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OnStar Digital Upgrade for 03 & 04 NOW Available!

I give up.  I have called two dealerships which had no idea what I was talking about (and no idea how to do it if they did) and made an appointment at a third (and took the morning out of work for them to do it).  I got there and they didn't know what to do.  Then they found how to do it in their system, but said they had to "read up on how to do it" and would call me back.  They never called back.

I called Onstar, and they tried calling in my area, and couldn't find anyone.  They want me to go to the dealership, have them order the part, then go back again to have them put it in (which would total three visits and several phone calls).

Should I have to go through all this to get something done that they should know how to do?  My membership is about to expire and I didn't want to sign up for another year without them doing the upgrade.

I've lost interest.  When it doesn't work any more I am probably going to cancel it.
 
TIETANIC:

Fax your dealer a copy of the GM document on page one of this thread, explains it all.  I was my dealer's first customer to do the upgrade, but with paperwork in hand it was fairly easy.
 
SpottyJ said:
TIETANIC:

Fax your dealer a copy of the GM document on page one of this thread, explains it all.? I was my dealer's first customer to do the upgrade, but with paperwork in hand it was fairly easy.
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  i will do that as well.
 
BigBlackAv said:
I got mine done a few months ago, and love it...punisher, I havn't heard of anyone DIYing this project...it doesn't look easy (looks like some tech2 work is needed), good luck!
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  point taken.  thanks.
 
BigBlackAv said:
I got mine done a few months ago, and love it...punisher, I havn't heard of anyone DIYing this project...it doesn't look easy (looks like some tech2 work is needed), good luck!
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From what I read on the now defunct OnStar forum, there was no Tech 2 required, just plug and play, then call OnStar to activate.
 
SpottyJ said:
From what I read on the now defunct OnStar forum, there was no Tech 2 required, just plug and play, then call OnStar to activate.
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  i thought i read that too.  there is so much stuff i get confused sometimes.
 
DIY OnStar install

Contact the member in the post linked above, he was the owner/admin of the OnStar forum - smart guy.? He did a DIY OnStar install.
 
The place I brought it to that I had the appointment at said that I would have to sign a subscription agreement (which I expected) then he said it looked like it was going to be 4 hours of labor or about $500.  I told him that it was supposed to be "free" with a one year subscription, then that is when he said he would have to find out more about it and call me back.

He looked around online a while and found the same instructions we have on here.  He also said he went to a tech meeting on it a couple months ago. 

I would think when you make the appointment, they would have the parts ready for when you get there.  I just can't believe we are down to the wire (about 14 months left) and the dealerships don't know enough about it.  I was trying to avoid waiting until the last minute because I think everyone is going to be getting it done then.

I asked Onstar if it was something I could do myself (especially if it is plug and play) and she said no.
 
TIETANIC said:
...I asked Onstar if it was something I could do myself (especially if it is plug and play) and she said no.
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  we have heard that before.  look at how much we have accomplished on our own thus far.


 
 
SpottyJ said:
From what I read on the now defunct OnStar forum, there was no Tech 2 required, just plug and play, then call OnStar to activate.
Click to expand...
FWIW, i think you (I did in my case) have to call onstar before to tell them how many minutes you have and that you are going to be upgrading ... then when it is complete, call them back to activate and be sure to add the minutes to your acct.
Good luck!
 
I emailed Onstar, they sent me a one line response to call Chevy and told me to have a nice day.

I called Chevy, and after being on hold for 15 minutes, they connected me to Onstar.  Onstar said they cannot make outgoing calls to call a dealership.  (Told me this more than once). 

All they could do was give me a list of dealerships in my area.  All the dealerships said they don't know how to do it.

I see a pattern since I bought this truck.  The truck is nice, but dealing with the dealerships is ALWAYS a nightmare.

So basically both sides are telling me it's not their problem and there is no resolution either way.

Unbelieveable.  Seriously.  Unbelieveable.
 
A dealer (Best Chevrolet in Hingham, MA) finally called me back to say that the upgrade parts for Avalanche are not available until January of 07 according to the documentation he has and according to Onstar.

 
It takes a couple of months max. Perhaps that's what he meant. I had to wait for something like that time.

