On Tuesday, we posted about a blogger who locked her daughter and keys in her vehicle, then contacted OnStar to see whether the service could remotely open the doors for her. We spoke to an OnStar representative, who explained to us that when a car owner chooses not to join or renew OnStar, the cellular device inside the car gets deactivated.

It can be turned on by pressing the blue button inside the cabin, but not over the phone. So you have to wait for a locksmith if you lock yourself out; but at least no one is tracking unsuspecting vehicle owners who don’t turn on OnStar.

You may recall hearing that OnStar does track cars after deactivation. You may even have heard about that on a leading consumer news site. The company never actually tracked their ex-customers, but only proposed a change to their terms and conditions giving them permission to. A few months later, they reversed course due to the overwhelming negative reaction to that idea.

PREVIOUSLY:
Should OnStar Have Helped A Non-Subscriber Who Locked Baby And Keys In The Car?

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.