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#1 · (Edited)
Ok, I and some of my employees have been getting tons of questions on lockpicks and their functionality and installation instructions. My business specializes in selling radar detectors and my employee's are not trained on anything that is not related to radar detectors. When phones are busy a customer service rep or even someone who handles inventory may pick up the phone or receive online support requests for lockpicks and they have no idea how they work or how they are installed.

The modified STS Lockpicks are sold as a courtesy to the members of this forum. We do not advertise the product nor if you visited our website would find it anywhere on our site and there is a reason for this. Lockpicks are not our business.

We do have a special link for ordering on our site which links from this site so that members of this forum have an easy way to order one if they want one. We do not ship these units with instructions since all the information needed on lockpicks are already in threads here.

Here is a recap of the needed information:

For Modified Lockpicks (All 2005, All 2006 & All 2007, 2008, 2009 STS units that do not have a mute button)

1. All Dip Switches should be OFF (We also ship them in this position with all modified units)
2. Besides connecting the 2 connectors from the back of the navigation unit you will also need to connect a GPS antenna wire.
3. Activation of the unit is not triggered by the mute button but rather the switch that is included with the unit.

Below you will see a picture of the harness which will help you understand what I am referring to. Please take care when running the wires and please try to be gentle with the 1" x 1" box that holds the relay circuitry on the harness. If you pull are the wires you can damage the unit.

If you want to replace the switch with a different type of switch just clip the switch off and add whatever type of switch you want.



The price on the lockpick units will be as follows.. Same as we have sold them in the past.

2007-2008 STS Units w/Mute Button on Steering Wheel $235
2005-2006 STS Units with or Without Mute button $299
2007 STS units without mute button $299

Ordering link: http://www.bestradardetectors.net/Cadillac_STS_2005_2008_Lockpick_p/stslockpick.htm

We have produced over 100 units for members here and I am sure the members that purchased these units and installed the units and use them in their vehicles can help with any questions that you have. Please keep the discussion and support here and not with my employees that have no idea how the product works.

As a recap... All 2005-2006 STS units will require a manual activation switch to activate the system it does not matter if you have a mute button or not on the steering wheel.

Only 2007-2008+ STS units w/ a mute button on the steering wheel do not need the manual switch.

Here is a link to download the coastal installation video:

http://www.coastaletech.com/media/STS INSTALL AND DEMO.zip

The video shows installation in a 2008 STS which has a mute button.

Installation is relatively the same in all STS's with the following exception.

All Modified units need all DIP Switches OFF
All Modified units also have GPS connectors to place inline with the GPS Wire on the back of the navigation unit
All Modifed units are not activated with the mute button, They are activated with the manual switch which is included in the harness.
 
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#210 ·
Thanks for the response. I got to thinking that might be the case but I had never heard people talk about this when reading the thread. It is really nice to be able to use my hands free bluetooth without having to stop to make a call. The GPS is not such a big deal because I typically set my destination prior to leaving the house. The ability to find a POI on the fly is nice when in a large city and I have someone else who can operate the GPS.
 
#211 ·
Hey I am getting ready to install my lockpick this afternoon when I get home from work, sorry to ask this but do I need to disconnect my car battery before or after the installation of the lockpick? can the car be running while I install the lockpick or does it need to be off ?
 
#212 ·
No, You do not have to disconnect the battery but I would suggest installing it with with the accessory power off.
 
#213 ·
Ok I could use a little help here. I am installing my lockpick into a 2007 STS With a mute button on the steering wheel. I am pretty sure I have everything hooked up correctly it was all plug and play really simple. Ok so when I start my car and move it into reverse the DVD stops playing, OK so I hit my mute button 4 times and nothing happens. I think maybe I have switches on the lockpick itself in the wrong position? Also I have a red button that came with my harness and from what I read the 07 sts did not need ones or am I wrong ? Anyway some advice would be greatly appreciated !




