GM 2008 H3 owner

If you’re referring to the EDR, event data recorder a.k.a. “black box,” to which Eric referred in a recent article, here’s what I could find in particular regarding GM:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f1e0f5f/3#MSG3
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f62/how-disable-edr-2006-solstice-60268/
http://www.collision-insight.com/news/archives/200511-feature.htm
http://www.harristechnical.com/cdr5.htm
http://www.cdr-system.com/

Looks like there’s a few things pertinent to your question:

1) EDRs, maybe just in GM vehicles, are wired up with the air bag system such that disabling the EDR will prevent air bags from working (not the political types, but the ones in your car’s dash and steering wheel). This could lead to a host of other warning lights, bells, and general annoyances. There is also some concern about disabling the air bag being a violation of the law because you’re tampering with safety equipment. You know, because it’s not your car.
2) Evidence from EDRs HAS BEEN USED IN COURT against the driver. (I was mistaken earlier). Remember, it’s not your car, nor your data, nor your life. You only exist and function at the whim of the government.
3) NHTSA estimates something between 2/3 and 90% of all cars 2004 and newer have EDRs in them.
4) if there is a serious enough “event,” it appears that the EDR data is burned in permanently and cannot be erased, at least not without a hammer or the like.

If your referring to the EDR, however, which Eric recently posted an article about, this is more complicated.

I’m not sure that you can disable the recording function of the EDR system in GM vehicles. I’ll have to do a little more digging, though. The supposed purpose of the EDR is to provide data back to GM to help analyze crashes and build better and safer cars. Problem is, there’s not a lot of evidence showing that to be true. There is, however, evidence that it is being used, or trying to be used, by law enforcement for revenue generation (i.e., writing tickets without the commission of a crime, crimes have victims, speeding is victimless and therefore not a crime, crashing into someone is a crime).

I believe that for now the data being recorded has generally been protected under the Fifth Amendment so that it can’t be used against you. No one know how long it will take an activist judge to change that. It’s possible, trough OnStar to not only shut off the car’s engine, but lock the doors, of to simply track the speed and direction of the car through precise GPS data indefinitely and undetected, to engage interior microphones to listen in on any audio inside, to reroute the GPS nav system directions, etc.

Removing OnStar by unplugging it will prevent that, however, the EDR, or “black box” still records the last several minutes of vehicle activity in a protected housing much like a plane’s black box. There’s no easy way to disable it and may not be any way to since I’m sure it’s integrated into the ECU computer of the vehicle through software.

I’m going to do a little more digging just to see.

Assuming you’re referring to OnStar, I agree with the antenna disconnect idea above.

However, a simpler method would be to simply disconnect the OnStar module completely. As I understand it, OnStar is a self contained box kept in various locations in the vehicle depending on model. It contains both a cell phone (high power) and a GPS unit separate from the rest of the vehicle. Thus, you should simply be able to unplug it very easily, not even necessary to physically remove it. It’s designed to be swapped in and out in case parts go bad (cell phone, GPS, etc). It also should have no effect on any built in GPS nag system you have as that has its own GPS unit (yes, all GM cars with OnStar and a nav screen have two GPS units).

In most GM SUVs, if I remember correctly, the box is inside of the back end sort of behind the wheel well and beneath the plastic panel. Not sure driver or passenger side. Sometimes there’s a pop off panel sort of like the ones to access the jack and tire tool.

Easiest thing would be to ask at a GM dealership and ask nicely or do a Google search for the location of the OnStar box. Disconnecting should not adversely affect the vehicle operation and may not even generate an error code (probably won’t).

IIRC there is a way to disable the antenna. If the antenna is not plugged in then the Onstar in car can not communicate with satellite. A search found this video. It may be slightly different for your model, but it should give you a place to start.