I too was the first at my dealer. Fortunately I know the OnStar "tech" there. When the VCIM arrived he called me. We both worked on it.

The process did require a Tech2 and you would get a red light on the mirror OnStar LED's if the Tech2 was on the wrong screen. I just didn't note the details as I should have.

The document is the dealer procedure and the VCIM had more instructions with it.

Any dealer can do this. They just don't make money on it, so they play stupid - who knows?

A member here has upgraded it too (pbuilder) - from a used VCIM and an antenna. Perhaps a dealer trip.. Not from the GM upgrade offer though.


 
smokinfish said:
Actually it is a verizon/onstar deal. I still have onstar and all they offer. But I also have verizon if I want to make handfree calls. So yea your right. It's definetly worth it! I don't have to buy onstar minutes.
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Actually, it isn't specifically "a verizon/onstar deal". However it certainly IS necessary if you want the Verizon plan and have the earlier generation units (Analog, digital ready).

The changeover is due to the pending cutoff of the analog (AMPS) system.
 
You pay the dealer and onstar gives you the credit.
The dealer then sends onstar paperwork to seal the deal.

I paid on onstar for around 6 months before the dealer sent my paperwork in. But then Onstar promptly refunded my money for those 6 months.

After you get your truck back hit the onstar button and set up your number and all the details.
 
Over the last two months I have called just about every Chevy dealership in Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island about this, and not one of them has known what I was talking about.  Several (nearly ten) calls to Onstar, as well as emails, and nobody can give me an answer.  One dealership I called today finally called Onstar to find out about it, then called me back and told me I have to sign up for a one year plan with Onstar, then told me it was going to be about $400 in labor that was not paid for by Onstar.

I *really* like the truck, but every single time I have to visit a Chevy dealership it is always a mess.  I mean, horrible enough that I don't think I will buy another GM because of their dealerships.  (Somewhere on here you have to read the story about how my trans fluid flush turned into a cracked trans housing and three different breakdowns because of leaks and now a transmission that doesn't shift right that nobody wants to fix).

This is a basic thing that I as a customer shouldn't have to be running around trying to get someone to do.

I already have Verizon and I have been waiting to get a new phone so I can have the upgrade in place and switch to the Verizon Onstar plan.

Ugh.
 
Apparently ON star is offering the upgrade for my 03 for a one year contract and 15.00 bucks by the dealer to put it in not 400.00 dealer probably has not been updated. I got the offer yesterday because my contract is up  shortly  Is the link in this category
Tried to find a promo code but did not see one offer is good thru 12/31/2007

http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,74449.0.html

One more thing they want to put me on a month to month payment
 
That's the problem... I can't get anyone to do the upgrade because nobody has heard of it.  Onstar says it is the dealers problem, and the dealer has no idea what Onstar is talking about.

Onstar has all but came right out and told me that it is not their problem.

The dealers that call Onstar to find out how to do it tell me that it is four hours of labor that I have to pay for as well as a one year contract.
 
When I had mine done last year it was the 2nd one the dealer had done, but they were more than happy to do it and even helped with the onstar people.  When I had mine done I did have sign a 3 year contract and the upgrade and install was free. I suggest you try a different dealer.
 
When is your contract up I think that's why they sent me the new deal, you may have to just wait, but if your contract goes past 07  tell them you what to cancel now if they can't do something now. OnStar is not stupid they knew it was coming and they had to do something or lose 50% of their customers.
 
I have called no less than ten area dealers with the same response.  I already went month to month three months ago because of it.  I also threatened to cancel.  Nothing.
 
TIETANIC said:
I have called no less than ten area dealers with the same response.  I already went month to month three months ago because of it.  I also threatened to cancel.  Nothing.
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I called my dealer about this they said to bring it in Tuesday without hesitation  he also said the 15.00 is going to GM for handling and shipping.  Don't know where you are located but maybe talk to the service manager and have him talk to OnStar about the upgrade.
 
If folks know of a dealer who knows what to do, post it please!

---------

Selman Chevrolet in Orange CA knows. Contact Rodney Hunt. (714) 633-3521

Mine was their first one and we went through it together. A bit of a routine but somewhat a simple process.

Other areas?
 
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