kissmySS08

Hey guys, i'm sick of this OnStar randomly coming over the radio to ask if i want to renew my onstar subscription, and scaring the hell out of me lol.... just wondered whats the best way to completely disable the system: GPS and all?! i know it can save lives and all, but at this point it's a risk i'm going to take... i look at it this way, i survived how many years without it

White_Out

Pull the fuse.
Use your owner's manual it will tell you which is which.

Maven

iTrader: (1)

Disconnect the larger 16 hole white connector from the module. That will diwsable all of its functions. DO NOT disconnect all of the connectors, the car wont run.

Pulling the fuse will kill XM too.

kissmySS08

where is the module located? i looked and couldn't find it

I don't have XM anymore so thats not a big deal

White_Out

If you don't have XM - pull the fuse, I shoulda specified it affects both.

n323er

is this a new thing I have never exp that with my 05

kissmySS08

It just started happening again randomly like every week or so... it used to happen right before the free year was up and then stopped.... i called onstar and they had no explaination as to why this was happening, nor would they tell me how to diasble the system.

Force

Edited due to confirmation otherwise.

JohnnySasakiMGS

I think id rather be annoyed than possibly burning to death.

Maven

iTrader: (1)

Well if you dont care about XM just pull the fuse, if you want to disconnect just OnStar its under the rear window trim in between the speakers

This is completely false. If you dont pay it doesnt work, EVEN in emergencies. If your airbags go off and your OnStar isnt active/paid for, then guess what happens.....nothing. If youre not paying they dont care, its as simple as that.

kissmySS08

Myself and how many others have lived for years and years with no onstar and we're all just fine... like i said a few posts back, i just wondered how to diasble it since it's a "risk" i'm willing to take.

Force

I've been told otherwise by several people at GM, INCLUDING a former OnStar operator.

kissmySS08

i'd be interested in a conclusive answer... i would think it'd still work, considering that they can still track your car with the GPS sensor, even if you arent paying for it... i don't think they should be able to use it at all, especially to track you, if you arent paying for their service.

Maven

iTrader: (1)

Ive never seen a verified use of OnStar in a vehicle with a deactivated system. And never heard of it either. In fact the reason GM has a lot of older systems physically disabled in the car is so people dont expect help or try to use it when they need help and it wont work since they dont have a subscription.

exiged

It makes all sense to me that they WONT help you if you haven't paid. Businesses in reality don't care about you, they care about your money. Either way I wouldn't leave my life to chance that they "might" help you out.

Force

I don't really have concrete evidence other than the word of the people I spoke to, but I frankly have no reason to doubt them. Their story makes logical sense, anyway. If the OnStar module is active, even if you're not paying for it, they'll register an airbag deployment. Businesses don't care about you, but they care about legal expenses. If someone died because they didn't act on said message for non-payment, I can only imagine the magnitude of the lawsuit General Motors would face. It's cheaper to respond to emergency calls even if people don't pay than shelling out millions in a tort lawsuit.

Besides, the argument here isn't paying for OnStar vs. not paying and hoping they save your ass. My argument is that, based on what I've been told by reliable enough sources, there may be value in not pulling the fuse if you're not going to pay anyway.

This being said, I have no concrete proof. Anyone want to go test the theory?

iboost

iTrader: (16)

I agree with that they prolly wouldn't help you out if you don't pay. I can just see it. A bunch of people in a room, monitoring the OnStar* systems and they see one go off with airbags. They look around and go, "Well, that sucks. I guess he shoulda paid" and do nothing about it

souchak2112

tell them that youll call them and not to call you again, if they do, you definatley will not subscribe

gdubs

iTrader: (32)

That's bull. I had an 07 SS with onstar. Wasn't paid for. I swerved to avoid a deer one night and went into a ditch and flipped 2 times. All airbags deployed. It was a deserted road and when I came to it was about 10 min later and no one was around. I had to call 911 myself while trapped in the car. Thank god for my bluetooth the happened to stay in my ear the whole time.

Force

Well, that's confirmation then. Original post edited. Maybe it's happened in odd cases, otherwise I can't see why my friend who worked for OnStar would have claimed otherwise.

gdubs

iTrader: (32)

I'm sure flukes happen... But I'm sold on onstar. Never again. Being trapped in a car on its side for almost 40 min.. 6 months of PT . Uhh ill pay the 150 for it EVERYYEAR

Stamina

I've been under the assumption that the module is deactivated (reason the air bag deployment didn't do anything), but you can still use it to call them for instances such as renewing and emergencies. I've also been told by GM that you can use it for emergency calls even if it is deactivated (you must initiate the call). If they're at all interested in getting subscription renewals or re-ups on the integrated phone minutes, they have to have it partially on enough to respond to the mirror buttons so you can call and reapply for service.

I've also been told a story of a guy that locked his keys in his car and he called them to unlock the car. When they refused due to him being deactivated, he gave them his CC number to pay for that month and then they did it. Guess if you want to be sure you get help, pray your wallet falls in front of you when you wipe out.

ecl

Just push the blue button and tell them you dont want to renew and want those random messages to stop. Thats what I did after about two months of those stupid things and they said no problem and just deactivated the onstar.

boosted4dr

If you do not suscribe they are not actively monitoring your car for those sensors going off....But you can push the emergency button to contact them, and they will get you assistance.

Stamina

Yeah, so both of y'all further validate what I'm saying. The system itself still works, but all the automatic portions of it don't. You have to hit the button(s) to make it work, but it does work, it's just in an inactive state until you hit the button(s).