Using Navigation Without OnStar Hack

[x219c]

Just a FYI regarding CarPlay/Android Auto.

 

If you have the projection app on your home screen, you should have the capability to use CarPlay/Android Auto. This was offered on some 2016 trucks. (earlier builds are more likely to have it) I thought 17's have it as well, but they've removed reference to it on the website... even their screenshots don't show it. IDK

 

CarPlay/Android Auto requires the phone to be plugged in via USB. Some say only certain ports work, but I haven't had this experience. It works in any USB port in my truck. Try another port if you're having trouble.

 

With Android Auto you have to download the Android Auto app on the Play store before it will work. Also, 2016 trucks could require an update for Android Auto. Your dealer should be able to take care of it. If you don't have the projection icon, you're out of luck unless you replace/upgrade your HMI.

[Resqu2]

Apple car play works great, no way I would spend a dollar on onstar or anything else. I can take a pic in the morning if anyone is curious as to what it looks like on the screen. Another plus to it is Siri will read you your text and you can respond without touching your phone.

[Resqu2]

Just a FYI regarding CarPlay/Android Auto.

 

If you have the projection app on your home screen, you should have the capability to use CarPlay/Android Auto. This was offered on some 2016 trucks. (earlier builds are more likely to have it) I thought 17's have it as well, but they've removed reference to it on the website... even their screenshots don't show it. IDK

 

CarPlay/Android Auto requires the phone to be plugged in via USB. Some say only certain ports work, but I haven't had this experience. It works in any USB port in my truck. Try another port if you're having trouble.

 

With Android Auto you have to download the Android Auto app on the Play store before it will work. Also, 2016 trucks could require an update for Android Auto. Your dealer should be able to take care of it. If you don't have the projection icon, you're out of luck unless you replace/upgrade your HMI.

It seems like this would be a selling point but I found my Apple car play by messing with my radio, mine is a Z71 17 with the 2LT package. No reference to it having it anywhere.

[x219c]

It seems like this would be a selling point but I found my Apple car play by messing with my radio, mine is a Z71 17 with the 2LT package. No reference to it having it anywhere.

 

 

You would think...

 

After their fiasco last year when they ran out of modules; they're probably just under-promising and over-delivering. Just a guess, though.

[Sean Neilan]

When I found the 2016's were going to have CarPlay I was pissed I bought my '15 with nav in September. Between that and if I'd known how bad the headlights were I would have waited a couple months and got the '16 Silverado. Love the look of the new Silverado, they ruined the lines of the front end on the '16 Sierra imo

[ewiski]

Why do you need to stare at the screen while driving when it annouces where to turn and such? I have an iphone and i just lay in the passenger seat and let it do its thing and it anouces where to turn over the stereo. Though i never have understood people who have fancy cars and dont use the bluetooth integration. yes those mounts people use are tacky looking but i see no reason to need one.

 

I get a laugh out of looking over at people holding their phone up to their ear driving a 70,000 dollar bmw or mercedes when my 23,000 dollar camry has bluetooth.

 

 

Because a smartphone isn't as clean looking as factory navigation. And the screen isn't as big. And many places are outlawing using your phone while driving, so you have to mount your phone someplace to use it. Kind of tacky looking.

 

 

Edited April 6, 2017 by ericw

[jpinoy]

Just my insight as well.. from what I understand, if you have the factory Nav, and there are updates to the maps, you have to download/pay for those updates. And from what others have said, this forum and other forums, a lot of it can be just incremental updates, but you just paid a couple $$$ to update it and it may not even benefit you.

 

I've always used Google maps/Waze... My 2017 has projection on it and it does Android Auto/Carplay. Once plugged in, it starts Android Auto and now it's on my 8" screen. The thing about it also is, it locks your phone out if you're projecting to the screen, so you can't do anything with your phone whiles it's projecting. It can be a pain if you're at a light and just want to look at something on your phone.

 

There is one thing I don't care for with Android Auto, when it projects Google Maps, it's not as crisp looking as it is on the phone. It puts it at a 3-D view and the horizon of the maps tend to wash out a little.. other than that, glad I have that option.

[16sierra]

My truck has the factory nav and I have been pretty disappointed with it. I wouldn't spend money to add it after. Trying to get it to bring up an address via voice commands is almost comical some times. The voice recognition is terrible compared to Google maps. I always just use google maps through Android Auto.

[sdog4127]

If you have factory nav, you will always have it. You have to pay GM to update it, and if you want current traffic and road construction info you have to subscribe to XM NavTraffic. Otherwise you will always have the map version navigation from time of purchase if you have factory Nav.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MrSteam]

I have come up with a cheat to add in dash sat nav to my 17 LT that did not come with it. Well kind of. I am going to be upgrading my phone (Samsung Galaxy S5) this month. I am going to leave this old phone in the truck hooked to the USB port all the time. It will connect to the trucks wifi hotspot every time the vehicle is started. So all I need to do is touch the Android Auto icon and I have my sat nav. This way my new phone is hooked to the truck with bluetooth for calls, text and music without having to be hooked to a cable and having Android Auto hijack my phone so it can't do anything else.

That is the plan anyway. Can't see why it wont work.

Edited April 6, 2017 by MrSteam

[martha3065]

I wouldn't add factory nav either. I have it in my 16 Silverado and 17 Tahoe. Recently went on a 1000 mile one way trip with the Tahoe. Should be updated maps, right? It determined a route 1.5 hrs longer (each direction) than Google Maps. Google Maps via AA is the route I chose.