 
#214 ·
Ok I could use a little help here. I am installing my lockpick into a 2007 STS With a mute button on the steering wheel. I am pretty sure I have everything hooked up correctly it was all plug and play really simple. Ok so when I start my car and move it into reverse the DVD stops playing, OK so I hit my mute button 4 times and nothing happens. I think maybe I have switches on the lockpick itself in the wrong position? Also I have a red button that came with my harness and from what I read the 07 sts did not need ones or am I wrong ? Anyway some advice would be greatly appreciated !
If when you put the vehicle in drive and the DVD stops you did not follow the instructions and left all pins in the up position when installed. You probably watched the old install video which had DIP 5 Down. All 2005-2007 vehicles need the red activation button. You will not press any buttons on the steering wheel to activate and deactivate the lockpick.

If when you powered the unit on for the first time you had Dip 5 Down and made the correction afterwords it will not make any difference until the unit is disconnected from power and powered back on. So if all Dips are up (The way it would have been mailed) disconnect the battery for a minute and re-connect so it re-initializes with the proper settings. If the navigation system is still out you can also just disconnect the lockpick from the harness for a minute and re-connect.
 
#215 · (Edited)
Thank you so much for the quick reply. I appreciate your time and help!

Hey I can't get it to work for some reason. I made a video that shows what I'm doing maybe you can give some more advice on what I am doing wrong Thanks !


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuvudjGNRCU



So the video is still uploading, but keep checking because it should hopefully help someone smarter then me figure out what I'm doing wrong. Thanks again for the help. I need a beer..Gonna button up the car for now and will get it fixed tomorrow.
 
#216 ·
Thank you so much for the quick reply. I appreciate your time and help!
Your welcome. Let me know if this solves the problem. With the modified lockpicks when you put the vehicle in drive the DVD will continue playing and will only lock out after you drive over 8MPH, If you press the red activation button the video will stay on no matter what speed you are driving until the red button is deactivated. When you press the button this is essentially disabling the vehicles VSS & GPS Signal so the navigation system thinks you are not moving.
 
#217 ·
Ok so I am still having trouble here and I need some help to troubleshoot what's going on. Ok so first off this morning I went back the car and unplugged everythings and then hooked it all back up again, making sure all the connections were solid. I also pulled the car battery just in case that system needed a restart before the lockpick worked. So after doing all of that the lockpick still does seem to work ,so I need to figure out what I am doing wrong. I took some more pictures this morning and hopefully they'll help, also the video I took last night obviously didnt load for some reason..

Okay..so in this first pictures I have the factory brown and grey cable pulled from the navigation and they are paired with the harness I was sent.




In this pictures it shows where I put the brown and grey plugs after connections. the brown one seems to be missing the pink lock but I dont think it matters because the DVd player works, just not when I put into drive even after pressing the button.




This third and 4th picture basically just show the gps cables and that I hooked up those up too..





This last picture shows the lockpick unit itself exactly the way it came shipped and of course it's plugged in.




So I get into the car the dvd players works fine, I start driving and picture turns off. I hit the red button that was shipped with the harness and nothing. Now when I hit the red button the gps does cut off in the navigation screen and I can enter a destination while driving, but for some reason I the movie won't play which is really what I want. Any advice ? I have the car basically unbuttoned for now so If I get some good advice it will only take a few minutes mess with it. Anyway thanks for the help !
 
#219 ·
You are doing nothing wrong. When you shift into gear no matter what the red button position is in the video should continue to play. The only difference is when you go over 8MPH the button will need to be activated if you want to keep the DVD playing. If this is not happening then the GM Lan communication filtering which occurs in the lockpick module itself is not working. Please send it back to me and I will replace it. Post office is open today so if you can please mail it back to us and let me know the cost and I will reimburse you the cost of the shipping and I will pay to send the replacement back to you.
 
#220 ·
Thanks again Tomm,

I really appreciate the time you took to reply while I was having trouble with the unit. I mailed the unit back to you via priority mail on Saturday from the post office ,it was only like $ 5.50 so don't worry about reimbursing me for the shipping, It's no biggie. If you have any questions for me feel free to PM or reply to the thread, I check the boards here quite often.
 
