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Comment by ams6110 | Hacker News Reader

Shutting down the connection is apparently something that they do remotely: it was difficult to ensure the data connection was shut down after canceling. I still have no guarantee OnStar did what they were supposed to

If it were me, I'd pull the fuse or if necessary cut the wires to the transmitter.

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"For your comfort, safety and security, OnStar technologies are now being directly integrated into your engine management unit. To ensure your safety even further, all protocols, wiring diagrams, instruction manuals and other materials are encrypted, obfuscated, and welded shut. Thank you for enjoying your OnStar Service!"

I once decided to cut cord to the vanity light in my car (long story why). Even though the car was off I was able to get quick a scare. Lesson, electricity in a car is not off when the key is out. I was close to winning one of those Darwin awards.

The voltage in car circuits is usually 12V, not enough to do you real harm.

Yup, the sparks when you short circuit can be spectacular (the car battery can provide quite a current), but the voltage can't kill you. It would suck if it could - high voltage cables all around you would make accidents very dangerous. The worst that could happen to you is burns from the wires getting hot.

Voltage never kills you, current kills you.

It's the voltage that generates the current and 12V is not enough to generate lethal current in human body.

Shorts in a car can generate an awful lot of heat and smoke - within the confined space of a car this can be pretty alarming.

I've been in a passenger in a car that had a short in the facia while driving - the car immediately filled with dense choking smoke and we nearly crashed. Scary stuff. This wasn't recently though - I hope the standards for in-car wiring have improved a lot over the years!

Um, a car is 12v how did you manage to do anything at all scary? Even if you shorted it all you would do a blow a fuse.

I'm sure they have a way to reactivate it thus still have a connection.

I don't think you understand how fuses work.

or wire cutters.

C4? Oh wait, you still want the car right?

I meant if it's a remote deactivation they are doing. They probably keep a way to reactivate it. It would be interesting to know if anyone has tried to cancel and reactivate.

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