How to Upgrade Your OnStar Equipment
By Jason Stewart
OnStar is a digital service that provides safety and security measures for your vehicle. The service is subscription-based and is exclusive to General Motors vehicle owners. OnStar features roadside assistance, navigation and even basic vehicle diagnostics. Should your car ever be stolen, OnStar can alter the vehicle's speed and fully disrupt the ignition sequence. Upgrading OnStar is easy to do if you have Bluetooth technology installed in your vehicle.
Refer to your OnStar manual to detect which version of OnStar you have. If you have a version older than Version 5, you must install Bluetooth capabilities in your vehicle before proceeding. Most certified GM dealers can install Bluetooth components needed for upgrading OnStar to digital service.
Call an OnStar agent to learn which GM dealership with upgrade capability is closest to you. Unfortunately, OnStar upgrades can be done only by certified GM technicians. All of the upgrades available will need to be downloaded to the vehicle's OnStar computer host. Additional fees for labor may be required.
Call OnStar and notify the company of the software upgrade(s) your computer received. Doing this allows an OnStar agent to make sure your vehicle's new upgrades are consistent and aligned with the database so that any new features can be fully used.
References
Tips
Warnings
- Don't risk visiting a third party vendor to upgrade your OnStar equipment. Refer to your manufacturer's warranty policy.
Writer Bio
Jason Stewart began professionally writing in 2009, specializing in education, mathematics, tennis, PC troubleshooting and game tutorials. Stewart is certified to teach middle school mathematics in the state of Arizona. He has a Bachelor of Science in education from Northern Arizona University and is currently pursuing a Juris Doctor in his home state of California.