#221 ·
Installed my lockpick today in my 05 sts. Everything worked fine but my GPS was not working. I pulled it out and checked all connections. Still nothing. Fiinally i surfed this thread and found my answer. The GPS is inactive when the red button is active. That is a bit of info that would have been nice to know 3 hours ago... How difficult would it have been to include that tidbit of info in the package? Just an observation. In the end it works perfectly. Thanks :)
 
#222 ·
This is not a Retail product and we only produce these units for members of this forum. It was discussed many times that lockpicks can only work by tricking the navigation unit into believing that you are not moving. The Early STS Navigation units had 3 fail safes to prevent you from viewing the DVD while in motion.

1. Once in Gear vehicle will automatically lock screen
2. If the first fail safe above fails the Navigation unit will check the VSS signal to see if you are moving.
3. If both fail safes above fail as a last resort the navigation system will check your gps signal to sense if you are moving.

This was lessened in the later model years (Seemed to remove the GPS Signal Check) which is why there are easier lockpick setups for 2008+ STS units without using a lockpick that does all 3 interupts.

In any case even if you have a 2008-2011+ You still can not use GPS when you have the lockpick engaged. I am sorry you did not see this information sooner. Glad in the end have your lockpick working properly.
 
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#224 ·
Tomm,

I just wanted to start out by saying once again, you are the STS God! Your lockpick is an amazing device. I have had mine for years & it works perfectly! I have a friend that just bought an 08 STS-V & he would like to get a lockpick. I see on your website where he could order it (on sale I think for only $199.95!). The question that I have is that on the website, it says that the lockpick is operated by using the "Source" button on the steering wheel but here in the forum, everything I see says that you use the "Mute" button. Which button ends up operating the lockpick? His car has the heads-up display but does not have radar cruise so I think he does have the "Mute" button on his steering wheel. Also, when he does get the lockpick, just for clarification, all the switches will be up except for the #5 switch which will be down?

Thanks again,

Max
 
#225 ·
Alot has changed in the past several months. The units we have always sold and modified were original STS Lockpicks from Coastal. The original Lockpick was a re-flashed version on the Gen 5 lockpick and a special harness made only for the STS model. GM has now standardized on two different connection methods which enabled Coastal to make universal units which work on multiple vehicles. The Gen 6 + GMX550 which works on over 70% of the GM Lineup and they will have a new unit coming out in a month or so which will cover around 20% of the other GM vehicles including the CTS (Finally) but since sales on the STS Lockpick were very slow and they would need to manufacture older units only for the STS the STS lockpick has been killed off.

The current STS unit that we sell for the 2008-2011's are not made by Coastal and there are no DIP switches. The new units also do not use the mute button for activation but rather by holding the source button down for 2 seconds. Instructions are with the new units and its completely plug and play and I have personally installed a few and there are no issues with them.

The current Modified Units (2005-2007) are running on a special modified Gen-6 and custom harness made in house. These will also be killed off soon because demand for the units is very low and they take me over 2 hours to produce each modified unit. I also test each modified unit I produce by installing it in my personal STS which will be paid off in 2 more months :thumbsup: and I plan on selling it or trading it. Once its gone I will not be able to test the units I produce.

So long story short... Your friend will have no issue with the $199.95 2008+ STS Lockpick that we are currently selling and its completely plug and play with no jumpers.
 
#226 ·
Tomm,
Just wanted to say I love the product. Got mine back at Christmas time while the special was going on but it wasnt installed until Sept. It works flawlessly dont know how I ever did without it. Two thumbs up and thanks for doing the wiring work on your own time. I know from experience wiring work can take sometime.
Michael
 
#229 ·
I plan to make just a few more. I have one person on back-order for two weeks because he ordered right before the Christmas rush and I have had no time to work on these. I am off on Monday so I will do the back-order on Monday and if you order one I can have it made the same day.
 
#231 ·
Alot has changed since this thread started. There are only two models now. 2008+ or 2005-2007 now. Mute button no longer makes a difference since Coastal discontinued the STS Lockpick almost a year ago.
 
#232 ·
I WAS going to ask WTF is a lockpick, but i think i figured it out. it allows you to play DVDs while driving - correct? But you have to remove the radio to install it - also correct??
 
