Add to FAQ: RNS-E funny business and OnStar Removal

[Other_Erik]

Soooooooooo

After months of tinkering with the RS, I've finally figured out why my RNS-E would not go to sleep. Personally, I think this info should be included with the unit on purchase, but maybe Zawa doesn't have access to a vehicle with the old integrated analog Onstar system. In any case, let this be a simple writeup (I didn't take pictures, and I'm not staging it) on how to fix the RNS-E "up all night" problem that leaves us with dead battery.

1) Gather the following tools:
a) 11mm socket
b) wratcheting wrench
c) wratchet extensions - you'll need about 18 inches worth (yes seriously), including at least one that bends.
d) Philips-head screwdriver
e) Either/and/or a small, flat-tipped screwdriver, a hooked pick
f) Paper Towels (probably needed)
g) Beer
2) Optional - someone with double-jointed wrists or just generally able to squeeze into tight places. Experience as a contortionist is a plus.
3) Time to get started - open up the passenger door, get on the floor, everybody walk the dinosaur.
3a) Okay, enough fooling around. Put the passenger seat as far back as it will go, you'll need the room.
4) Pull the plastic caps off the passenger footwell outer liner to expose the hidden mounting screw. (flat tip screwdriver and/or hooked pick)
5) Unscrew both mounting screws from the passenger footwell outer liner. (Philips-head screwdriver)
6) Pull the passenger footwell outer liner away from the carpeting, wedge out of the way as best you can.
7) Pull the passenger footwell carpeting away from the outer liner area and away from the firewall, way up under the glovebox.
8) Thank whatever higher power you may or may not believe in, that I'm not telling you to pull the glovebox.
9) There may be a piece of 2-mil plastic sheeting under the carpet/foam, and it may or may not have lots of mold on it from wetness spilling down the firewall. If stuff is wet, here's where you put those paper towels to good use.
10) There are 5 (count them, five!) nuts holding the Onstar guts and battery to the firewall with a piece of bent sheet metal. You probably only see two or three outright. Be glad they're all the same socket size (11mm) I'll call them Bottom left, middle left, middle right, upper left, and "where the F***!"
a) Bottom left comes out easy. Extensions nice-to-have if the carpet/foam is in the way.
b) middle-right is easy peasy. Extensions getting to be quite useful due to proximity to the bottom of the glovebox.
c) middle-left is where things start to get annoying. Extensions are nice, bendy extension pretty well needed to get this one out of the way.
d) upper-left is a real drag. 18 inches of extensions (including at least one bendy) and you're golden. Don't celebrate just yet!
e) "where the F***!" - is in the upper-right corner of the sheet metal. It's hard to see, unless you can get yourself upside-down and look up behind the back of the glovebox. You WILL need the bendy extension, you will praise my name in all its glory for preparing you with 18 inches or more of extensions. You will curse your feeble trembling hands for every time the socket slips off this .
11) Now that the nuts are out (no pun intended), simple disassembly time! Pull the interface module from its Velcro prison, wedge to the side for later.
12) PULL the entire sheet-metal ensconced battery foam pack AND OnStar module away from the firewall. You'll need to wiggle it to clear the mounting bolts.
13) Once you've freed the module and sheet metal from the mounting bolts, you're in the home stretch.
14) Slide the foam pack containing the onstar battery out of the sheet metal sheath. Open up the foam, and disconnect the battery pack from the clip fastener.
15) Disconnect the Onstar Module from the interface module referenced in step 11. Push the tab on the clip, then pull the clip until it swings out and away.
16) Disconnect the other connection(s) on the Onstar module - one of these will be the stock GPS antenna. Tag that bad boy if you want to re-use it!
17) As in step 15, Disconnect the Onstar Interface from the vehicle wiring harness. Push the tab on the blahblahblahblahblah
18) OPTIONAL - undo the wiring loom a bit to get the stock GPS antenna signal cable freed up enough to reach the back of the RNS-E. Add to the proper part of the harness for clean installation look. No more need for a hockey puck antenna cluttering up your dashboard!
19) Just making sure you read all these directions BEFORE you start, I never said anywhere about the beer - feel free to imbibe to your heart's content while performing this procedure. Loosen yourself up and the nut removal in step 10 is nowhere near as bad
20) Jam the carpet/foam back in place, unwedge the passenger footwell outer plastic liner, jam that back into place and reinstall its mounting screws and plastic cap. You're done!

