Onstar hack 2001 Yukon XL - Page 2

bosskong · 03-12-2005, 07:19 PM

I have a 2001 Tahoe, which I assume has the same setup as the Yukon. My GPS antenna is located right behind the rear view mirror, in the top center of the windshield.

The Onstar GPS antenna seemed to get a pretty strong signal. But I don't use it anymore, so I can't tell you how strong of a signal I received, compared with the signal from an antenna mounted on the roof. I can't recall ever having a problem determining my location or receiving a satisfactory signal strength, though...

bosskong · 03-12-2005, 07:26 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Peoples

How would you go about figuring out that you just need to solder these 4 pins to your serial port?....thats crazy? Do these guys work for onstar?

It's not that complicated...

Inside the Onstar box, plugged into a socket on the Onstar board, is a Motorola Oncore GPS module. This GPS module is used in other equipment, not just in Onstar stuff, and the pinouts are all labeled in the freely available Oncore manual.

TaylorMade · 03-13-2005, 08:03 AM

Quote:

The Onstar GPS antenna seemed to get a pretty strong signal. But I don't use it anymore, so I can't tell you how strong of a signal I received, compared with the signal from an antenna mounted on the roof. I can't recall ever having a problem determining my location or receiving a satisfactory signal strength, though...

So did you switch to an external GPS receiver then? And if so, did you mount it on the roof, and if so, did you just run the wiring around the third brake light, and if so... just kidding.

bosskong · 03-21-2005, 04:54 PM

I bought the same Motorola Oncore unit off of ebay that is used in the Tahoe. It came with a serial interface board and an antenna, so I just used that one and hooked the original car antenna back up the onstar unit, so now my onstar light is green again... And I mounted the antenna on the roof, in front of the sunroof. The cable runs behind the sunroof rubber edge? (I don't know what to call it), then over the roofliner, then down the a-pillar, back behind the dashboard, etc...Looks good, though...

EsKALad · 03-21-2005, 05:06 PM

i have a 99 escalade that has onstar...i already bought the bu 303 and its working great..would i have to spend some money to get the hack to work? if so ill just stay as is..if not ill do it and sell my bu303

Saab9-5 · 03-21-2005, 05:16 PM

Unless you've got a MAX232 and some miscellaneous parts lying around at home - and some of us actually do - then you are going to need to buy a serial TTL to RS232 level converter.

EsKALad · 03-21-2005, 05:27 PM

how much are they?

Saab9-5 · 03-21-2005, 05:58 PM

The one used in the original hack is available at: http://www.digitalnemesis.com/catalogue/default.htm for $25 Australian dollars. But you can get one in the States at http://www.piclist.com/techref/io/serial/RCL1.htm for $17 + $5 s/h.

TaylorMade · 03-21-2005, 08:55 PM

hey Eskalad, (and any other Suburban, Yukon, Tahoe, Escalade owners) do you use the BU 303 inside or outside the vehicle?

bosskong · 03-22-2005, 05:51 PM

If you can build a simple circuit (sorry, I didn't take notes when I did it or I'd share them), you don't have to spend $17. All you need is a Maxim MAX232 chip and 4 capacitors. The capacitors cost maybe 10 cents each and you might be able to get a free sample of the Maxim chip.

The Onstar hack is cool, but if you're happy with your gps mouse, I wouldn't waste my time...

EsKALad · 11-07-2005, 08:33 PM

sorry for bumping an old thread guys. im finally gonna try this and see how it is. for those of you who have done the mod....do you have recconect the power to the onstar? do i have to plug the harnesses back in for it to work? or will it be powered off of my serial port?

EsKALad · 11-30-2005, 02:06 AM

OK GUYS CHECK IT OUT. i did the hack and it works sooooooo sweet. iguidance loves the onstar hack. i currently use hibernation when going in and out of car shutdown method. if i do a reset or a fresh startup the onstar acts like a mouse on the com port and drives the computer crazy. i have to unplug it and plug it back in. wtf? is this fixable?

MobiTekLink · 11-30-2005, 04:22 PM

I think a saw a similar issue with that,,,, its' actually a Windows problem that I think you have to delete the mouse from the hardware profile....
Try doing this in safe mode,,,, if that doesn't work do a

somewhere on Google

sfay93 · 11-30-2005, 04:28 PM

Try this. Registry editor.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\sermouse

change the value of "Start" to 4

jwhitley · 01-05-2006, 05:11 PM

So if I just bought a 2003 Avalanche, then it's got the new Onstar hardware (integrated phone and GPS), and I'm SOL? Or is there another hack for the combined Onstar?

Also, someone said you could tell if you have the new version because you would have two Onstar boxes. Are they easy to find? I would assume one would be in the same place as the box described in this hack? Would the other be close by?

Also, I believe my Avalanche is XM-ready as well. I'm going to hook XM up to my carPC, but then I heard the Onstar antenna also has an XM antenna built in. Any truth to that? If so, (once again), am I shot at using the Onstar antennas because I have a newer Onstar version?

Thanks in advance for your help.