Bulletin No.:

Service Bulletin

Date:

15-08-44-001J
September, 2019

INFORMATION
Subject:

GM of Canada OnStar® Cellular Communication Upgrade

Models:

2000-2014 GM Passenger Cars and Light Duty Trucks
2015 Buick Enclave
2015 Cadillac Escalade Models (Built W/O VV4)
2012 Chevrolet Colorado
2015 Chevrolet Camaro, Express, Traverse
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe (Built W/O VV4)
2012 GMC Canyon
2015 GMC Acadia, Savana
2015 GMC Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon Models (Built W/O VV4)
2005-2010 Pontiac Vibe
Equipped with OnStar® (RPO UE1)

Attention: This Bulletin does not apply to vehicles equipped with RPO UE0.
This Bulletin has been revised to remove the “1-year” OnStar® section, revise a bullet point
from the Please Be Sure To Read These Important Guidelines section and add a new section
entitled Pontiac G8. Please discard Corporate Bulletin Number 15-08-44-001I.

Canadian Upgrade Program Overview
Canadian wireless service providers plan to
decommission their 2G Code Division Multiple Access
(CDMA) network through 2015. OnStar® currently
depends on active and functioning 2G CDMA networks
to deliver services. As a result, in order to continue to
provide OnStar® services without interruption,
Canadian vehicles that do not have OnStar® 3G/4G
LTE will need a hardware upgrade.
In order to upgrade their vehicle hardware and continue
receiving OnStar® services, a customer will receive a
letter from OnStar® with instructions for the upgrade
process when the hardware is available for installation
on their vehicle. There are different versions of
hardware required for vehicles that will be available at
different times in early 2015, so it is important that
customers first receive the communication from
OnStar® to begin the upgrade process.
Note: Refer to PI1533 for additional repair instructions
that may be required for select models to ensure proper
handsfree voice recognition performance.
Notice: Canadian OnStar® equipped vehicles
travelling into the United States are to be serviced as
would any U.S. vehicle while visiting, or relocating, to
the United States. Follow normal diagnostic and repair
procedures to support customer satisfaction regardless
of vehicle point of origin.
Copyright 2019 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Software Calibrations within the Procedures
Below that MUST be Completed before
Proceeding with this Bulletin:
Volt and ELR
• 2011-2014 Chevrolet Volt and 2014 Cadillac ELR
– #PIC5920: Vehicle Will Not Charge And Hybrid
Loss Of Isolation With DTC P0AA6
Note: 2011-2014 Chevrolet Volt and 2014 Cadillac
ELR — the HPCM2 and BECM Must Be updated with
the latest calibrations available on TIS2WEB prior to
proceeding with OnStar® cellular communication
upgrade. Use the unique labor operation in the
#PIC5920.
•

2011-2012 Chevrolet Volt – #11342E: Customer
Satisfaction - Enhancements for Side Impact Pole
Performance

All Vehicles with Radio RPOs IO3, IO4, IO5, IO6, or
(RAO – UA3)
• 2013-2015 Vehicles with radio RPOs IO3, IO4,
IO5, IO6, or (RAO – UA3) (ATS Base Radio) – use
latest version of PI1238: No XM on Start-Up when
Manually Tuned and/or Using Voice Recognition,
No Radio Wake-Up
Note: 2013-2015 Vehicles with radio RPO’s IO3, IO4,
IO5, IO6, or (RAO-UA3) (ATS Base Radio) Ensure that
the radio has the latest calibration available on

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September, 2019

TIS2WEB prior to proceeding with the OnStar® cellular
communication upgrade. As stated in this PI, the “Audio
Soft Version” label should be 000474 or lower before
continuing. If version 000477 is already installed,
reprogramming is not necessary. DO NOT reprogram.
Software corruption may occur. Use the unique labor
operation in the #PI1238.
Please Be Sure To Read These Important
Guidelines:
• The customer must accept OnStar’s “User Terms,
Privacy Statement and Software Terms" in order
to get the hardware upgrade. The customer can
provide their acceptance at www.onstar.ca by
logging into their OnStar® account.
• After accepting the OnStar® User Terms and
Conditions, the customer will need to call the
OnStar® call center to begin the ordering process.
English/French: 1-877-935-8717
• Some customers will be required to purchase a
non-refundable OnStar® Service Plan at the
regular retail price (no discounts are available):
• The OnStar® Service Plan is non-refundable or
transferable to another person. Upgrades can
apply unused subscription months to a new or
Certified Pre-Owned OnStar® equipped GM
vehicle purchase or lease prior to the
expiration date.
• Hardware will be ordered and shipped to the
customers selected dealer for installation.
• Hardware upgrade sets are VIN specific and must
be installed on the vehicle that the set was
ordered for.
• Actual odometer reading must be used on the
Repair Order (RO).
Note: DO NOT estimate the odometer reading of the
vehicle.
•
•
•

