Total Value Promise Now Includes Popular On-Star..

[Guest Josh]

DETROIT, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- OnStar announced today it has added a significant and new subscriber service to its industry-leading in-vehicle communications portfolio. The new "only GM" service, OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics, automatically performs hundreds of diagnostic checks on four key GM vehicle operating systems -- the engine/transmission, anti-lock brake, airbag and OnStar. The vehicle is automatically programmed to send the results via email to the owner each month. The unique email report also provides maintenance reminders based on the vehicle's current odometer reading, remaining engine oil-life and other relevant vehicle ownership and OnStar subscription information.

This new monthly vehicle diagnostic service is offered to eligible OnStar subscribers at no additional charge. OnStar subscribers can always request a GM Goodwrench® Remote Diagnostics check at any time during the month by pressing their blue OnStar button. OnStar advisors perform "real-time" remote diagnostics checks for subscribers about 27,000 times a month.

OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics is exclusively for GM customers and enhances GM's commitment to its Total Value Promise. No other manufacturer offers these two unique, valuable and comprehensive diagnostic services to its customers remotely to the vehicle or directly to the customer's home computer.

"OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics demonstrates how GM is leading the way with innovative new products and services that enhance the vehicle ownership experience and give customers more than they expected," said Mark LaNeve, GM North America vice president, Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. "OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics, which is exclusively for GM customers, enhances GM's commitment to our Total Value Promise. Only GM offers this industry-leading technology, and it's available across the breadth of our portfolio."

OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics service can be activated on millions of 2004 model-year or newer OnStar-equipped GM vehicles that have GM's exclusive Oil- Life System and diagnostic capabilities. An active OnStar subscription is required for enrollment. Offered as an opt-in service, subscribers can enroll at the OnStar website (http://www.onstar.com ) or by simply pressing their blue OnStar button and asking an advisor to enroll them in the service. Once enrolled, OnStar subscribers receive monthly vehicle diagnostic reports covering four key operating systems and recommended maintenance reminders based on the vehicle's current odometer reading. The "real-time" report is sent directly to the OnStar subscriber's computer desktop via email each month, providing customers additional peace-of-mind when driving in their vehicle.

The report also matches the vehicle's current odometer reading to the GM Simplified Maintenance Schedule so that customers are informed about recommended maintenance services. OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics participants receive the added peace-of-mind in knowing the operational status of four key vehicle systems and the convenience of a regular maintenance report -- all at no additional cost to their OnStar subscription.

"OnStar is committed to providing unparalleled peace-of-mind to its subscribers by helping keep them safe while driving. OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics gives our subscribers added confidence that their vehicles are ready for the road," said Chet Huber, president of OnStar. "By combining OnStar's vehicle diagnostics email service with our in-vehicle GM Goodwrench® Remote Diagnostics service, our subscribers receive relevant and valuable information about their GM vehicle on their computer or directly from the OnStar advisor while driving."

Approximately 85% of surveyed OnStar subscribers say they value the added peace-of-mind and convenience vehicle diagnostic services provide and these subscribers consider vehicles with such a feature to be reliable, safe, high- quality and high-tech.

In the 2005 J.D. Power and Associates U.S. Automotive Emerging Technologies Study(SM) over half the people surveyed were interested in remote vehicle diagnostics. Moreover, when asked to allocate a given amount of money toward the features they would like on their next new vehicle, remote vehicle diagnostics ranked 3rd among the 18 traditional and new features included in the question. The 2005 study is based on responses from more than 17,000 U.S. consumers and the study is designed to measure consumer familiarity, interest and purchase intent for emerging automotive technologies.

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[AAS]

hmmm... OnStar might not be so bad after all. I always thought I would delete it if I ever had the option, but this self-diagnostics option along with the lock-out and theft (there is a theft feture, right?) make it worth the monthly fee.

[sciguy_0504]

Does anyone know why they are only doing the checks on four of the modules instead of all of them?

[post="13747"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Cost issues?

[Northstar]

They probably only check on those four because they all have to do with safety. If the engine is going to blow, you're in trouble, if the tranny's going to drop at 80MPH on the highway, you're in trouble unless you can get out of the way easily. If the airbag goes off while driving, you could have a bad wreck, and if the ABS fails then some people might have trouble stopping in emergencies.

[MGZ06]

I'd be pissed if this was just a way to get people to the GM dealership. . . i can hear it now "problem unable to diagnose. . . please bring your vehicle to the nearest GM Goodwrench dealership" :blink: In all seriousness, I think this is a great option for GM to have. . . this should have been done years ago when onstar first came out, it was only a matter of time.

[mrfunji]

Those are the modules that set major trouble codes that light warning lights...(Air Bag light, CEL, SES, etc..) Plus, the are common across most cars.

[Newbiewar]

This is great news!... although the Current onstar system probably doesnt have access to any more sensors, otherwise they would probably include them But yea this makes OnStar a bit more useful...

[regfootball]

its all good, but onstar is still quite spendy.

[Newbiewar]

its all good, but onstar is still quite spendy.

[post="13954"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

well in comparison, its cheaper then Cable TV, its cheaper then Cell Phones, its Cheaper then broad Band internet connections, its cheaper then a lot of things people are willing to pay for, but like most have said, and GM has realized people are not willing to pay for saftey...

16.99 a month may seem like a lot, but people spend much more then that on other things...

[Cremazie]

It's a great way to get more ppl using On star and paying for it in the end!

[ToniCipriani]

I'd rather see them develop more quality before they start thinking about this. So far I've only seen my boss being crazy over OnStar, everyone else I've talked to thinks OnStar is stupid.

[Guest Josh]

I'd rather see them develop more quality before they start thinking about this. So far I've only seen my boss being crazy over OnStar, everyone else I've talked to thinks OnStar is stupid.

[post="14152"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

The quality is there. The perception is what has to change. GM can't spend money trying to make you a believer with an ad campaign. They can only do that with your purchases and hope you are satisfied with the results.

[ToniCipriani]

See what you mean. I guess I'm too poisoned by my Cavalier :) But seriously, is pushing OnStar still a bit too quick? Shouldn't there be other priorities?

[regfootball]

correct my statement here if needed, but the 16.99 doesn't give you access to the full service.....? the full service is like 50 a month? if GM were smart, they'd bundle on star as a tack on with cell phone service. if you pay say, 54.99 a month for 2 cell phones (like I do), then add anothefr say 9 bucks a month for basic on star and maybe 25 a month for full on star. that might make it palatable. Edited September 15, 2005 by regfootball

[Newbiewar]

correct my statement here if needed, but the 16.99 doesn't give you access to the full service.....?  the full service is like 50 a month?

if GM were smart, they'd bundle on star as a tack on with cell phone service.  if you pay say, 54.99 a month for 2 cell phones (like I do), then add anothefr say 9 bucks a month for basic on star and maybe 25 a month for full on star.

that might make it palatable.

[post="14500"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I think its 199/year (or better rates for multiple years or multiple cars) for basic service which includes lockout, emergancy help, phone usage, talk to an operator
and I think its 349 for full service which includes directions and one other thing but i forgot what that was

so that is 16.99 basically

and 29.10 a month but dont quote me Edited September 15, 2005 by Newbiewar