“Can OnStar unlock my car?”
is a question that we never fail to hear among car owners, and for good reason. In this age of car development, virtually every driving feature can be done remotely. This very much includes unlocking your car.
However, not all corporations offer this service, so in this complete guide, we consider whether OnStar can allow for car unlocking services remotely.
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Can You Unlock Your Car Remotely Using OnStar?
Yes, you can unlock
your car remotely using OnStar. This service is perfect for individuals who have been locked out of their vehicles and cannot access their key fobs. The process of unlocking your vehicle is also seamless and fast through various means.
The most convenient way to unlock your car remotely is by using the OnStar application, which only requires your PIN. If the application does not work, you can reach OnStar directly through phone, and they will unlock your car for you.
However, you will need to verify your identity by answering a series of questions. The number to reach OnStar is (1.888.466.7827).
If you still cannot unlock your car remotely, there is the option to request locksmiths of the corporation to come unlock your car. This may be necessary when there are other problems with the vehicle, like a dead battery, that prevent it from responding to remote signals.
In the event that a locksmith from the corporation is required to open a stolen vehicle, OnStar assesses the case and may decide to cover any damages incurred. Also, many car insurance companies may cover the locksmith costs.
All of these measures ensure that there is never really a time when there is no hope for unlocking your car if you use OnStar.
What Are the Requirements To Unlock Your Car?
The requirements for OnStar to unlock your car are an active subscription plan, power locks, proper mechanical functioning, and cellular service. Without all of these present, you will have problems unlocking your car remotely with OnStar and may need to find other measures to unlock your car.
Of all these requirements, an active subscription plan is easily the most important feature you need to remotely unlock your car with OnStar. The minute your subscription plan expires, OnStar disconnects your vehicle from their server, and their services no longer apply to you.
This means even in cases of emergency, you still will not be able to remotely unlock your vehicle.
Another requirement is having power locks for your vehicle. Without power locks, OnStar will not be compatible with your vehicle. Simply, you will not be able to use the corporation’s services.
Also, you need to ensure that the car is in an optimal mechanical state. If a component of the car, like the battery, is damaged, OnStar will be unable to remotely unlock the car.
Finally, you need cellular service to unlock your vehicle with OnStar advisor mobile app. This applies when you need to use the application or call the corporation to unlock your vehicle. If your phone cannot connect to the OnStar server, you will not be able to use their services.
What Are the Pricing Plans for OnStar Services?
The pricing plans for OnStar services are divided into Bundle & Save plans and Stand-alone plans.
The bundle plans combine several different OnStar services, while the standalone plans generally involve limited services, usually just one. It is better to get the bundle plans, although they are more expensive.
Bundle & Save Plans
OnStar divides this package into four plans – Premium, Preferred Plus Wi-Fi, Essentials, and Preferred. In that order, they cost $49.99, $44.99, $39.99, and $29.99 monthly. As you would imagine, the range of services on the different plans differ with the price.
With the Premium plan, you can get all of the services offered by the corporation, ranging from remotely unlocking your vehicle to remote vehicle access, where you can perform functions like starting your vehicle. The Preferred Plus Wi-Fi contains all of the features of Premium except remote vehicle access.
In contrast, the Essentials plan has remote vehicle access, meaning you can start your car and check fuel levels and other services.
However, this plan lacks unlimited in-vehicle data, meaning the vehicle cannot connect up to seven devices to Wi-Fi, which you can do with the Premium and Preferred Plus Wi-Fi plan. Also, you cannot use in-vehicle applications with this plan.
The final plan is the Preferred plan, which offers all of the benefits of the Premium plan aside from remote vehicle access and unlimited in-vehicle data. This explains the $20 difference in the price of this plan with the Premium plan, considering the importance of the absent features.
Stand-alone Plans
There are five individual plans in this package, namely Safety & Security, Connected Vehicle, Unlimited Data, App Access, and Remote Access. In that order, they cost $29.99, $24.99, $25, $14.00, and $14.99 monthly.
While these plans offer different OnStar services, it is rare to find a combination of widely different sets of features. For instance, with the App Access plan, you can use different applications with OnStar, but you don’t have remote vehicle access benefits.
Fortunately, you can unlock your car door even with the least OnStar subscription package – Remote Access. Unfortunately, though, this plan is restrictive and will not offer the full benefits of the OnStar corporation.
Can OnStar services be used to remotely start my car like the Kia Telluride?
Yes, OnStar offers a similar remote start feature as the one available in the Kia Telluride. With OnStar, you can start your car remotely using a smartphone app. This function allows you to warm up your car in cold weather or cool it down in hot weather before you even step inside.
Does OnStar Have Mechanical Vehicle Services?
Yes, OnStar has some mechanical services
, like the OnStar battery, that come in especially handy in cases of emergency. Unfortunately, the battery and mechanical services are only available as emergency options to start your vehicle and do not support the various remote OnStar services.
Essentially, you can only rely on OnStar if your car’s original battery is in order. While the battery provided by the corporation can help you kickstart your vehicle, you cannot use it to remotely unlock your vehicle.
Are Emergency Services Free?
Yes, OnStar emergency services
, like crisis roadside assistance that provide valuable information in the event of natural disasters, are free to all customers. This is even if their subscription is not active. However, OnStar is not legally required to provide any emergency service to you if your subscription is inactive.
In some instances, you cannot even use the roadside assistance services from outside your vehicle in emergency situations after you renew your subscription. A relevant example is unlocking your vehicle remotely after your subscription plan expires.
Basically, if your plan is inactive and you are locked out of your vehicle, you cannot use OnStar to unlock your car doors, regardless of the situation.
If you renew your subscription at that moment, you still will not be able to use OnStar’s services unless you activate it from inside your vehicle. In such events, you need a locksmith to manually unlock your vehicle.
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