jack0723

Hello all...... I just joined this forum and it has LOTS of great information; however, I can not find anything (concrete) as to the location of the Onstar box in my 2011 Malibu. I did read that unplugging the fuse will disable it, and it does, but it also disables the Bluetooth function. I removed every panel in the trunk and there is no box. Before I completely disassemble the entire car, can anyone tell me where they hid this thing? Also, if I do find the box, if I just unplug the two coax inputs for the antenna's, will this make my car "invisible" to Big Brother?

Unlike my 2006 GMC Envoy, which finding and disabling the Onstar system was about a five minute job, this Malibu is driving me nuts. I am not a fan of the Federal Government, Police and my Insurance Company basically riding in my car with me. I almost died when I opened the monthly report they send and I they told me how many miles I drove each day. It's none of there business. I don't know or care why they do this, but I don't need it. I do all my own work on all my vehicles and know when I need to change oil, add air to the tires, when to scan for an emmision problem (I have my own equipment), etc... If my car is stolen, I have insurance and probably wouldn't want it back anyway. If I am the "lucky" choice of a carjacking, I have other means to purswade the carjcaker(s) they picked the wrong car to steal. I do like the automatic emergency option, but for all the other, what I feel are undesireable features, it's not worth it. I have a cell phone (which I can shut off at any time) and worst case, if it's my day to die, it's my day to die. If I lock my keys in the car, a rock through a small window will work just fine. I can deal with the mess and replace the window myself.

Sorry, went off on a tangent there. Again, I removed ALL the trunk panels (when I added my back up sensor system) and there are no boxes except the left rear fuse box. Where did they hide this thing?

All help is appreciated and thank you in advance,

Jack

EinST

Welcome to the forum. You've no history here and thus I don't know what to make of your concern. You know, you can just call them up and drop the subscription. Help the rest of us by not helping the would-be thieves, why don't you?

jack0723

Thanks for your warm welcome!!!! I must have read into the purpose of this site the wrong way. I thought this site was for help with answering questions with the experienced help of others, not to receive smart answers and suggestions of what and what not to post. Also, if you navigate throught this site, there is ample information regarding Onstar for many other vehicles, just not the one I own, so the "would be thieves" are already way ahead of us. If you were familiar with the system, you would know just canceling the subscription does NOT eliminate the tracking of the vehicle or anything else you do in the vehicle - it just does not allow YOU, the owner to use the system. That said, all you "would be thiefs" probably know this and in your line of "work" have figured a way around it.

As for my concern, it is very simple if you read it. If you don't know what to make of it, why answer with a suggestion not to post what you find appropriate? Don't dwell on it.

Any "would be thiefs" who can help me with this?

Any moderators out there who think my question is inappropriate? Please let me know and I will promptly opt out of this forum.

Thank you,

Jack

EinST

You give me too much credit but I guess I'm "familiar with the system," enough to "know just canceling the subscription" is all that needs to be done. Once the LED next to the OnStar button on the rearview mirror turns off, there's no "tracking" going on. In short, my suggestion was to "just call them up and drop the subscription" and help the rest of us by not letting this particular thread come up on web searches with TMI. If my response bothers you, I don't know, maybe there's something else going on in your life.

jack0723

FYI to all interested, I found my 2011 Malibu Onstar module located behind the glove compartment, but not easy to reach. Actually if anyone wanted to disable the Onstar to steal this car, they would definetly get caught before they were able to disable it. I did manage to get the Onstar cable unplugged. It is the only coax cable and has a purple connector clipping it to the module. If you just pull the fuse, as is mentioned elsewhere in this forum, the Onstar is completely disabled, but your Bluetooth will not work. Be carefull not to damage the small black chip attached by (I believe) another coax connector (it is first in line on the module and looks like it is a coax connection, but I didn't want to touch it). This is your Bluetooth chip. I also found the article below, interesting, but in reality another person's concern with their privacy. If you navigate through this forum, there is a plethora of Onstar data, both pro and con, and how to disable or upgrade.

If anyone from GM is reading or monitoring this forum, Onstar should be an option or a choice, NOT a "forced on the customer" data tracking device hidden behind the guise of safety.

RE: How do i disconnect the Onstar in my Tahoe?
<HR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000; COLOR: #000000" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->I agree with Lifted07, OnStar is the biggest waste of, "forced" upon junk by GM. When are they going to realize that no wants to be forced to use this? I would love to know the actual hard numbers on how many actually keep the service after the free year. The fact that GM/OnStar is in bed with a single cellular carrier (Verizon) is another reason the concept is stupid. People want diversity, they want a service provider choice.

As far as your insurance company is concerned, they don't care whether you have OnStar or not, (I have Lojack) and if you're not paying for the service and you get in an accident with an airbag deployment do they actually send you help? I know after my year trial was done, I didn't pay to keep it. I wonder if they just ignore you, and here's why...

Funny story. One day at a gas station I locked my keys in the truck, so I called OnStar to ask them to unlock the truck. The CSR said that they couldn't do anything for me because I wasn't paying for the monthly service. I said fine, just sign me up real quick and pop it. I'd pay for that month and be done. They gave me the BS that they can't connected over the phone, a tech has to come out. I'm an engineer and I know that they don't have to physically do anything at the OnStar interface to activate it. They just want to steal people's money every month because most people don't know any better.

Lastly for the knuckle-head that ripped off the antenna on the roof and had water leak inside his vehicle, you can disconnect the entire OnStar module without touching the antenna on the roof or near the XM module behind the glovebox. (Still wondering if that's accurate, a GPS antenna wire near the XM module.) Underneath your radio/temp controls is the OnStar module, just unplug it and you're done. That cuts the power to the unit, therefore it doesn't matter if the GPS antenna is hooked up or not.

<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->__________________
2007 Yukon XL (with Denali upgrades/options)
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EinST

I guess I put myself into a untenable position. Well, I had to try for the sake of subscribers, myself included, who get some peace of mind in the theft deterrence feature. Let's hope you don't find karma to be a bitch.

jack0723

"Einstein", no, I give you no credit, as other than "Welcome To The Forum" (that was a nice gesture), your responses are of no value to the question posted. It's great to see you are out to save the world, but if you bring yourself back to reality you will realize this and all forums are open to anyone, and this forum in particular is designed for GM help and advice. Who made you the official "forum cop"? I joined to ask for help and offer help, not receive posts totally void of any information regarding the topic at hand, from a no life child. Add to that the internet offers much more of the information you are so afraid the "would be thieves" will find. Seeing that my post is so upsetting to you, if you do keep monitoring this forum, your days ahead should be very busy as you whine to the other "posters" about the content of their questions and answers you deem inappropriate. SO, you can keep slipping in your little insults and ignoring the actual content of the posts you respond to. You are no help at all. This forum is for automotive help and advice, not for you to monitor the posts and react as if the world will end based on a legitimate question some "would be thief" might see. As for me finding "karma to be a bitch", no worries my friend, you have that one covered. I wouldn't even think of taking that away from you. I love you "computer warriors". You can't see me, so you feel safe in being a bother instead of a help. I am sure the A.C.L.U. can use a bright intelligent lad like you. Do your parents know you come into these forums and complain. This should be an eighteen and older site. Do us a favor and go back to your Brady Bunch world and save the rest of us from the "would be thieves". Knowing you are out there monitoring the internet forums of all inappropriate information will sure help me sleep better at night!

That said, this FINAL reply to you is way off subject for this forum, thus I will not entertain any more of your paranoia. GET A LIFE!

As alway, my best to you,

Jack

P.S., I do believe there are doctors (or cults) out there who can help you with your "issue".