I have a few questions about Onstar. I recently got my Onstar report and it claims my air bag and anti lock systems were not successfully tested because there may be an "aftermarket device" plugged into the diagnostic port. I have to admit that I am skeptical about Onstar service.

I do not have any aftermarket equipment except a trailer brake controller. Does anybody believe Government Motors is extracting more information from our trucks ECM than we suspect? Does Onstar transmit even if I am not a subscriber? How much info and what kind of info is really being transmitted? Has anybody signed a privacy notice with Onstar and what they report to the dealers? Has anybody been held up at the dealers if they ask for an explanation of the Onstar results like these? If you got results like this what approach would you use with the dealer?

2007 LBZ SBCC w/20,000 mi.

How long do you think GM could sell cars and trucks if the word got out they were sending the data ANYWHERE? They might use it for themselves but other than the flight recorder, they aren't going to send info outside the company without a warrant.

But. Does it record data if you don't subscribe?

On-Star that is.

But. Does it record data if you don't subscribe?

no. GM has much better things to spend money on than to waste resources on monitoring your truck if you dont pay the ~$100/year onstar fee.

no. GM has much better things to spend money on than to waste resources on monitoring your truck if you dont pay the ~$100/year onstar fee.

That's my understanding too although if the air bags are deployed it might be captured. I am not sure on that part.

That's my understanding too although if the air bags are deployed it might be captured. I am not sure on that part.

yeah but that has nothing to do with onstar. Thats all in the SDM (airbag computer). And FYI, every vehicle that has airbags has some form of event data recorder/black box that records crash parameters.

GM was *the* pioneer in putting airbags in cars as a regular production option back in the early 1970's. (yes, the 70's, even mercedes didnt have airbags until the mid 80's) Even back then the GM airbag control module had a rudimentary form of logging speed/impact data in the event of a crash/deployment.

its to protect the mfg's from lawsuits...say you get into a not-very-severe accident and the airbags dont deploy...except you're one of those idiots that thinks airbags should deploy even if you tag bumpers with the car in front of you as you pull into your parking space at the grocery store...then you sue the MFG for "WTF MY AIRBAGS DIDNT WORK"...the mfg can pull the SDM data and be like "looky here dumbass, the crash wasnt that bad, not every crash necessitates an airbag deployment in order to save the occupants"

ben

Yes, I recognize that the flight recorder and Onstar are two different systems but it's Onstar's cell phone that does the calling (if it's going to report anything in the first place.)

To the OP, GM isn't going to call the cops unless there is an event that might require medical attention. People would stop buying their cars in a second if they thought Onstar was going to squeal on them. GM just wants to protect themselves and in the event of an accident, try and help.

Onstar does have it's benefits especially if someone isn't car savvy but the cost is somewhat high for the rare instance where it might be of use (SES lamp on.) It's all down to how much money you have to throw around.

I didnt get that option for that reason alone. The fact that it could transfer data to someone else. not saying it does but it could. Sorta like that movie Eagle Eye.

I would agree that GM has better things to do that monitor eveyones truck.

if you get into an accident and you dont subscribe (pay) for onstar, nothing will happen. (ie, no help signal will be sent, etc...)

I have nothing to hide, yet. But does On-Star record a data base of your travels for
the last few weeks or months if you don't subscribe? If I was suspected of a crime, could
law enforcement pull from it to place me at a particular location an a particular date?
I don't have a tin foil hat but I do have tin foil in the kitchen.

I once pushed the onstar button and asked if I had enough fuel to reach a station when I was in I-10 In west Texas. They couldn't get my position within 20 miles, couldn't see how much fuel was in the tank and couldn't tell me where the closest fuel stop was, so I quit worrying about them getting too much information.

Another time I called in and asked about my temp gauge, reading about 230 pulling my 5th wheel. They couldn't read the temp, they told me they could only read codes if any were set, and none were. Not much help if you ask me, and certainly no invasion of privacy.