•

(If available) customers will receive a new
Hands-Free Calling number once the new
hardware is installed and configured.
Any nametags that were stored in the old system
will need to be reset by the subscriber once the
new hardware is installed.
Customers are responsible for the charges
described in the communication from OnStar®
regardless of whether their vehicle is in or out of
the New Vehicle Warranty period. In addition,
customer should not be charged labor costs.
Dealers can charge GM the labor for the upgrade
as specified at the end of this bulletin used the
listed labor operation.
All GM vehicles built in 2000 and after, and that
are equipped with digital hardware, are eligible for
an OnStar® hardware upgrade.

Bulletin No.: 15-08-44-001J

Pontiac G8
• 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 – #PIC6184: Voice
Message Displayed On Radio After OnStar
Upgrade
Note: A dealer may notice "VOICE" displayed on the
radio after installing the Upgrade. Remove terminal 12
of X2 connector and tape it back in the harness to
resolve the concern. Use the unique labor operation in
the #PIC6184.
Aftermarket Equipment Installed
Prior to starting the upgrade the technician should
inspect the radio to verify that the GM original
equipment radio is present and functioning. If an
aftermarket radio, navigation, amplifier, or bluetooth
has been hard-wired into the vehicle, ensure that the
Service Advisor is aware and the customer has
approved to go ahead with the upgrade given the risk
that their aftermarket accessory and/or OnStar® might
not work after the upgrade has been completed.
Note: The following statement was presented to the
customer in their original offer communication.
“Vehicles equipped with hard-wired aftermarket
electronic equipment, such as radios, receivers,
navigation systems, amplifiers and bluetooth systems
may not be compatible with the upgraded OnStar
hardware. If this type of equipment is installed in your
vehicle and you choose to upgrade your OnStar
hardware, your OnStar® system and the aftermarket
equipment may not operate after the upgrade, and you
will be responsible for any extra costs associated with
upgrading the vehicle’s OnStar® hardware, including
any costs to reverse the installation.”
Part Ordering Process – Active OnStar®
Subscribers
To upgrade their vehicle to an OnStar® 4GLTE
(Generation 10) or 3G (Generation 9.4) system, the
customer must do the following:
1. Currently have an active OnStar® service plan.
2. Have received an upgrade communication letter
from OnStar®.
Note: OnStar® will communicate to subscribers when
their specific hardware is available. Not all hardware
types will be available at the start of the program.
3. Go to the website www.onstar.ca and sign into their
OnStar® Account to accept OnStar’s “User Terms,
Privacy Statement and Software Terms.”
4. Contact OnStar® to initiate the hardware order:
• “User Terms, Privacy Statement and Software
Terms” must be accepted prior to ordering
hardware.
• English/French 1-877-935-8717

Bulletin No.: 15-08-44-001J

September, 2019

5. Purchase a one year (annual) service plan (as
required) on the OnStar® website or through the
OnStar® Advisor.
• Service Plan is non-refundable, when required.
• Current Basic Plan, 2014 Remotelink Key Fob
Service, and Factory Trail Service customers
may not require a commitment.
• Unused portions of the annual package is
transferable to a new OnStar® 4G LTE
equipped vehicle.
6. Wait for selected Dealer to schedule an
appointment with the customer.
Take the vehicle to the dealership on the appointment
date for the hardware installation and activation.
Part Ordering Process and Hardware Installation –
New Unsold Vehicles on Dealers Lot
1. Dealers will automatically receive OnStar®
hardware upgrade kits for affected dealer new
vehicle inventory beginning spring 2015.
Note: Not all upgrade modules will be available at
program launch, modules will be release for dealer
inventory when they are available. Upgrade kits are
VIN specific, installing a kit in another vehicle will cause
configuration issues and might result in damaging the
module.
2. Dealer will be provided a summary by e-mail of the
parts being shipped (FEDEX) to their dealership
from York Electronics.
Note: On reviewing the list, if the vehicle is no longer in
the dealer inventory (either due to sale or dealer trade)
contact York by phone, e-mail, or fax to get a Return
Material Authorization. Parts should not be forwarded
to the dealer or installed in the customer’s vehicle.
York Contact Information:
Eastern Canada
Phone: English 1-888-650-9675 ext. 307
Phone: French 1-888-650-9675 ext. 302
Fax: 1-888-650-9677
E-mail: [email protected]
Western Canada
Phone: 1-800-361-2894 ext. 1
Fax: 1-800-361-5396
E-mail: [email protected]
3. Technician will install parts, program the module
using Service Programming System (SPS)
available on TIS2WEB and confirm connection.
• Service Technician will follow the installation
instructions below.
4. If successful, the technician will simply verify
activation is complete.
Upon confirmation of successful hardware installation,
apply the OnStar® 4G Wi-Fi sticker to the vehicle near
the price and fuel economy label, the vehicle is ready
for sale.
Note: These vehicles will not behave exactly like those
with factory installed modules. The OnStar® activation
message will begin to play once the vehicle is driven
1.6 km (1 mile) and will play at each key cycle until the

