Fleet Vehicles and Buckle to drive on newer GM vehicles (2021 Colorado LT 2.5L)

[shortbus5]

Hello,

I'm new. Still a lot to learn. I have a 21 Colorado that started out life as a Fleet Vehicle. So far I've been able to update my radio (IOR) software, program keys, and program key fobs with success. I have an SPS2 account for my Vin so I've been able to download the software for ECU, BCM, and Radio thus far. I haven't had much luck working with the bins that are downloaded with them unfortunately. I think I read somewhere that they stopped issuing XML files with the bin's for newer cars? At least I didn't see any XML files when I checked the SPS2 folders.

My truck is an LT with the 2.5L 4 cylinder running an E80 ECU with an MPC5676. Global A. Have access to SPS2, GDS2, DPS, that came with the vx nano and a CH341A chip programmer.

My big issue first and foremost is Buckle to Drive. New feature GM added recently that requires a seat belt be plugged in before it will shift out of park. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, as I wear my seat belt when driving, but I also use my truck as a truck and so I'm driving on my own property short distances, or heck just turning around in my own driveway, and this has a timer that makes me wait 20 seconds before it will let me shift with the seat belt unplugged. I could buy an extender/fake buckle to bypass it, or sit on my seat belt, but I'm in the midst of this world anyway, so I figured I'd see if there was anything I could do in the software. Simply setting the 20 seconds cool down to 1 second would be enough.

Everything I've read, even the users manual for my truck say that there is a setting on the radio under "vehicle settings" where you can disable it, or other models mention it being under the teen driver feature. I believe because I have a fleet vehicle the option is not in any menus on my truck. The local Chevy dealership couldn't find it, so I definitely have no overlooked it.

Does GM have a flag somewhere for fleet vehicles or is the whole software/calibration stack of files specific to fleet vehicles? Is anyone aware of a way to add menu items to a GM radio (I believe its considered HMI 3.7/3.8, the radio and HMI are combined).

Do I need to look at getting a different tool? The vx nano was cheap and seemed like it could do what I wanted, but that was before I really did much research, it supposedly can read can messages, so maybe if I can figure out the can message for "the seat belt is plugged in" I could setup an ardiuno to send that command on startup or something. if I need to consider another device I might. I'm not turning this into a career though, so I'd rather not spend thousands of dollars.

I'm not looking for specifics or a handout or anything, just any ideas or links that might help me take the next step in my journey. Sorry I'm so long-winded.

[antus]

The setting is probably in the BCM, with the UI in the radio. You'd need to run something like universal patchers logger and turn the setting on and off a number of times on another vehicle with the setting and then go looking at the data to try and identify what it was. If you have the skills you might be able to use something like a raspberry pi and can hat to record the bus just for the moment you change the setting on another car and replay it on yours. Chances are if the BCM sees the message it might just update and stay updated. To use factory tools to change the setting I'd be looking to see if it exists in GDS2. Another idea which may or may not work would be to plug your BCM in to another car. Security may not allow the HMI to talk to it, but if it does you could change the setting and see if it sticks in the BCM then put it back in yours. HMI and BCM may need the same VIN in them to work together. But I've not played with this generation of car, so these are general answers to get the conversation started, not things I have tried.

[shortbus5]

Thank you this definitely gives me some more breadcrumbs to follow. I appreciate the response!

[ironduke]

If you just want to turn it off and this whole thing isn't just a learning experience I would probably just contact techline and ask about having that feature re-enabled.. They would change it on the server and you would simply program whatever module needed to effect the change so the 'buckle to drive' option shows back up in the radio settings and lets you de select it.

Only viable option I would attempt past that is documenting the calibrations in your bcm and radio and then looking up calibrations on same vehicles, trying for the SAME EXACT option codes as your vehicle and documenting the different calibrations.. Things like cruise control, foglamps, IOR versus IOS radio, xm, headlight options, etc will all have different calibrations.. If you can find the exact same truck with exception to just a couple cal differences than you could try pushing those cals.. That in itself is a whole bunch of work nevermind gaining the ability to push random cals into modules..

No idea just how much spare time you have or your abilities.. Not knocking them, just suggesting calling techline and asking nicely. Not sure if you have to be calling from a dealer, if you have the sps2 account I would think that would suffice. I am guessing there would be a reconfiguration fee of around $115 involved.

