OnStar Rant

[2001ragtop]

GETTING UPSET is okay. Just use it constructively. When you cool off, go through the proper channels to have OnStar deactivated.

[CarolinaChick]

Only thing that's ever happened with me is they attempted to "call" me one day while on my way down the road. I simply ended the call, before it began, because I was in mid-sentence with my son. My "free trial" isn't up yet and until it is, I don't have anything to discuss with them.

[ssboy2010]

Weird, sorry that happened to you.

I've had my camaro for 2 years, never had that happen to me. Weird.

But my sister said when she had her rental they were going down the road, and saw ambulances and cops fly by, then a couple seconds later all the lights in the car were blinking, and OnStar came on and said "ma'am are you okay?!" and she was like "uhh yeah whats going on" and they said "well we just got a report you were in a roll over accident! the ambulances and cops are trying to find the car, so we are sending a signal".... long story short... she wasn't in a roll over accident.. so I guess OnStar can mess up sometimes.

[mat300z]

I think the benefits outweigh the negative aspects of onstar. They have helped me out when I was lost. They have made hotel reservations for me and even talked to me for a while when I told them I was tired. As for the call I have never heard of them calling while in the car they always call me on my cell phone. The other cool thing is the onstar android app. Last night I was in bed and couldn't remember if I locked my car back up (I painted and reinstalled the tail light bezels late) I was in bed and didn't have my keys with me. All I did was start the app on my phone and locked my doors with the phone app. I think it is really cool to have.

[jkchambless]

After 2 years I just cut my Onstar services back to "emergency" only. I have to say, however that I haven't heard of this. I would be extremely angry if they started pumping commercials into my car. I quit going to the movies because I refuse to pay to watch commercials. I can understand your reaction.

[UNDsioux]

Get some help. U have anger issues

[wise]

Onstar is annoying and their salespeople are even worse.

This happened to me in December. I thought my radio malfunctioned until the long, silent pause ended with an Onstar advertisement. I turned my volume down until the message was over and didn't really think much of it...

About a week later, one of my coworkers informs me I have a call on hold. I answer and it's an Onstar rep... I never gave my work number to anyone at the dealership, and I did not put it on any paperwork. After politely telling the sales-rep several times that I am not interested in any further subscription with Onstar, he then began asking what I would do in the event of a car accident or if my car were stolen. I requested that my Onstar subscription and link to my vehicle be terminated, and also requested no further contact from Onstar. He informed me he could not do that and started his salespitch again. I hung up and never got a call from them again. My subscription ended January 20.

OP, I understand your frustration. I should have asked to speak with a supervisor, but I was trying to keep the call as short as possible since I was at work.

[monicatomokc]

OnStar is obviously having difficulty keeping subscribers, so they've had to step up their marketing tactics. My first experience with them was when I bought my first Tahoe back in 2002. Back then, they just baraged you with junk mail. Guess it took them a few years to figure out that wasn't going to work, so here comes the annoying call in the middle of driving somewhere. Oh well, just one more little annoying thing in life to deal with....

[PLuche]

Bought mine brand new almost three months ago, have 7,175 miles on it and have never had this happened to me.

They did call my cell phone a bunch of times to try to see how I liked the serviced. I never picked up so after about 3 weeks they stopped calling.

BTW what were you listening to??

[2SS 2011]

Seriously Bro (OP).. I mean are you kidding me? Really?

You will be the same guy who posts on how something happened and you needed onstar and they refused because YOU cancelled them.. and you would probably write a letter demanding why they didn't help you..

[dplyttle]

In a related matter to OnStar, I received an email from them stating my service needed to be renewed. I looked at the cost and services offered. $200 a year for emergency assistance, roadside service, diagnostic emails etc. and an additional $100 per year for directions and guidance.

That is a lot of money. I am opting to discontinue service. I have a smart phone that gives directions and navigation, I have opted to keep AAA as the additional services and offerings are on par with OnStar minus the diagnostic emails and instant emergency calls.

I am feeling that OnStar is a redundant system in my case. My vehicle insurance carrier also is providing emergency roadside assistance.

Finally, I have only used the the navigation and directions service from OnStar three times in the past year.

OnStar has also called me while driving and tried to get me to update my call minutes with them when I first bought my Camaro. It was a bit surprising and a little disturbing, similar to a cold call from a telemarketer. Not a fan of that practice.

[Dook1985]

Not to sound like a smart ass. But just unplug it problem solved.

[Mr_Draco]

Originally Posted by wadeh

I've read a few threads about OnStar and they seem to get contentious, especially on the electronics forum. Before I say my piece, I want to be clear that I don't want to start a debate on whether OnStar is good or bad. There are people that are very happy to have OnStar, and that's cool. I don't need a tinfoil hat. And I've read a number of threads about disabling the hardware, so I am not looking for technical information. I just want to share an experience that ruined the fun I was having with my new car today...

I've had my new Camaro for about a week and have been having a blast with it. When I left work this evening on the way home, I was listening to the radio when the music stopped and the radio went silent. The display on the radio face continued to show the frequency, but the RDS information went blank. It was as if the radio signal was lost.

After about 5 or 10 seconds of silence, a voice came over OnStar to tell me how great OnStar is. Excuse me? You interrupted what I was listening to because you thought that your stinkin' adventisement was that important? This is absolutely NOT OK!

And that's not the worst part. I hit the OnStar button. When I got the rep, I explained what had just happened and asked that they terminate my service immediately. And get this...THEY REFUSED! Their claim is that my dealer paid for the first 6 months of service and that I would need to take it up with them.

So I took the next exit, turned around and went directly to my dealer. They were very suprised that OnStar refused to cancel the service. They also assured me that they weren't paying anything to OnStar at the dealership level. Finally, they told me that they are going to contact OnStar tomorrow on my behalf and try to get it cancelled.

I am considering writing to GM to let them know how OnStar's behavior has affected my experience as a new owner. Also, it is my understanding that the individual sales reps are instructed to activate OnStar with each new car and that it affects their rating if they don't do so. I would like them (and the dealership's management) to know that I am very satisfied with my salesman's handling of the deal - and would be even more satisfied with GM, the dealer and the salesman if it had been made clear to me that activating OnStar was optional and that it didn't need to be done if I didn't want the service.

Anyway, I just wanted to get this off my chest.

Thanks,
-Wade

You do know it's just a normal phone call except to your car. All you had to do is hang up. That's what I did and it took me a whole 2 seconds.

This little advertisement only happens once and that's shortly after you buy the car so you don't have to worry about it happening again.

You WAY overreacted. There are more important things in life than a whole 10 seconds of your precious music so suck it up and get over it. You wasted more of your time that is SSSSOOOO precious to you starting this thread, going out of your way to your dealer to complain, and complaining to Onstar then Onstar will ever waste the whole time you own the car.

[spectre_]

Just curious out of those that have had this happen, how many actually had used the OnStar phone? Meaning, bought minutes for it.
I know when I bought my car and setup the OnStar, I declined to use the phone portion of the service (was not included in the free trial). Thus I haven't received any such calls from them. I'm wondering if that could be part of it...