Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

General Motors (OnStar)

2025-08-16T05:38:53Z

Dee:

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1908-09-16
|Industry=Automotive, Technology, Information Technology
|Logo=OnStar.png
|Type=Public
|Website=https://www.gm.com, https://www.onstar.com
|Description=A multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and markets vehicles and offers in-vehicle safety, security, and information services.
}}<code>General Motors (OnStar) is a multinational automotive manufacturing company and its subsidiary, OnStar, which provides in-vehicle security, emergency, and navigation services. This article assesses the company's consumer protection stance, with a primary focus on the accessibility of emergency 911 services for non-subscribers of the OnStar service.</code>

==Consumer-impact summary==
Business Model

*The company's business model for its OnStar service includes paywalling a critical emergency 'SOS' button, preventing non-subscribers from using it for its primary purpose of contacting emergency services.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Inaccessible Emergency 'SOS' Button (1996-Present)===
This practice places a direct paywall on a critical, life-saving feature. The core of the issue rests on the classification of the OnStar system as a cellular communication device. The Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 (the "911 Act") mandates that mobile service providers must transmit all 911 calls to a public safety answering point, regardless of whether the caller has a subscription. [2] It has been argued that by preventing a direct connection to emergency services via its most prominent emergency button, OnStar's behavior for non-subscribers is inconsistent with the spirit of this federal law and the established public expectation for emergency communication devices. [3]

==Products==

*<code>OnStar (1996): An in-vehicle telematics system. The primary consumer issue involves the paywalling of its dedicated emergency SOS button for non-subscribers.</code>

==See also==

*[[Theme:Right to Repair]]
*[[John Deere]]

==References==
<ref>Auto-Vlog. (2024, January 29). "Here's How To Call 911 With An INACTIVE OnStar System" [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM7cqDzchjg</ref><ref>U.S. Congress. (1999). "Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999," Public Law 106-81, 106th Congress. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/senate-bill/800</ref><ref>Lopez, J. (2020, June 30). "OnStar Hands-Free Calling Will Be Sunset in 2022". GM Authority. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/06/onstar-hands-free-calling-will-be-sunset-in-2022/</ref>{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

General Motors (OnStar)

2025-08-16T05:38:03Z

Dee:

General Motors (OnStar)

2025-08-16T05:36:50Z

Dee: Changed referencing format

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1908-09-16
|Industry=Automotive, Technology, Information Technology
|Logo=OnStar.png
|Type=Public
|Website=https://www.gm.com, https://www.onstar.com
|Description=A multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and markets vehicles and offers in-vehicle safety, security, and information services.
}}<code>General Motors (OnStar) is a multinational automotive manufacturing company and its subsidiary, OnStar, which provides in-vehicle security, emergency, and navigation services. This article assesses the company's consumer protection stance, with a primary focus on the accessibility of emergency 911 services for non-subscribers of the OnStar service.</code>

==Consumer-impact summary==
Business Model

*The company's business model for its OnStar service includes paywalling a critical emergency 'SOS' button, preventing non-subscribers from using it for its primary purpose of contacting emergency services.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Inaccessible Emergency 'SOS' Button (1996-Present)===
This practice places a direct paywall on a critical, life-saving feature. The core of the issue rests on the classification of the OnStar system as a cellular communication device. The Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 (the "911 Act") mandates that mobile service providers must transmit all 911 calls to a public safety answering point, regardless of whether the caller has a subscription. [2] It has been argued that by preventing a direct connection to emergency services via its most prominent emergency button, OnStar's behavior for non-subscribers is inconsistent with the spirit of this federal law and the established public expectation for emergency communication devices. [3]

==Products==

*<code>OnStar (1996): An in-vehicle telematics system. The primary consumer issue involves the paywalling of its dedicated emergency SOS button for non-subscribers.</code>

== See also ==

*[[Theme:Right to Repair]]
*[[John Deere]]

==References==
{{reflist}}<ref>U.S. Congress. (1999). "Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999," Public Law 106-81, 106th Congress. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/senate-bill/800</ref><ref>Lopez, J. (2020, June 30). "OnStar Hands-Free Calling Will Be Sunset in 2022". GM Authority. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/06/onstar-hands-free-calling-will-be-sunset-in-2022/</ref>
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
<references />

General Motors (OnStar)

2025-08-16T05:33:58Z

Dee: Added info

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1908-09-16
|Industry=Automotive, Technology, Information Technology
|Logo=OnStar.png
|Type=Public
|Website=https://www.gm.com, https://www.onstar.com
|Description=A multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and markets vehicles and offers in-vehicle safety, security, and information services.
}}<code>General Motors (OnStar) is a multinational automotive manufacturing company and its subsidiary, OnStar, which provides in-vehicle security, emergency, and navigation services. This article assesses the company's consumer protection stance, with a primary focus on the accessibility of emergency 911 services for non-subscribers of the OnStar service.</code>

==Consumer-impact summary==
Business Model

* The company's business model for its OnStar service includes paywalling a critical emergency 'SOS' button, preventing non-subscribers from using it for its primary purpose of contacting emergency services.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

=== Inaccessible Emergency 'SOS' Button (1996-Present) ===
A significant consumer protection concern has been raised regarding the functionality of the red SOS button in vehicles without an active OnStar subscription. When a non-subscriber presses the button, the system does not connect to an emergency adviser or directly to 911. Instead, it often plays a message stating that the system is not active and may connect the user to a sales adviser to purchase a subscription plan.<nowiki><ref>Auto-Vlog. (2024, January 29). "Here's How To Call 911 With An INACTIVE OnStar System" [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM7cqDzchjg</ref></nowiki>

This practice places a direct paywall on a critical, life-saving feature. The core of the issue rests on the classification of the OnStar system as a cellular communication device. The '''Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999''' (the "911 Act") mandates that mobile service providers must transmit all 911 calls to a public safety answering point, regardless of whether the caller has a subscription.<nowiki><ref>U.S. Congress. (1999). "Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999," Public Law 106-81, 106th Congress. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/senate-bill/800</ref></nowiki> It has been argued that by preventing a direct connection to emergency services via its most prominent emergency button, OnStar's behavior for non-subscribers is inconsistent with the spirit of this federal law and the established public expectation for emergency communication devices.<nowiki><ref>Lopez, J. (2020, June 30). "OnStar Hands-Free Calling Will Be Sunset in 2022". GM Authority. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/06/onstar-hands-free-calling-will-be-sunset-in-2022/</ref></nowiki>

==Products==

* <code>nStar (1996): An in-vehicle telematics system. The primary consumer issue involves the paywalling of its dedicated emergency SOS button for non-subscribers.</code>

==See also==

* [[Theme:Right to Repair]]
* [[John Deere]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}<ref>U.S. Congress. (1999). "Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999," Public Law 106-81, 106th Congress. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/senate-bill/800</ref><ref>Lopez, J. (2020, June 30). "OnStar Hands-Free Calling Will Be Sunset in 2022". GM Authority. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/06/onstar-hands-free-calling-will-be-sunset-in-2022/</ref>
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

General Motors (OnStar)

2025-08-16T05:20:12Z

Dee: Creating new company page for General Motors, with initial article focusing on OnStar consumer protection issues.

File:OnStar.png

2025-08-16T05:18:54Z

Dee: OnStar logo

== Summary ==
OnStar logo
== Licensing ==
{{Fairuse}}