I've gone looking for the xml files myself and have yet to see anything I can use. I am assuming older vehicles than what I currently drive might have them? no idea..

[Gatecrasher]

The GM fleet upfitter guides are have a wealth of knowledge for their trucks. https://www.gmupfitter.com/

This describes the shift lock system in your truck. https://www.gmupfitter.com/wp-content/u ... 1OCT15.pdf (page 8-5)

Looks like it can be disabled by reflashing the SDM (airbag) module. Go through SPS for the SDM and see if there's a selectable calibration. You might not even need to call Techline.

The Safety Belt Assurance System can be disabled
with a calibration file update in the K36 Inflatable
Restraint Sensing and Diagnostic Module using SPS.
This procedure should only be done to help resolve a
customer dissatisfaction issue.

[shortbus5]

No idea just how much spare time you have or your abilities.. Not knocking them, just suggesting calling techline and asking nicely. Not sure if you have to be calling from a dealer, if you have the sps2 account I would think that would suffice. I am guessing there would be a reconfiguration fee of around $115 involved.

I wasn't sure how well that would work since I'm just a DIYer, but worst they can say is no.

I'd like to add remote start too so Ive looked a few times for VINs with it I could use with SPS, it just worries me that not everything is identical and I think there may be settings in the ecu and bcm for remote start.

I got a legit auth code for fog lights so I gotta call them up anyway. If gatecrashers suggestion doesn't work I'll ask them about buckle to drive and remote start while I'm on the line. Thank you!

Looks like it can be disabled by reflashing the SDM (airbag) module. Go through SPS for the SDM and see if there's a selectable calibration. You might not even need to call Techline.

Damn, I've seen that document half a dozen times but never looked under the transmission section. I also saw the shift lock actuator test in GDS, but didn't really put it together that buckle to drive is just adding some extra logic to an actuator that has probably existed on vehicles for ages.

In my defense I'm a computer nerd, not a car guy. I realize a lot of you guys in here are both, but until I owned this truck my only concern was does it have 4 wheels and go forward. Buy my first truck and suddenly I'm shopping for every upgrade or accessory that was ever made for this thing.

Thanks for the insight, I'm gonna check sps2 immediately.

[shortbus5]

Welp, no luck with SPS2 and doing the K36 Program. Other modules have Programming and Setup as different options, but K36's only option was Program and Setup. Once the programming completed it only asked to configure some Yaw setting.

I feel like GM should have some kind of workflow for un-fleeting a vehicle, there's gotta be millions of former fleet vehicles that end up on the used car market. Thank god mine doesn't have a governor or something that actually affects the performance ( that I'm aware of anyway ).

I feel like this might be something that can be handled with [redacted], but the interpreter documentation I have is 15 years old so finding the right commands could be tricky.

I did watch the sps\type4 folder as the programming was happening and there were some XML files that showed up briefly, and then were deleted automatically, but they were just full of the text of the messages that pop up, no actual configuration data.

This conversation has definitely helped me learn a little bit more. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a cheap BCM on ebay as well so I can try reading and fooling with the eeprom without bricking my vehicle. Unfortunately I don't have anyone in close proximity with a similar truck to compare against.

[ironduke]

I you can send me your vin, or your bcm cal file numbers I might be able to help out with the remote start at least..

[shortbus5]

There is a vehicle data capture html file in there that should cover everything.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... V377E4Jy-i

I have looked up other VIN's on the tis2web website, but since I have the 2.5L LT which is only one step up from the base model WT, there aren't a ton of other's out there with remote start, so the few I have found end up having multiple BCM calibration file numbers different. I thought i would be able to find a VIN where everything is identical except one calibration, but I think this being a fleet vehicle makes that more difficult.

I'd like to know about the process, I'm happy to accept your help of course, but I want to learn too.

[Tazzi]

Well.. a bit of insite on how I do it.

I generate every possible VIN combination for that entire vehicle model and year, and then pull every single RPO for every single valid VIN combination that I find. (Typically anywhere from tens to multiple hundreds of thousands of VINs).

From that, I then work out all of the differences based on those RPOs to then narrow down the changes occurring in the calibrations, and then finally I then test out making edits in the files to confirm my theory.

Its a long slow process, but since its my full time job, it has to be done.

I would have probably had a solution for you to run on a windows PC in about 6ish months once moving into the U.S market.