OnStar Secrets Revealed

Q: Can OnStar listen inside my vehicle?

A: I am fairly certain that at one point, yes, that was possible. Now, however, by means of software or hardware upgrade, any time OnStar calls into a vehicle the system will "ring" like a phone before OnStar comes on the line. It is my opinion that OnStar did this to prevent government agencies from eavesdropping on vehicle occupants. (Use Google and you will find cases where this happened with the FBI several years ago.) All calls you make to OnStar, from your vehicle or landline, are recorded.

Q: Can OnStar find my vehicle if it is stolen in/taken to Mexico?

A: Possibly. Previously, if your vehicle was stolen IN Mexico and you had a valid police report filed in the US, OnStar would attempt to locate it. Now, OnStar has told advisors to deny these requests, using a line similar to "We lack the infrastructure and law enforcement connections to locate vehicles stolen in Mexico" and refer to the terms and conditions which states OnStar service is only available in the U.S. and Canada. Often times, it is possible to get a connection and a location on a vehicle in Mexico, however, OnStar doesn't have a mapping system for Mexico so the only information provided is the lat/long. I'll go into more detail on this later.

Q: How successful is OnStar at locating vehicles?

A: It depends. OnStar gets anywhere from 800 to 1200 stolen vehicle/missing person calls a month. Usually, the recovery rate has been between 60 and 70 percent, but they don't publish this information. In fact, they've stopped sharing it with most employees.

Q: How long does OnStar look for a stolen vehicle?

A: 48 hours from when you initially contact OnStar. They generally don't disclose this upfront. Also, you can get a 48 hour extension if you request it.

Q: Does OnStar continuously look for my vehicle during this period?

A: While advisers are instructed to tell you yes, the answer is actually no. Advisers will attempt to connect to the vehicle 3 times in the first half hour, then each half hour for about the first 6 hours, then once every 3 hours after that up to the 48 hour mark. During a 48 hour extension, attempts are made once every 12 hours. With only 60 or 70 people in the entire Vehicle Location Assistance Team, there is not enough manpower to continuously look for vehicles.

Q: I no longer have OnStar, can my vehicle still be located?

A: Possibly. It all depends on if the mobile number on your vehicle has been removed. If it has, then at that point there is no way for OnStar to connect to your vehicle. This happens sooner if you call and cancel your service. If you allow your service to lapse, it could take several weeks to several months. OnStar advisers are trained to tell you your vehicle cannot be located if your service is not currently active, except if it is a missing person case or life threatening situation.

Your life at $10 an hour

The starting pay for an OnStar advisor is $10 an hour. After 90 days it goes up to $10.50. Convergys is actually playing the call center employees, since OnStar outsources their call center operations to Convergys. Now $10 an hour is the pay at the Charlotte, NC location. OnStar also has call centers in Troy, MI, Oshawa, ON, and Makati, Philippines., which most likely differ. Increasingly, call center operations have been moved to the Phippines, including billing, customer service, cancellations, and recently non-emergency unlocks. Emergency calls and collision notifications are taken in Oshawa, Troy, and Charlotte. There is also a French language team in Oshawa and a Spanish language team in Charlotte. The Vehicle Location Assistance team that handles stolen vehicles is located in Charlotte, and the obscure "3rd party location" team is in Troy (the ones who handle legal issues and locations for government agencies.

Photos inside an OnStar call center

The above photo was taken just inside the OnStar call center located at 10101 Claude Freeman Dr. Charlotte, NC 28262

Above, a typical setup in the call center, which OnStar has outsourced to Convergys. All call center reps are employed by Convergys, and there are only 3 OnStar employees on site.

The above photo is in the "Vehicle Location Assistance Team" division of OnStar. The Charlotte site is the only one to handle stolen vehicle situations. The large whiteboard on the back wall is where stolen vehicle cases are listed. Generally, there are around one to three dozen stolen vehicle cases active at any given time. Above, we see the computers running the Windows-based OnStar software known as "3.0"

Call a manager at their desk

You can call a special number at OnStar's Charlotte, NC facility (10101 Claude Freeman Dr. Charlotte, NC 28262) that will get you straight to an emergency/vehicle location manager's desk. 1-704-414-4741