2010 Camaro 1LT V6 Install

[Saltyron]

I recently purchased the Bluestar II for my 2010 Camaro and it works perfectly. Absolutely does what I want it to. Since I had help from this site and other sites to install it successfully, I figured I'd pay it forward and post my install experience.

Before you install, make DAMN sure to first install the Costar software on your computer and connect the device to configure it's settings, like for proper music use or to select your preferred ring tone. You must click "A2DP" or else it will not synch music audio, only phone audio (music audio flows from the device via a 3.5 audio cable to your car's audio aux port; phone is pure Bluetooth). I can confirm that "checking" A2DP option AND the AVRCP option in the Bluestar software manager improved the Bluestar's music audio - before I did that, when a call came in and the music was playing, when the call hung up, the audio turned mono by itself. Now that its checked, it stays stereo. The device manual says the AVRCP option may improve functionality if it is checked, and it does. The AVRCP feature is to allow you to use the steering wheel controls to change tracks, etc., but Chris says he's having issues with making the code work for that feature, so it doesn't work on the device. Yet, anyway. You can always connect a usb cable to the device so it can be accessed and updated with a lap top after install.

I had no problem installing the device - the Onstar is located behind the main glove box in the dash. Remove the box by pushing in the tabs on each side, and disconnecting the cord on the right hand side which keeps the box door from slamming open. After removing the plastic plate that covers the device (held with 5 screws and two plastic push clips) it's easily removed from it's harness, and then you unplug the two white connectors and two antenna connectors. The Onstar can then be completely removed from the car.

Next, you plug the Bluestar II into the existing white Onstar connectors (no re-wiring required), and secure the Bluestar II to the underside of the dash. I used duct tape, and made sure not to cover the ventilation slots on the Bluestar device. Make sure the device works before wasting time reinstalling the glove box.

My only problem in the install and use came when the device would not shut down when the car was shut off. The mirror Onstar lights would remain on, and the red light would flash every 3 seconds. Obviously, this will drain the battery over time. I'm not the only one that had this issue.

I reached out to CoStar's tech support via email. Their rep, Chris was very helpful, and responded to my questions fully and timely.

We tried to diagnose the problem via the CoStar software, but we couldn't find out what the real problem was using device captures. Chris' belief is that some other device or feature in the car was "keeping the Bluestar awake". Chris wanted the captures to see if he could identify the device and write a code upgrade to tell the Bluestar to "ignore it". I can't think of one, so if there is one, it's not obvious, and the captures didn't show it.

Since a software solution wasn't available, Chris suggested powering the device a different way - by having the device shut off by being on an accessory fuse. The Onstar runs on the F-14 fuse in the side of the dash near the steering wheel. That fuse is always hot, meaning it always has power running to it, even if the car is off. It may turn off 10 minutes or so after the car is turned off, but in my case, the Bluestar wasn't letting it shut off. I did Chris' suggested Accessory work-around fix and it worked perfectly. The device functions as advertised, and is better than I expected. Now that its powered from a wire from the first cigarette lighter fuse, the unit shuts off when the door opens, just as we planned. I used a Add-A-Fuse Mini/ATM Fuse Tap for blade mini fuses to connect to the 20 amp accessory cig lighter (power accessory) fuse (F17 of F18 fuse), and then I put the 20 amp fuse and the 7.5 amp fuse into it, and ran the tap's wire from the 7.5 amp fuse side of the Tap to the Onstar fuse port in the car and used a single mental fuse tap/prong to plug it only into the cold portion of the Onstar fuse socket. Fits snug and secure and works perfectly. When I get in the car, and turn the key to accessory only, or when I turn the car off to accessory only, the unit/mirror will blink red, looking for the phone, and I can connect it, if I want. If I start the car, the unit will auto-connect to the phone/audio in about 2-3 seconds. When I shut off the car, and open the door, the unit powers off just as we planned. Ideally, if you can tap off the RAP RLY you can get power even when the key is off, but it will still shut down once the RAP (Retained ACCY power) goes off, which is a minute or so later or right away when you open the driver door. I actually prefer my accessory setup to the unit staying on for a short time after I shut the car down.

From what I can tell, all the other car's electronics work, as do the buttons, including the cig lighter outlet I ran the fuse from. The only thing that doesn't work is the digital compass, which, when visible in the dash display, is now stuck on "E", but I can live with that. Apparently the car's digital compass runs off the Onstar fuse, because when I had the fuse pulled, it showed "--" and not E, W, N, or S, etc. I think it is forced to recalibrate each time the car is shut off and turned on, since the original fuse was always "hot" and new fuse is accessory. I tried driving in circles to "jostle" the compass, but no go.

Hopefully my experience can help any one else with a similar problem. This was 3-4 days of frustration, but now that it works, it was worth it.

[Saltyron]

UPDATE: I noticed that when my phone is connected to Bluestar and a phone call comes in, if I try to answer it by using the phone itself (screen or buttons), actually answering the call is hit or miss. Meaning, the person calling me may hear me, but I can't hear them, and vice versa.

But if I answer the phone using the phone "answer" button on the steering wheel, it answers the call just fine without issue.