On the other hand, a decision to change routes and destinations, led to a call to Onstar that got me a motel reservation in my new destination city. That was kinda handy, but not often necessary.

But does On-Star record a data base of your travels for
the last few weeks or months if you don't subscribe? .

the paranoid conspiracy theorists would say yes, but the truth is NO. :)

Like I said, think about it.....it costs money each time onstar connects to your truck (just like your cellphone bill costs money), it costs money to monitor the data, and it costs money to store/make records of the data. There is no way GM is going to waste what little money they have on piddly stuff like that.

even if you DO subscribe to onstar, they DO NOT keep records of where you have been driving, and stuff that could "get you in trouble", I know no one will believe me when I say that though.

ben

That does make sense. Buy the way, who owns GM?
Just kidding though.

That does make sense. Buy the way, who owns GM?
Just kidding though.

We do! :D

Not 100% true, weather you subscribe or not On-star knows and tracks your every move. They will even document verbal conversations that occur in the truck with the key on or not. Furthermore On-star also sells all your info to several sources which is how they justify recording every move you make.
Another thing most people don't know is there are 4 hidden cameras in every On-star equipped vehicle.:p:

On-Star is great. I bought it in the new truck for my wife. When her old Ford caught fire on the freeway I was with her fortunately, because she left her phone on the seat, mine was in my pocket. With On-Star I know she can pull over, push the panic button and step out. With the engine on fire, maybe On-Star will trigger automatically. Maybe I'm wrong but I feel better knowing she has it available. (Cool thing about that fire, coincidentally a fire truck was about a quarter mile behind us, by the time I called 911 - the firemen were pulling hose. That's better than On-Star.)

Not 100% true, weather you subscribe or not On-star knows and tracks your every move. They will even document verbal conversations that occur in the truck with the key on or not. Furthermore On-star also sells all your info to several sources which is how they justify recording every move you make.
Another thing most people don't know is there are 4 hidden cameras in every On-star equipped vehicle.:p:

THAT'S A MIGHTY BIG STATEMENT TO MAKE. ANY PROOF?:eek:

The bottom line is anything that has a mic has the potential to be used to listen in. There is nothing to stop any of the cell phone carriers, land lines or Onstar for that matter from remotely taking the phone off-hook and listening in.

If you have any fear about that, don't be around microphones. That is the bottom line.

THAT'S A MIGHTY BIG STATEMENT TO MAKE. ANY PROOF?:eek:
Did you miss the :p::p::p::p::p::p::p::p::p: at the end of the post?

If I was suspected of a crime, could
law enforcement pull from it to place me at a particular location an a particular date?
I don't have a tin foil hat but I do have tin foil in the kitchen.

They'd track/trace your movements with your cell phone alot easier.......



Moved to Electrical

Not 100% true, weather you subscribe or not On-star knows and tracks your every move. They will even document verbal conversations that occur in the truck with the key on or not. Furthermore On-star also sells all your info to several sources which is how they justify recording every move you make.
Another thing most people don't know is there are 4 hidden cameras in every On-star equipped vehicle.:p:
If they have 4 hidden cameras in every Onstar vehicle, I'm screwed... :( ):h

Not 100% true, weather you subscribe or not On-star knows and tracks your every move. They will even document verbal conversations that occur in the truck with the key on or not. Furthermore On-star also sells all your info to several sources which is how they justify recording every move you make.
Another thing most people don't know is there are 4 hidden cameras in every On-star equipped vehicle.:p:

HA HA! You should have saved that for April Fools Day.

The main reason I've kept Onstar is because I haven't been anywhere that my truck's phone didn't have connectivity, including the vast areas of Cell Hell in Nevada where no other cell phone works.

If they have 4 hidden cameras in every Onstar vehicle, I'm screwed... :( ):h

Making a porno with the pastor's daughter, Brad? :D


I was under the assumption (yeah, yeah, yeah) that if in an accident, you could still use the "+" button and Onstar was obligated to send help.
Ben, any electronic communication device could be used in a nefarious way if someone somewhere really wanted to.

