# Disable On-Star - Prudent



## speedtrader (Mar 1, 2017)

Hi Everyone,

Looking for information appertaining to disabling the On-Star hardware within my 2017 Cruze; namely the GPS transceiver, as well as the 4G LTE Cell Network Transceiver.

Reviewing the manual didn't glean any diagrams. What was found through Google was for older models.

Anything helps. Thank you for sharing.

Cheers.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Both those are embedded in the antenna. Disabling them requires either pulling the headliner and disconnecting the antenna from the roof or pulling the front console apart and disconnecting the antenna from the radio and the On-star module. The radio is obvious. The On-Star module is behind the glove box somewhere.

Contrary to internet folklore, On-Star doesn't track vehicles where the vehicle Id isn't listed as an active account. This doesn't mean that someone else can't track it, but On-Star doesn't do so. Why consume storage space when you're not being paid to do so?

Finally, to avoid being tracked by anyone via radio waves, don't buy a vehicle newer than the early to mid-90s, depending on manufacturer.


----------



## pontiacgt (Jan 12, 2011)

don't forget all cars have black box in them. Currently the only people that have access to them after a crash would be the manufacture to study data. I would be more worried about a cell phone than your car if your concerned about being tracked.


----------



## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

2014-2016 had a fuse specifically for the LTE antenna. Not seeing that called out as such in the 2016-17 manual.


----------



## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

pontiacgt said:


> don't forget all cars have black box in them. Currently the only people that have access to them after a crash would be the manufacture to study data. I would be more worried about a cell phone than your car if your concerned about being tracked.


This. Apple was bad but Windows was worse. Apple only showed you places you stopped for a bit or connected to WiFi. My Windows Lumia 640 burn phone literally had a full out waypoint of my entire rout to work, home, daycare, and the store. 


Also if you wonder how accurate OnStar is, it's about Apple Maps when it 1st came out accurate. I had Family Link active on my car to track it when I deployed or in the shop and it was off by a bit.


----------



## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Merc6 said:


> This. Apple was bad but Windows was worse. Apple only showed you places you stopped for a bit or connected to WiFi. My Windows Lumia 640 burn phone literally had a full out waypoint of my entire rout to work, home, daycare, and the store.
> 
> 
> Also if you wonder how accurate OnStar is, it's about Apple Maps when it 1st came out accurate. I had Family Link active on my car to track it when I deployed or in the shop and it was off by a bit.


Modern iPhones and Android devices both do that by default unless you turn it off. Literally shows everywhere you went.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Merc6 said:


> This. Apple was bad but Windows was worse. Apple only showed you places you stopped for a bit or connected to WiFi. My Windows Lumia 640 burn phone literally had a full out waypoint of my entire rout to work, home, daycare, and the store.
> 
> 
> Also if you wonder how accurate OnStar is, it's about Apple Maps when it 1st came out accurate. I had Family Link active on my car to track it when I deployed or in the shop and it was off by a bit.


Android is dead on for routing if you're using Google Navigator. If not it shows straight lines between stops where the system has time to triangulate via cell towers.


----------

