Cadillac has replaced the OnStar Basic Plan with a new OnStar plan that is included for free with its vehicles. As part of the change, the duration of the complimentary (free) plan changes to ten years (from five), but the plan now includes less features than before. Here’s the breakdown, which Cadillac Society is first to report on.
Connected Access Plan
Cadillac Connected Access is the new free plan. Its duration is ten years and it includes the following features:
- Vehicle Diagnostics: continually monitors the vehicle and sends a report to the owner summarizing the vehicle’s health, issues, problems or recalls
- Marketplace: allows the owner to browse and download tailored apps for the Cadillac Infotainment System (CUE), such as the Spotify app
- Smart Driver: collects data on the customer’s driving habits and techniques (on an opt-in basis) and assists the owner to drive better, safer and more efficiently
- Dealer Maintenance Notification: sends an alert to the customer’s preferred dealer when the vehicle is in need of service or repairs
Along with the change in name and length comes one new caveat: Cadillac Connected Access is not transferable to other owners. Instead, subsequent owners will receive five years of the service from the time of their purchase.
But here’s what’s possibly even more important: the new Connected Access Plan no longer includes Remote Keyfob functionality, which enables users to remotely lock and unlock doors, flash the lights and honk the horn, or start and stop (if equipped) a Cadillac using the vehicle’s mobile app. That is now part of a separate, paid plan called Remote Access.
Remote Access Plan
The new Remote Access Plan is priced at $14.99 per month and includes the following features:
- Keyfob access: enables owners to remotely start, lock/unlock doors, as well as activate the horn and lights from the myCadillac app
- Vehicle locate service: allows owners to see their vehicle’s approximate location and nearby address on a map using the myCadillac app
- Send-to-Navigation: allows the owner to send an address to the vehicle using the myCadillac app, commencing navigation guidance
- Family Link: includes access to the location of the vehicle(s) along with the option to set boundary limits and destination arrival/departure notifications. This feature was previously priced at $3.99 per month.
- Advisor-assisted On Demand Diagnostics: allows the driver to press the OnStar button in the vehicle to have an Advisor run a report and pinpoint the issue whenever a warning light comes on the dashboard
Other Plans
From there, the new Cadillac-OnStar plans progress as follows:
- Unlimited Access: $39.99 a month
- Safety & Security: $24.99 a month or $249 per year
- Safety & Security + Remote Access: $34.99 per month or $349 per year
- Safety & Security + Unlimited Access: $59.99 per month
Effective Date
The change in plans goes into effect on 2018 model year and newer Cadillacs starting on May 1, 2018.
Please note that the above information is for the United States market, and may differ for international markets.
Editor’s note: a previous version of this article incorrectly broke out the features for the revised plan.
Dameian Tucker
My records show remote access is only available for 6 months with Cadillac. Where is the free 10 years? I don’t want to misinform anyone.
Alex Luft
Let’s clear this up.
When we say remote access, we are talking about the remote portion of the myCadillac app that allows the user to lock/unlock doors, sound the alarm and activate lights, as well as perform a remote start (on vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions).
Now, this portion has been included for free for 5 years as of 2015 and newer Cadillac vehicles as part of the OnStar Basic Plan. The 5 year period has been increased to 10 years as part of the Cadillac Connected Access, but these 10 years are not transferable.
It seems that the 6 months period you are referring to is the length of the trial period of the full OnStar Guidance plan, which gives the user the above features PLUS adds the full OnStar suite, such as turn-by-turn Navigation (via OnStar), live advisor help, emergency services, and other parts of the myCadillac app such as vehicle status. These items are not included in the 5 year Basic Plan or its successor, the 10 year Cadillac Connected access plan.
Jon Carrales
You are right. Connected Access is free for 10 years but only includes things like Vehicle Diagnostics and Alerts. Remote Access is $14.99/month and that plan includes Key Fob functions. Dameian is correct. You can get 12 months of remote access if you enroll in Auto Renewal (putting a credit card on file). The plans are now separated out to allow for more customization. It’s all laid out here.
https://www.onstar.com/us/en/why_onstar/plans-pricing/
Alex Luft
That’s not what GM/OnStar told us officially – which is that Remote Access via the myCadillac app is part of Connected Access plan, which is free for 10 years.
I reached out to them just now for further comment, and will comment here if/when I hear a reply.
Jon Carrales
LOL. Ok Alex. I’m sure OnStar has the wrong information on their website. And all the official brochures they dropped off, those are probably wrong too. Changes went in to effect May 1 so I’m sure an official statement from OnStar apologizing for their gaffe is coming soon. Let’s make sure people have the right info.
Alex Luft
Jon,
The original article was written based on what GM, Cadillac and OnStar told us in an official comment. Luckily, we were able to follow up with them (not the other way around), and we now know that this original material was incorrect. Mind you, this was before any official information was posted anywhere else publicly – so we were going off what we were being told directly.
In regards to posted information from GM/OnStar being wrong: yes, it has been wrong in the past… so that’s should not come as a surprise. At that point, we didn’t know which was correct, so we reached out for official comment.
The article has is now updated with the correct information.
Thanks for the comments.
WILLIAM MILLER
They are doing everything they can to convince me that I do not want another Cadillac. I have always paid for my Onstar on a yearly basis and usually got a significant price for doing so as a retired GM employee.
When I buy a vehicle the only monthly payment I expect to have is the one resulting from the purchase price.
rene lacombe
Do not like that I can’t make a phone call from onstar
My cell phone does not have roaming
So. When I enter into Canada,I have no phone
Very disappointed in onstar because of this,liked my Cadillacs because of this
gary
I also go to Canada and my Tracfone does not work there. So I put the Skype app on my phone and put $5.00 on it. It will work (I test every few months) as long as I have wi-fi. My new Caddy has wi-fi. Before I would have to go to a business (Home Depot, Etc.) with free wi-fi to make a call (using Skype).