Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
OnStar® Steering Wheel Controls
Some vehicles may have a button on the steering wheel that when pushed, can engage the OnStar® system. The button may be a symbol of a face with sound waves, or may say MUTE, or be a symbol of a radio speaker with a slash through it.
By engaging the OnStar® system with this feature, the user can interact with the system by use of voice commands. A complete list of these commands is supplied in the information provided to the customer. If the information is not available to reference, at any command prompt the user can say "HELP" and the CIM will return an audible list of available commands.
The steering wheel controls consist of multiple momentary contact switches and a resistor network. The switches and resistor network are arranged so that each switch has a different resistance value. When a switch is pressed, a voltage drop occurs in the resistor network. This produces a specific voltage value unique to the switch selected, to be interpreted by the radio or BCM.
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.