Filter
Top Products
How OnStar
®
Service Works
In order to provide you with OnStar
®
services,
your vehicle’s OnStar
®
system has the capability
of recording and transmitting vehicle information.
This information is automatically sent to an
OnStar
®
Call Center at the time of an OnStar
®
button press, Emergency button press or if
your airbags or AACN system deploys. The vehicle
information usually includes your GPS location
and, in the event of a crash, additional information
regarding the accident that your vehicle has
been involved in (e.g. the direction from which
your vehicle was hit). When you use the Virtual
Advisor feature of OnStar
®
Hands-Free Calling,
your vehicle also sends OnStar
®
your GPS
location so that we can provide you with
location-based services.
OnStar
®
service cannot work unless your vehicle is
in a place where OnStar
®
has an agreement with a
wireless service provider for service in that area.
OnStar
®
service also cannot work unless you are
in a place where the wireless service provider
OnStar
®
has hired for that area has coverage,
network capacity and reception when the service is
needed, and technology that is compatible with the
OnStar
®
service. Not all services are available
everywhere, particularly in remote or enclosed
areas, or at all times.
OnStar
®
service that involves location information
about your vehicle cannot work unless GPS
satellite signals are unobstructed and available
in that place as well.
Your vehicle must have a working electrical
system (including adequate battery power) for the
OnStar
®
equipment to operate. There are other
problems OnStar
®
cannot control that may prevent
OnStar
®
from providing OnStar
®
service to you
at any particular time or place. Some examples are
damage to important parts of your vehicle in an
accident, hills, tall buildings, tunnels, weather
or wireless phone network congestion.
Your Responsibility
You may need to increase the volume of your radio
to hear the OnStar
®
advisor. If the light next to the
OnStar
®
buttons is red, this means that your system
is not functioning properly and should be checked
by your dealer/retailer. If the light appears clear (no
light is appearing), your OnStar
®
subscription has
expired. You can always press the OnStar
®
button
to confirm that your OnStar
®
equipment is active.
131