There is a world of functions that the OnStar service offers, one of which is car tracking. The service can help you track your car in an unfortunate incident of it getting jacked or stolen.
With OnStar, you can know exactly where your car is, and where it has been, but the question is, can OnStar locate my car without subscription?
OnStar can locate your car without a subscription except you demand they don’t locate or track your car by removing your car from their services. But as long as you are still an active member of OnStar, they can locate your car even without subscription.
Can OnStar Locate my Car without Subscription?
Yes, as long as OnStar is activated in your vehicle at the point of your car going missing, then it can locate your car without a subscription.
The subscription is for you to have access to information. Even if you do not subscribe, OnStar services still have all this information and still have all the services running in your vehicle. You just won’t have access to it.
So even if you haven’t subscribed, so long as OnStar is activated, it will keep tracking your car. You just won’t have access to the relevant information you need until you subscribe.
So, can OnStar locate your car without a subscription? Yes, they can. Will they locate your car for you, giving you access to the information without a subscription?
Except in extreme cases where the police themselves request for it during a hot, highway chase, no, they won’t give you access to it.
So if you need to locate your car, you might need to subscribe a year-long before you can have access to it. No wonder people wonder if OnStar has a camera.
Signs Your OnStar is Activated
Depending on the type of car you drive, you will find several buttons below the rearview mirror. The OnStar button is usually the blue button.
If OnStar is activated in your vehicle, a green light that serves as an indicator will be on. The green light sitting on the top of the blue button indicates that the OnStar is activated. If the green light is off, it means that OnStar is deactivated in your vehicle.
You can also call the OnStar customer care or helpline to confirm if OnStar is activated. The process of activating and deactivating is completely manual, free of complexities, and can be done at any time.
Pros of Using OnStar
There are various benefits to having and using OnStar in your vehicle, they are:
- Ensures Security as you Drive: OnStar has sensors that can detect any small crash. It is called Automatic Crash Response, and this sensor can trigger the OnStar Emergency-Certified Advisor that will send you immediate help even before you ask for it.
- Ensures Security Even While you are not Driving: It keeps your vehicle safe from thieves. Or, rather, it helps you and the police locate your vehicle swiftly if it gets stolen at any point.
- You Can Call for Help with Maintenance: If by any chance, you get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, you run out of gas, your battery dies on you, or your car breaks down for any reason at all and you need to tow it, OnStar has built-in roadside assistance that comes to your aid.
- Connectivity: It provides internet through Wi-Fi hotspots that remain connected even in low network coverage areas where your phone doesn’t get a network signal.
With OnStar activated and subscribed to, you never have to worry about connecting to the internet while you are in your vehicle.
Does OnStar Have GPS?
Yes, it does. It is this GPS that helps OnStar service to track your car if it ever gets stolen. Without GPS, there is only little OnStar can do to help locate your car.
The OnStar operators use this GPS technology to track your car and give you its location as soon as you inform them that your car has been stolen.
What Happens if I Cancel OnStar?
If you cancel OnStar by any means, it becomes deactivated, and you will not be able to enjoy any of the services that you used to enjoy when it was activated in your vehicle.
Services that help you get road assistance, emergency services, tracking information, security, and all other services will be completely deactivated.
You will not be able to contact OnStar for any kind of assistance as you – that is, your car – won’t be on their radar any longer. You can, however, choose to activate it once more. Once you do, your services will be restored.
Can OnStar Disable a Vehicle?
Yes, it can. However, you will have to get a police report that confirms that, indeed, your vehicle has been stolen, and the thief is on the run with your car.
Once you inform the police and have the proper report filed, the operators at OnStar Services can then connect with your vehicle to disable the engine gradually so that the vehicle’s velocity can reduce until it drops completely so that the police can catch up with the thief.
Final Thoughts
OnStar services are very useful in vehicles once activated. However, to get complete access to all its services, you have to subscribe to their services. They let you use OnStar for five years for free, after which you have to pay subscription fees to enjoy it.
If OnStar is activated on your vehicle and you don’t pay a subscription fee, they will have all your vehicle’s information and have their services run on your vehicle on their end, but you will not have access to any of these services because you have not paid for access.
Therefore, to enjoy their services, such as being able to locate your car if it gets stolen, you have to subscribe to their services. You will certainly get your money’s worth.
