not supposed to have it and wont let you program it. looks like they are saying if you can find a module and install it you will not have onstar but your bluetooth will work. customer that I had installed one in came in today and said it worked good for 3 months then all of a sudden today the red light came on and his onstar is no longer working. seems onstar ran a vehicle system check and found the module part number stored in the module does not match what is supposed to be in his truck. now my service manager is going to call our gm rep and see if we can get him going again.

I just got off the phone with GM. The rep's answer was that they dont have the right software yet.

Now without thinking too much maybe they started doing it and came across this problem and are trying to work it out! I'm not sure what to believe. My only question is after changing to the new vcim is the reprogramming just to reset the onstar or are there other issues? If thats the only problem then I dont really have a problem with not having a blue button and then its onstars problem because the wont get me to renew without the access. I really didnt want it to be that way... aftermarket way is starting to look better!

Thank,

JTS

08SGMSierra · April 15, 2009

The Verizon comment may not be far off either. Its my understanding they are very controlling and all they could see is lost $$ on the 08- vehicles that want to upgrade.

Silver Wraith · April 15, 2009

I'm leaning ever closer to ordering the BlueStar solution and ditching OnStar altogether with every post...

Grungir · April 15, 2009

I'm leaning ever closer to ordering the BlueStar solution and ditching OnStar altogether with every post...

I am thinking of going 3rd party also... but I am leaning towards Cig Blue (the cigarette lighter one) so that I can maintain OnStar for safety, theft recovery, lock the keys in etc....

It just really irks me that this is even an issue

edit:

Speaking of 3rd party options.... does anyone know of a kit or a piece that would fit in that empty space on the right side of the radio that has the little rubber mat( im assuming it is for spare change and may have a dial or something for more loaded vehicles)? I think that would be a great place to hide something so it looks clean.

tobias · April 15, 2009

The Verizon comment may not be far off either. Its my understanding they are very controlling and all they could see is lost $$ on the 08- vehicles that want to upgrade.

What's the difference? You'd be using your Verizon minutes either way, correct? Do you have to pay some sort of fee to add the vehicle to the account?

JTS1469 · April 15, 2009

Of course because I was giving up on GM the vendor I ordered from has just sent me an email that the part shipped! So I'm going with the original plan. I'll install and then go to the dealer an ask them to program it.I'm great at being ...I mean acting dumb if the end result is I only have bluetooth when I need help I'll call myself. But for the rest of my first year my complaints will continue to be sent to GM and the dealer that took the 30+k and smiled while acting like we were best friends for life. After that I dont think I would have signed on for the continued service so then it'll be no loss at all. But Thanks to everyone for the help and I'll follow this thread to see if onstar/verizon or GM man up and do the right thing

Thanks,

JTS

Grungir · April 16, 2009

What's the difference? You'd be using your Verizon minutes either way, correct? Do you have to pay some sort of fee to add the vehicle to the account?

They charge you monthly for an extra line which is around $10

tobias · April 16, 2009

What's the difference? You'd be using your Verizon minutes either way, correct? Do you have to pay some sort of fee to add the vehicle to the account?

They charge you monthly for an extra line which is around $10

How many of you guys actually pay for this? Anyone?

I'm just curious how prevalent the usage actually is.