Ben, any electronic communication device could be used in a nefarious way if someone somewhere really wanted to.

Of course, but I just want people to know that they are just as likely (or more likely) to be tracked with their ATM card, hand held cell phone, etc....

people go around thinking onstar is the only thing they have to fear as far as "big brother" potentially 'tracking' them. :rolleyes:

Making a porno with the pastor's daughter, Brad? :D

:naughty: You caught me Tom... :(

Actually, I know the pastor's daughter and no thanks... -:t:D

I have a few questions about Onstar. I recently got my Onstar report and it claims my air bag and anti lock systems were not successfully tested because there may be an "aftermarket device" plugged into the diagnostic port. I have to admit that I am skeptical about Onstar service.

I do not have any aftermarket equipment except a trailer brake controller. Does anybody believe Government Motors is extracting more information from our trucks ECM than we suspect? Does Onstar transmit even if I am not a subscriber? How much info and what kind of info is really being transmitted? Has anybody signed a privacy notice with Onstar and what they report to the dealers? Has anybody been held up at the dealers if they ask for an explanation of the Onstar results like these? If you got results like this what approach would you use with the dealer?

2007 LBZ SBCC w/20,000 mi.

My question is about the "after market device" onstar says I have plugged in. I do not own any after market devices! For those of you with programers do you get this message with onstar? Is there some sort of permanent device that could be plugged in and left there that onstar could detect? For all those thinking about the Big Brother conspiracy; this is not the topic. Thanks

You could do an EDGE, Scanguage or Dashawk to plug in the OBD2 plug if thats what you are asking.

Ya Brad, but I don't have any of those devices. Why does onstar say I may have a device plugged in when I don't? That is bogus information on their part particullary since their reported test sequence was for the air bags and anti lock brakes. Judging by the names on the equipment you describe none would have anything to do with the air bags or brakes? By onstar stating that the test was a bust does that mean the system is not working? I have no indicator lights on the dash saying anything is wrong.

do you have an aftermarket stereo, remote car starter, ANYTHING aftermarket on the truck??

There has to be something that is interfering on the data bus and preventing onstar from polling the EBCM and SDM

FWIW, if you dont have any airbag lights or brake warning lights on in the instrument cluster, its a safe bet to say they are working perfectly fine. I wouldnt look too deeply into the onstar diagnostics thing. Onstar just sent me an email that says "everything is in working order, all systems passed the diagnostics tests and are functioning normally!". Now I got a chuckle out of onstar saying that in the email they just sent me because the fact is, is that my truck is sitting in my shop right now with a broken crankshaft.

ben

Alarm, maybe?

Possibly an aftermarket remote start? Those can do some weird things...

I have a few questions about Onstar. I recently got my Onstar report and it claims my air bag and anti lock systems were not successfully tested because there may be an "aftermarket device" plugged into the diagnostic port. I have to admit that I am skeptical about Onstar service.

I do not have any aftermarket equipment except a trailer brake controller. Does anybody believe Government Motors is extracting more information from our trucks ECM than we suspect? Does Onstar transmit even if I am not a subscriber? How much info and what kind of info is really being transmitted? Has anybody signed a privacy notice with Onstar and what they report to the dealers? Has anybody been held up at the dealers if they ask for an explanation of the Onstar results like these? If you got results like this what approach would you use with the dealer?

2007 LBZ SBCC w/20,000 mi.

Well. It looks like Apple got caught today. Apparently they are storing info
on your location for up to a year. I'm feel confident On Star would never
do this though:rolleyes:

Well. It looks like Apple got caught today. Apparently they are storing info
on your location for up to a year. I'm feel confident On Star would never
do this though:rolleyes:
Yeah I saw that. Pretty scary huh?


Sent from my DROIDX