Only Dealership can cancel OnStar

[auburnblu]

I bought an 08 Silverado. The dealership agreed not to activate OnStar. It was activated anyway. I called OnStar to cancel. Was told only the dealership can cancel in the first year. Unbelievable, I own the vehicle and only the delaership can cancel the service. The worst customer service I have ever experienced. Will absolutely not buy another GM until OnStar is no longer a forced option.

[TuffG929]

If you're so paranoid about "big brother", then just have the dealer cancel it.

[auburnblu]

Originally Posted by TuffG929

If you're so paranoid about "big brother", then just have the dealer cancel it.

Its not big brother. I'm paranoid about computer glitches. All the nut huggers of OnStar fail to see the risk. A software issue at OnStar and who knows what kind of vehicle issues will happen. Its a great service for those who can't read a map, forget they have a mobile phone and lock their keys in their cars.

And you know something I want the right to cancel it myself, as the owner why should I have to go through the dealership. A horrible example of customer service.

[drew630]

^ Canceling the service won't prevent the chance of "glitches" (not that I have ever had any in the 4+ years I have been using Onstar). The Onstar system in your truck will still be operating as if you had the service. Its like when you deactivate a cell phone. The phone itself will still work, it just can't receive a signal from the service provider. To completely remove the chance for "glitches", you would have to pull the power (a fuse maybe), but I am not sure there even is one to pull. The Onstar system is pretty integrated into all of the vehicle's systems (from my understanding).

[DuSpinnst]

Your car has many computer systems. Disabling OnStar won't change that.

If you don't want computer systems in your car you have to go back to the 1980's or even earlier.

[TuffG929]

^They're right. OnStar just allows the systems already in your car to communicate and send/recieve data.

[auburnblu]

Originally Posted by DuSpinnst

Your car has many computer systems. Disabling OnStar won't change that.

If you don't want computer systems in your car you have to go back to the 1980's or even earlier.

I simply don't want instructions from GM screwing up my truck. I'm fine with the truck as is. But a glitch in OnStar, wrong VIN keyed in and whoops. I don't want OnStar interacting with the fuel management system. Computer systems installed on the truck don't scare me, its just the OnStar glitches. I get the feeling no one on here works at a Fortune 500 company. I do, the IT issues are plentiful.

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by auburnblu

I simply don't want instructions from GM screwing up my truck. I'm fine with the truck as is. But a glitch in OnStar, wrong VIN keyed in and whoops. I don't want OnStar interacting with the fuel management system. Computer systems installed on the truck don't scare me, its just the OnStar glitches. I get the feeling no one on here works at a Fortune 500 company. I do, the IT issues are plentiful.

You can disable it by disconnecting the antenna from the OnStar Module. It might throw a fault but it shouldn't turn on any lights on in the dash.

[auburnblu]

Originally Posted by TuffG929

^They're right. OnStar just allows the systems already in your car to communicate and send/recieve data.

I understand that and the data received can do things like unlock doors, slow the vehicle down, screw with the engine's fuel management system. That is not a plus. I don't think many owners really undersand that a wrong glitch in OnStar can locks your car down. The permission thing for 2009 is only for legal reasons. The technology to slow your vehicle down is already there.

All I hope is Microsoft didn't do any of the OnStar programming.

[auburnblu]

Originally Posted by drew630

^ Canceling the service won't prevent the chance of "glitches" (not that I have ever had any in the 4+ years I have been using Onstar). The Onstar system in your truck will still be operating as if you had the service. Its like when you deactivate a cell phone. The phone itself will still work, it just can't receive a signal from the service provider. To completely remove the chance for "glitches", you would have to pull the power (a fuse maybe), but I am not sure there even is one to pull. The Onstar system is pretty integrated into all of the vehicle's systems (from my understanding).

Thanks, will ask the dealership to remove. Then will deal with them on why an owner does not have the right to cancel service on a vehicle they own.

[drew630]

Originally Posted by auburnblu

I understand that and the data received can do things like unlock doors, slow the vehicle down, screw with the engine's fuel management system. That is not a plus. I don't think many owners really undersand that a wrong glitch in OnStar can locks your car down. The permission thing for 2009 is only for legal reasons. The technology to slow your vehicle down is already there.

All I hope is Microsoft didn't do any of the OnStar programming.

True enough. I will say though that I have never experienced a single problem/issue with Onstar. They have been very helpful in the 4 years I have been using the service in my truck and I believe the benefits greatly out weigh the potential problems. With that said though, I am not trying to talk you into Onstar or anything like that. I am just simply stating my experience with them.

As for the not being able to cancel your service, I would be mad too. Its your truck, your truck is being affected by the service, why you can't cancel the service makes absolutely no sense to me.

