So I started a 3 month trial of OnStar last week. I have to say, aside from emergencies, it doesn't really offer me much. I really wanted it for the mobile app and eNav. Turns out only 2010+ trucks have that ability right now. Major bummer and I'll cancel the OnStar after my trial until they get it up and going I think.

So GM if you're listening, that's where the real value is in OnStar (again, outside of emergency situations) for cars that already have navigation and all those kinds of bell and whistles. Add that ability back to 08 Tahoe Hybrids and you'll gain a customer for sure.

 

Call me paranoid.
I personally would not buy a vehicle in which outsiders (GM, the gov etc) can disable, enable or lock/unlock it to prevent its use, potentially even from me if someone had the desire to do so.

Most everything else I can do on my cell phone.

 

Ok paranoid

 

it (onstar) has helped several times that I feel it is a valuable item/service. one trip to the desert in the summer, I know that I get 25 mpg highway on my escalade hybrid and overestimated the potential for failure, refusing to fill up gas. had to call onstar when it ran out of gas a mere two miles short of the next gas station in flagstaff, AZ. I also call them on the fly when traveling to download directions to my nav when I don't have time to stop. the most recent one was while walking to soldier field to watch the bears vs chiefs game, I forgot if I actually locked the escalade and it is a long walk back to adler in cold weather. called onstar and they locked the car for me

 

I don't dispute there are times where it's valuable, but to pay $20/month for a service I would use so rarely is just too much for my blood. The argument is that the one time you do use it, it's worth it, but I just can't buy into it for something like onstar. With onstar I want convenience and luxury, not insurance.

Just my .02 and it's interesting to hear other perceptions.

 

I feel that onstar has definitely become less relevant/useful over the years. The only real unique service it provides is the crash alert system & theft recovery. Other features (navigation, Bluetooth, etc.) can be done better through the cars nav system rather than onstar.

I remember how excited my father was back in 2002 when he told me about the various onstar features his new escalade had. In the five years he owned that truck, he never pushed the blue button once!
GM used to treat onstar as a concierge service and advertised that you could make restaurant/hotel etc. reservations with it...these days its just a sort of half-assed safety system, that in my opinion is not at all worth its subscription price.

On the other hand..... XM satellite radio is something i really got hooked on! that is something i feel really does justify its price, considering all my local FM stations seem to be permanently on commercial breaks. (by the time they start playing songs, i have usually reached my destination!)

 

Uses for On-Star:
1. Blew a trailer tire on NY17 towing. Pushed the button, they found a local dealer that had the tire. They stayed open and waited for me to arrive to mount the tire.
2. Need spark plugs for my '89 Mustang at Summit Point Raceway. On-Star found a local store that had them and sent directions to the truck.
3. Driving along the interstate at midnight. Pushed the blue button and asked them to find a motel close to the highway at the next 3 or so interchanges that had 3 rooms and charged less than $60/room/night. Found them, connected me to the motel.
4. Drunk driver on the interstate, pushed the red button to be connected to the appropriate local police. On-star gave the po-po location information for them to catch up from the most efficient entrance ramp.

Many other stories.

BUT I would love to have it interface with the built-in nav system. The '09s on did that and I cannot believe that this is something other than software that could not be updated on older models even for $.

 

I found it odd that the Tahoe hybrid will not run or start with the onstar module disconnected.(my onstar subscription expired long ago and I have no intentions of renewing it) The Tahoe Onstar module sits just below the radio/nav unit and it easily disconnected, I have disconnected the onstar module in past non-hybrid Escalade/Yukon/Tahoes I have owned with no adverse issues. However my 2009 Tahoe Hybrid will not start or run with the on star module disconnected. I have wondered why this is unique to the Hybrid and why the Hybrid would need access to the Onstar system but cannot figure out a legitimate reason.

 

"I found it odd that the Tahoe hybrid will not run or start with the onstar module disconnected."

Nothing sinister here, you broke a "daisy chain" in the Controller Area Network CAN wires. On Star is attached to a single wire and a pair of twisted CAN wires. If you want to run without the module you will need to jumper at least the twisted CAN wires to complete the chain. You will however set some "loss of comunication" codes but the vehicle will run without that module. Other modules will complain that their "buddy" is gone.

Almost every new automobile has some sort of interdependant controller network.

The hybrid does NOT need that module... just the connection jumper it provides. Dissconecting a single module now is kind of like pulling a single Christmas light... the whols string goes out.

Pulling the fuse or the power wire is easier.

 

That makes sense and that's what I figured it was, I didn't think it was anything "sinister" although many conspiracy theorists will have you believe Onstar is monitored by the government -lol. I just wanted to disconnect it because I wasn't using it and I like to tinker with things.