[Thomcat]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum and the GM community (I was a Ford guy...). Anyway, I LOVE my 2014 Sierra 1500 SLT and wanted to get some incite on a GPS topic. Has anyone used the IO6 radio upgrade from Infotainment.com (link below)? I want to use the InteliLink system with navigation without the monthly (outrageous) cost of $34.99 per month to use it with OnStar. I guess some would call this a hack with a one time fee to get the GPS without having to pay monthly. This "hack" will essentially pay for itself in a little over 2 years... The upgrade is from a 3rd party for the cost of $999.00 vs the OnStar cost of $419.88 per year.

 

Has anyone used this hack/upgrade? I do not want to pay the high cost of OnStar when this is a viable option. Any thoughts on if it will void the rest of my warranty? Please let me know your thoughts! If you have upgraded, does it work the same as the factory system?

 

Here is a link to the system for my truck: https://www.infotainment.com/products/2014-2015-gmc-sierra-1500-2500-3500-intellilink-io6-gps-navigation-radio-upgrade?variant=6993649601

 

Thank you in advance!

Actually it is not a hack, but an OEM replacement module that adds NAV capability to your existing My link. Looks like a direct swap. OEM Nav in my '16 added only $495 to the sticker, but a $1000 list for a 14, '15 could be accurate - reason being that '16s and later MyLinks are iPhone and Auto Android compatible....so you really don't need the Onstar phone or Nav capabilities.......seems GM screwed them in this regard.......could be why the upgrade module is not offered for them.........in fact I inquired about the upgrade for a '17 Impala and was told by the dealer it is not possible like it was in the '14 - '15s

 

My '16 Silverado has the NAV head and I notice that it is different in operation from my '15 Traverse with the older MyLink which is not capable of Auto Android Projection. Real upgrades with programming (if a passenger is present --- has some way of knowing maybe by whether the passenger air bag circuit is active??) while driving autozooms as you approach a waypoint and transmits info to the screen in the speedometer pod. Didn't get the NAV in the '17 Impala, very few '16s and up even come with them because of the iPhone/Auto Android capability.....besides normal Bluetooth operation these phones can use their charger cord to plug into a USB port and while charging it hooks up seemlessly to the vehicle network/MyLink circuits. All functions of the phone are then transmitted through the 8" touch screen, audio and verbal command/mic systems of the vehicle. One touch of the screen brings up a 3D Google map which has all the capability of a factory NAV including entry of directions by voice command, sending phone info to both 8" and 4.5 screens, audio recordings etc. And you can pre-program or voice command Google directions into the phone ahead of time and then you're ready to go as soon as you plug into the USB port!

 

One important difference I noted between an 8" MyLink with factory Nav and the 8" MyLink without the factory Nav is that the latter lacks the slot used to upgrade programming of the Nav as well as play CD/DVDs. And this may be the difference why the former can play mp4 video files from a flash drive while the latter cannot. Now since all '16s and up vehicles have MyLink with Google map capability and bluetooth/iPhone/AutoAndroid capability there is very little need for OnStar so I cancelled all the subscriptions and saved almost $800/yr and bought 2 additional Samsung S7s for dedicated use in the vehicles just in case, as usual, I forget to take my cell.

Edited April 6, 2017 by Thomcat

[Thomcat]

I have come up with a cheat to add in dash sat nav to my 17 LT that did not come with it. Well kind of. I am going to be upgrading my phone (Samsung Galaxy S5) this month. I am going to leave this old phone in the truck hooked to the USB port all the time. It will connect to the trucks wifi hotspot every time the vehicle is started. So all I need to do is touch the Android Auto icon and I have my sat nav. This way my new phone is hooked to the truck with bluetooth for calls, text and music without having to be hooked to a cable and having Android Auto hijack my phone so it can't do anything else.

 

That is the plan anyway. Can't see why it wont work.

Well "The best laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft agley".....Robert Burns.

 

And, I can.....been there, done that. Your only hope (likely in vain) is that the '17 GMC/Silverado USBs operate different than the '17 Impalas or you drive your '17 for a few hours each day to keep the phone charged. After the 5 - 10 minute accessory retained power terminates the USB ports go dead as a power saving measure. So my S7, simply by being turned on and periodically pinging the cell towers, goes dead in about 36-48 hours. Once completely discharged and power is restored the unit remains off and requires a restart by pressing the power button and if required entry of a password before the Projection button on the MYLink will recognize the phone and switch from Projection to Auto Android. So I am forced to either wait for power to return to USB ports at key-on and restart the dead, charging phone or turn the phone off if the vehicle will not be used for a few days and restart the charged phone when ready and saving the phone's boot-up time.

Edited April 6, 2017 by Thomcat

[Crstfr]

my onstar ran out. but still have nav...i keep it on that screen because i like the 3d buildings.. what i do miss is the traffic overlay and weather that came with xm.... i do have xm but not paying extra for that stuff... i use waze.. .. only use apple carplay for pandora... but mostly blue tooth youtube ...

[AMPd_UP]

Thanks for the response guys. I wish I had an android after hearing about this.. I have apple. As far as the phone goes, I live in IL and phone use is outlawed here. I think I'll just try using a window phone Mount like the uber drivers and see if I like that first. I appreciate all the input tho! It makes me feel welcomed here!