[fp115]

Wow someone had a bit too much of the paranoid cool-aid. If there were glitches like you claimed, OnStar would not be built into cars as they are now and they would be busy fighting off legal battles. But by canceling it you must also make your insurance aware of this and will cause your insurance rate to go up. You will also not be able to receive software updates which you will need to go into the dealer to do (one of the reasons the dealer must do it). Several other factors come to play if you disable OnStar, but hey if you are that paranoid about something that really does not factor your vehicle then go see a dealer.

I've had the OnStar engineers fix my vehicles on several occasions. Even one time they were able to recalibrate my steering on my Suburban. Reset my check engine light when it wasn't something more than just the gas cap. OnStar has also saved my friend's life, without it he may have died in the accident he had in the middle of nowhere. I can name off a few other times where it saved lives and retrieved vehicles which police would have never been able to do alone.

[auburnblu]

All the things you list they can do, hope to goodness a VIN misskey doesn't happen. Have you ever really thought about how often glitches happen with IT systems. I realize most on here are GM hardcore and that they can do no wrong, but this service needs to be optional.

And no way in the world do I want to receive software updates from OnStar, hello 11 miles per gallon due to a f**k up. I only want to be hooked up to a GM computer at the dealership, not while the vehicle is in motion. Your argument on the software update for OnStar is anything but a plus. If all OnStar did was alert GM when a wreck happened great, but the ability for OnStar to make major changes, perhaps in error, while a vehilce is moving down the road. No Thank You.

Give me Run-Flat tires, disc brakes in all GM vehicles, traction control standard, side curtain air bags. Now these no doubt increase safety. The attached shows what some Corvette owners think of mandatory OnStar. I've gone from a die hard buy a new GM vehicle every 15 month guy to no way will I buy GM again over this. Have to have the dealership cancel the service because OnStar won't allow me to. Screw GM's arrogance.
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...=84434&page=12

Originally Posted by fp115

Wow someone had a bit too much of the paranoid cool-aid. If there were glitches like you claimed, OnStar would not be built into cars as they are now and they would be busy fighting off legal battles. But by canceling it you must also make your insurance aware of this and will cause your insurance rate to go up. You will also not be able to receive software updates which you will need to go into the dealer to do (one of the reasons the dealer must do it). Several other factors come to play if you disable OnStar, but hey if you are that paranoid about something that really does not factor your vehicle then go see a dealer.

I've had the OnStar engineers fix my vehicles on several occasions. Even one time they were able to recalibrate my steering on my Suburban. Reset my check engine light when it wasn't something more than just the gas cap. OnStar has also saved my friend's life, without it he may have died in the accident he had in the middle of nowhere. I can name off a few other times where it saved lives and retrieved vehicles which police would have never been able to do alone.

[fp115]

Why you keep talking about a missing VIN key I will not understand. The VIN does not control OnStar systems, speak to any of the electrical engineers behind OnStar. Changes made to the system while your driving are not patches, but tweaks. That said it is impossible for something to crash so there is no change of code, but changes to settings. The settings cannot in any way cause any sort of trouble. The important patches that come through are heavily tested and are not sent to your vehicle while it is being driven. In nearly all cases the updates are sent because YOU request them. The Acadia is a prime example, the cruise control's timing wasn't perfect and instead of going to the dealer to fix it, the same patch is sent through OnStar. As all other systems, there are backups. If OnStar's system happens to crash (which has never happened in the past 10 years) there is another system which is there as a backup. I've driven prototypes before and know that backups do work.

We are not in the 90's where issues in electronic systems are more likely to occur. All these updates you receive are the same version of updates that you will get when you visit the dealer for a tune up, there is no difference at all. Systems are heavily tested and all exceptions are caught and those that happen to get through will not cause any sort of safety hazards.

Do keep in mind that if you ever disable the system you must notify your insurer, if they find out some other way that you have it disabled you will have some ramifications from them. Fines and an increase in payments are usually how they are carried out. But in general the vehicles without OnStar will drive the prices of your insurance up and even in certain cases cause you to pay extra when going into the shop, since it could be something that was done for free with OnStar. You buy the vehicle from dealerships, so if you didn't want it all along, you should have canceled it upon receiving it. OnStar does not active itself on its own, its not possible, you need to provide them with passwords to ensure no one else has access to your vehicle. If those aren't given the system does not work. The buttons will work, but that will only be to get you to activate the system with an OnStar advisor.

[Canyonaro]

You say you will not buy another GM vehicle because of "glitches". I see that you are paranoid and don't want Onstar, but I am not seeing these "glitches" that you are so paranoid about.

Many of us are in the IT field, me included (I am a Datacenter Manager). And we know risks of certain things, but what you are talking about is a little unfounded, I don't think you really understand how the Onstar equipment works.

All that said, yeah I would be as mad as you if I couldn't cancel the service myself.