If this helped, you're welcome. If you want to take this writeup and add pictures, good for you!

Thanks!
O_E

[ricam78]

Nice set of steps. Here are some pictures to help also:

http://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec133.shtml

[atikovi]

This is what comes out. Lightens your car by 3 pounds 12.2 ounces. Only had 3 11mm nuts holding it to the firewall and I did have to loosen the glove box and slide it backwards an inch to get this thing out.

[urs6ville]

I just installed the RNS-E. I did NOT remove the onStar module yet, but if I read the original thread about the issue with it not going in to deep sleep mode only happens if there is a disc in there.... so I am correct to say that if there is no disc, this is not an issue? I plan to remove the onStar module, but I ran out of time and could not get to it.. and with the weather getting cold, I figure I will just do it in the spring if not a problem.

Also, I notice that when I turn the car off, the RNS-E shuts down... pull the key, etc. but I can turn it on with out the key in there... is that normal?

[Other_Erik]

I just installed the RNS-E. I did NOT remove the onStar module yet, but if I read the original thread about the issue with it not going in to deep sleep mode only happens if there is a disc in there.... so I am correct to say that if there is no disc, this is not an issue? I plan to remove the onStar module, but I ran out of time and could not get to it.. and with the weather getting cold, I figure I will just do it in the spring if not a problem.

Also, I notice that when I turn the car off, the RNS-E shuts down... pull the key, etc. but I can turn it on with out the key in there... is that normal?

Not quite. The no deep sleep issue means that the cooling fan is continuously running, sucking on the battery. With a disc in, it will also continuously spin the disc, sucking harder on the battery. Not having a disc in, a good battery will go from full to not able to start the car in ~3-4 days of sitting. With a disc in, I had days where sitting from 3pm-6am (15 hours) I wouldn't be able to start the car.
That said, I would recommend at least disconnecting the modules, even if you don't want to take the time to remove them right now.

Being able to turn it on without the key in is only normal if you haven't opened the door after removing the key. If you can open the door and still turn the RNS-E on without the key in, that's a symptom of not properly going to sleep mode.

O_E

[urs6ville]

Hmmm... I noticed the fan does shut down off after about 10 seconds when the radio is turned off (was playing with it plugged in and out of the dash before completing the re-install).

Ok.. so suggesting I disconnect the OnStar even if not removing... assume you mean disconnect from the black box under the carpet... meaning I would still need to open it all up, yes? And from the pictures in that other link above in this thread I think I see that only the silver box inside has a connector, is that right?

I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet.

[Other_Erik]

Hmmm... I noticed the fan does shut down off after about 10 seconds when the radio is turned off (was playing with it plugged in and out of the dash before completing the re-install).

Ok.. so suggesting I disconnect the OnStar even if not removing... assume you mean disconnect from the black box under the carpet... meaning I would still need to open it all up, yes? And from the pictures in that other link above in this thread I think I see that only the silver box inside has a connector, is that right?

I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet.

Yep I mean the black box under the carpet up against the firewall. The worst part about un-installing is getting the sheet metal cover and sheath out, so just doing the disconnect shouldn't be so bad.

Remove the cap and screws that hold the plastic trim in place, wedge the plastic trim out of the way, pull back the carpet, disconnect the interface, put the carpet back, put the trim back, redo screws and screw cover. Can't remember off the top of my head which way the wiring goes, but you should be good to just pull any connection that goes back into the wiring harness - I believe one of the connections is just between the OnStar unit and its backup battery, which you can leave connected without issue so long as you get all the connections that go to the harness.

O_E

[fukinavit]

In the link attached for the Bluetooth retrofit, does anyone know if the module pn has to have the same last revision letter?, theres lots around on eBay but the last letter is different, is this an issue for it to work in our car?