Can OnStar Locate My Car Without Subscription?

Just like phones are connected, and so are cars increasingly becoming connected. OnStar has become is one of the best in-vehicle telematics & emergency services making use of cellular connectivity and GPS to keep your vehicle connected to the grid.

My friend Paul Means Chevrolet Equinox was stolen dead in the night. He woke up to an empty parking spot.

Terrified and not sure whether he’d get his car back, he immediately logged in to My Chevrolet App and was immediately connected to OnStar adviser who immediately called and a chase began.

Fortunately his car was recovered all thanks to OnStar and the cops of course.

But the big question is: can OnStar track car without active subscription?

Yes. OnStar is able to locate your car even without an active subscription. However, you will need an active subscription for the company to track down your car in the event that it’s stolen.

It’s fulfilling to know that Onstar can locate your car without a subscription. However, some clients feel like it infringes on their privacy.

Thus, they request the company to remove them entirely from the system. The company’s policy to maintain user data makes it easy for users to activate their subscriptions when they need their premium services.

What is Onstar?

Onstar Corporation is a General Motors subsidiary that offers onboard vehicle tracking services.

It also provides related subscription-based services such as turn-to-turn navigation, communication, hands-free calling, emergency services, remote diagnostic system, etc.

You can get the benefits in the USA, Canada, Argentina, China, Europe, Brazil, and Mexico.

Onstar voice service has some similarities with Siri and Alexa. However, its major difference is that it offers an actual human you can have a live conversation with while in your car.

The advisor keeps the conversation with you if an emergency arises until help arrives. Thus, Onstar clients feel safe and confident with their services.

The Onstar Automatic Crash Response is accurate and timely since the advisor is swift at sending emergency notifications.

Accidents and other emergencies that leave you stranded can cause panic. The presence of a live advisor throughout the incident eases the tension.

Onstar partners with local authorities to track stolen cars under their subscription. They’ll also offer you routine trip navigation assistance.

It’s useful when snarl-ups and other incidents that can delay your journey traffic. Another vital service is the special routing assistance that helps you detect and evade severe weather and crises.

Can Onstar Locate My Car Without Subscription?

When you fail to renew your subscription, Onstar keeps your subscription data with them. You can use that data to locate your car when you don’t have an active subscription.

However, the free services are limited – though helpful. You can request the company to completely remove you from their services.

The company maintains your data and some free services to make it easy for you to sign back to their premium services.

The policy changes on 201 allow the GM subsidiary to keep data of their previous customers. However, some people felt that the company could sell their data to marketing firms which would infringe on their privacy.

Thus, you can write a request to request them to delete your data from the system. The movie’s only effect is that your re-registration will be longer than members who let the company maintain their data.

Does OnStar Work Without Subscription?

Hurricane Katrina, which affected the Gulf Coast of the United States in 2005, highlighted people’s special needs during emergencies.

The needs were beyond emergency car crises and car crashes. Thus, Onstar creates an Emergency alert that would respond to registered car drivers in a particular geographical location.

Since they believe in service to humanity, they allow members without an active subscription to access the emergency services.

In such catastrophic cases, Onstar dedicates a team of advisors to respond to numerous distress calls from the affected geographic location.

The calls help them gather information on blocked roads and available evacuation routes. The data assists the advisors in advising the victims of the catastrophe. The team also collects data on available open pharmacies and power outages. They also estimate the time you need to wait for restoration services from relevant authorities.

Onstar is in partnership with Healthcare Ready. The latter organization keeps data on available hospitals and healthcare facilities. The collaboration helps Onstar advisors direct clients with medical emergencies to access medical facilities.

North Carolina, Texas, and Florida are known as disaster-prone states. Thus, Onstar makes an effort to ensure real-time data on the website and social media that people can rely on.

Customers are a valuable source of information for Onstar. They call to inform them of any fallen power lines.

Downed trees, blocked roads, etc. Onstar then distributes the information through the website and social media handles. The service eases up the pressure on 911 emergency dispatchers.

Can OnStar Track Stolen Car Without Active Subscription?

Tracking stolen cars is one of the subscription services you will find on the Onstar website. Thus, OnStar can’t track a stolen car with an inactive subscription.

If you are an old member that discontinued the service, you can reactivate and enjoy the service. The $360ish yearly subscription is a worthy investment that helps the police easily locate your stolen car.

After you reactivate your subscription, you should report your stolen car to Onstar. The Advisors locate your vehicle using GPS technology.

After locating your car, they partner with local authorities to track the vehicle. They even can slow down the car or lock it to make the recovery process quicker. Onstar can activate the Remote Ignition Block that prevents thieves from restarting the vehicle.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What happens if I cancel OnStar?

You will not access essential services like emergency services and Automatic Crash Response when you cancel your Onstar subscription or let it expire. You’ll not reach out to our team in case you need help.

However, your data can help you detect your car signals easily without accessing premium services like tracking. Once you reactivate your subscription, it will be easy to use all the premium services under your package of choice.

How long does OnStar last?

Onstar Members can access free services for up to five years after their last subscription. Such services include Keyfob services – this option helps you lock and unlock your car’s doors remotely.

You can also activate lights and horns on several car models like GMC, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Buick. You can also use the Onstar RemoteLink App, which works with different car models.

For free, other services you can get include Roadside Assistance, vehicle safety and security, and convenience Wi-Fi. These services are available on the trial version that lasts for three months.

Will Onstar Work Without A Subscription?

Onstar majors on subscription services. However, they have a disaster response under the Crisis Alert department open to subscribers and non-subscribers.

The Crisis Alert caters to all Onstar-Equipped vehicles in a geographic location under a crisis. The drivers can reach out to the Onstar team for various issues and assistance.

Onstar uses this service to gather information to help the advisors and response team respond to various queries.

Can Onstar Disable A Vehicle?

Onstar offers Stolen Vehicle Slowdown Service. They can only activate the service once you report to them after filing a police report.

The local authorities should confirm to Onstar that the details you give are accurate and the car you report belongs to you. This helps to minimize malicious use of the service from fraudsters.

Once the Onstar team gets the stolen car’s details, they track it with their GPC system. After locating it, they activate the Stolen Vehicle Slowdown that gradually reduces the speed of your vehicle.

Once the car stops, the thieves can’t restart the car until the recovery team reaches the vehicle.

Can You Pay Annually For Onstar?

Yes, Onstar offers an annual subscription for most of its services. You can also opt for a monthly subscription when you are on a budget.

However, monthly subscriptions are costly in the long run. If you want to save a lot from your Onstar subscriptions, the Multiyear subscriptions are the best option.

Can Onstar Locate My Car Without Subscription?