#233 ·
I WAS going to ask WTF is a lockpick, but i think i figured it out. it allows you to play DVDs while driving - correct?
It allows playing of DVDs, but it also allows full use of the navigation and bluetooth while driving as well

But you have to remove the radio to install it - also correct??
Yes, take maybe 10 min, all just plug and play.
 
#235 ·
No, There is no GMX-550, or any similar type of lockpick for the STS.
 
#236 ·
Hi tomm, I'm ready to order and just wanted a clarification.

I have an 07 STS with a mute button on the steering wheel. Can I go to purchase the 2008-2011 STS - (These models are activated by holding the Source button on the steering wheel for 3 seconds) as I've read on this thread that it can be activated through the mute button, or would I need to purchase the 05-07 that's activated through a manual switch. I would like everything to be incorporated from the steering wheel.
 
#237 ·
Unfortunately the answer is no. Unless you can find an old STS Lockpick from someone selling their vehicle you will not be able to get the 2008+ version. That version will not work on any 2005-2007's regardless of having a mute button or not.
 
#238 ·
Until further notice we are no longer accepting orders on the 2005-2007 STS Lockpicks. I have run out of all parts and interest has died down to a level that its not beneficial to re-buy the parts needed to produce any more of these units. The spool of cable used to make the GPS lines alone costs over $200 and it took me 3 years to go through the 1000ft of cable.

We will still of course continue to sell the 2008+ STS Lockpicks and since the STS has been discontinued we expect this product will also eventually come to an end probably in the next year or so. The STS was the only GMLAN 11bit radios and after 2007 everything moved to GMLAN 29bit so just about every manufacture stopped producing units for 11bit radios since there was only a small amount of users using these 11bit products.
 
#247 ·
Found a new supplier that will sell me smaller quantities on some of the parts I needed and I found a 100FT roll of GPS Cable instead of the larger rolls I purchased in the past so it will bring my costs down to be able to make one more batch. I will make 10 more units and that will be it. Every-time I shut them down you guys wheel me back in but this will be it. I have opened back-orders back up and the site will take only up to 10 back-orders on the 2005-2007 models.
 
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#248 ·
Tomm;

This is great news, I read through the whole thread only to find I could not get a Lockpick for my 2005 STS N*, which I just bought last week with only 18,000 miles on it. Looks like it just came out of the showroom. Ordered the lockpick this morning, great start to a Sunday. Look fwd to the install. Have had a Lockpick in my 2009 F350 Super Duty for two years and it makes all the difference. Thanks again for spooling back up one more time.
 
#241 ·
I will be here a while. I sold my SRX and my STS is for sale but I am shopping for an Escalade.
 
#243 ·
Thanks! For me with 3 kids my family has outgrown the STS. They squeeze in the back seat and with a car seat and booster seat it takes a long time to maneuver everyone to even get the seat belts on. My STS has been great to me and I have had 0 issues with it. The V8 is the most solid engine in my opinion. I am definately going to miss the ACC & HUD but even more important to me is the lifting the door handles to unlock and pushing a button to start.
 
#246 ·
Yes, The $199 STS lockpick on our site will work with the 2008 STS-V with no issues.
 
#250 ·
Anyone else have the issue with lockpick shutting down entertainment system ? Today drove for 30 minutes nav went dead no sound picture ect. Shut car off for about 3 minutes came back on for like 5 minutes. Shut car off 30 minutes worked for 5 more minutes. Drove home no nav no music got a 06 all pins off the one with a switch. Any feedback would be great.


Joe
 
#251 ·
Only reason the nav would ever shut down would be because it lost the GM Lan communication. When you installed it did you push all plugs in all the way until you heard the click and then lock the tabs on the connectors? Its possible that the Lockpick module is going bad or the connectors are not in all the way and once that connection to the GM Lan breaks the NAV will turn itself off.
 
#253 ·
Unplugging the battery and disconnecting the lockpick and re-connecting has the same reboot effect. So if you try one and it does not work doing the other will not offer any different results. How long have you had the lockpick?
 
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