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Hands Free Calling System for Tahoe / Suburban

2 messages,  Last post on Aug 05, 2008 at 7:41 PM

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What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Tracker, Safe Driving, SUV

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#1 of 2 Hands Free Calling System for Tahoe / Suburban by arrie

Aug 03, 2008 (9:06 pm)

Just for info for hands-on home mechanics.
 
I recently installed a hands free phone calling system in my wife's Chrysler Pacifica. Chrysler has this Uconnect system that can be installed in all of their models from 2001 on very easily using the wire harness it comes with.
 
This system is just awesome. It is a true hands free with full voice command. It allows storing 32 contact names with 4 numbers for each. It includes conference calling and also allows you to dial by speaking the number. It is a Bluetooth system and probably works with all phones equipped with Bluetooth.
 
For the features it is a bit better than the system my '04 Tahoe came with. Its voice recognition seems to be much better. And as any voice recognition system sometimes makes mistakes this system allows speaking phone number in segments or "blocks" as the Uconnect calls it.
 
As this system impressed me very much I decided to install it in my Tahoe too. Instruction book tells how to cut off the wire harness and use the 4 wires to connect it. Those 4 wires are ground, +12V, keyed +12V and radio muting, which is a wire that grounds when phone is used.
 
I needed to get a relay switch, a normally closed one, for radio muting purposes. It cost $4.95.
 
For radio muting I installed the relay to radio amplifier power wire. When a call comes in or if I use the Uconnect it simply opens the relay disabling the radio amplifier until call ends and relay connects again. This takes radio sound out for the time phone is used.
 
Uconnect cost almost $400 with tax but any decent hands free system even without voice command cost over $200. Then some systems claim being voice command but they only use voice command features of the phone itself.
 
The way I installed the Uconnect does not interfere with the ON Star phone system that my Tahoe came with. It just removes power to radio amplifier while phone is in use. (Radio does not have a connection for mute signal as it has this "Class 2 serial data connection" so I had to do it at the amplifier.)
 
It also takes all warning sounds out but that I feel is not a problem as they all come back when phone is off again.
 
Chevrolet has really made a wrong decision with not making universal Bluetooth system for phone use. If they think people are going to pay those outrageous fees for using built-in ON Star phones they are wrong.
 
Arrie

#2 of 2 Re: Hands Free Calling System for Tahoe / Suburban [arrie] by ahightower

Aug 05, 2008 (7:41 pm)

Replying to: arrie (Aug 03, 2008 9:06 pm)
That sounds great, glad to know it can be done. I agree that GM is making a mistake by standing by OnStar so strongly. I'm sure it's fine for some, but they need to make Bluetooth and conventional navigation systems available as well.

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