Page 3

vehicle is sold and the customer has accepted the
OnStar® User Terms, Privacy Statement and Software
Terms. For some vehicles the OnStar® icon on the
radio display screen will be grayed out and inactive
after the upgrade. This icon becomes active once an
active OnStar® account is added to the vehicle. It is
important to note that the Wi-Fi feature will be active
and can be used in demonstrations.
Customer Hardware Upgrade
To complete the hardware upgrade for a customer’s
vehicle to an OnStar® 4G LTE (Generation 10) or 3G
(Generation 9.4) system, the dealership will complete
following below:
1. Direct all customer questions to OnStar®.
• If the customer has received the upgrade letter
and they have additional questions, they can
call OnStar® at 1-877-935-8717 (English/
French) or by pressing their blue button.
2. Dealers will be notified daily by e-mail of orders
placed for their dealership with related customer
contact information.
3. Dealers will contact the customer to schedule an
appointment.
• Technician will verify VIN and customer
information on Kit with VIN of installation
vehicle (do not install hardware if VIN does not
match).
Note: Installing the hardware in the wrong vehicle
might damage the hardware.
• Tech will complete installation of hardware.
• Tech will use Service Programming System
(SPS) to activate the hardware.
• The upgrade module can only communicate
with the GDS 2 diagnostic tool.
Tip: Some 2013 and prior vehicles are supported by
the Tech 2 diagnostic scan tools. The Tech 2 is not
capable of communicating with the upgraded OnStar®
module. GDS 2 must be utilized to perform diagnostics
specific to the upgraded OnStar® system on these
vehicles.
Note: It is important to correctly complete the following
step in order to avoid manual configuration.
4. The technician will push the OnStar® Blue Button
to confirm successful activation.
5. Upon confirmation of successful activation, the
vehicle is ready for customer pick up.

Software issues related to this bulletin:
Issue #1
Issue Description:
After Gen 9.4 CDMA EOL Upgrade the vehicle will not
be capable of a door lock/unlock from an OnStar
Advisor. Unlock service for the customer will be
provided with Roadside Assistance, which is included
in all paid OnStar Service Plans. There is no impact to
customer key FOB functionality.

Page 4

September, 2019

Bulletin No.: 15-08-44-001J

Impacted Vehicles

Cause:
The vehicle requires discrete signal to operate the door
locks. This functionality was not turned on in the design
of the hardware and cannot be fixed.

•

2002-2005 Cadillac Seville, Deville and DHS

Impacted Vehicle Table

Customer Questions:

Year

Make

If the customer has further questions or concerns about
the loss of the door lock/unlock functionality, they may
call the OnStar CDMA End Of Life (EOL) Team at
877-935-8717.

2002

Cadillac

Deville

2002

Cadillac

Deville DHS

2002

Cadillac

Deville DTS

2002

Cadillac

Seville SLS

2002

Cadillac

Seville STS

2003

Cadillac

Deville

2003

Cadillac

Deville Luxury

2003

Cadillac

Deville Touring

2003

Cadillac

Seville SLS
Seville STS

Impacted Vehicles
•
•
•
•

2003-2005 Buick Terraza
2003-2005 Chevrolet Venture
2003-2005 Oldsmobile Silhouette
2003-2005 Pontiac Montana

Impacted Vehicle Table

Model

2003

Cadillac

Year

Make

Model

2004

Cadillac

DHS

2003

Chevrolet

Venture

2004

Cadillac

Deville

2003

Chevrolet

Venture AWD

2004

Cadillac

Seville

2003

Oldsmobile

Silhouette

2005

Cadillac

DHS

2003

Oldsmobile

Silhouette AWD

2005

Cadillac

Deville

2003

Pontiac

Montana

2003

Pontiac

Montana AWD