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Finishing up getting a 1999 Eldorado with 30,000 miles on it road ready. Mostly dealer work as the car was stored in heated storage for the last 20 years and is in near mint condition. It just hasn't been started or driven in years and wasn't properly set up for long term storage. The vehicle didn't come with Onstar (I don't think it was out yet). I'd like to try to put Onstar FMV on it:  I have a new Onstar FMV mirror that I bought in 2014. But I know that Onstar discontinued them. I know that people who activated the mirrors before 2015 have and maintain Onstar FMV subscriptions. But what I can't find out is, can I install a new Onstar FMV mirror and successfully activate it and register an Onstar Subscription on it, now in 2019. Can't get a clear answer via Google searching. There was an Onstar FMV specific site and that's now gone. Onstar doesn't have an online contact form for questions like this. I tried calling the number and the menu systems don't seem to have any way to just get an operator... you have to select something specific and none of the options apply to this question. I don't want to modify the car to install this, only to find out it's completely useless. I was hoping someone here might know the situation with Onstar FMV? I do see several sellers on eBay selling brand new Onstar FMV mirrors for around $30.00 US each. Not sure if they are doing that for replacements, scrap / parts / tinkerers, or if you can actually install, activate, register, and use them.
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Feb 11, 2019 18:52
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1 (888) 466-7827 is their support number.
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Feb 11, 2019 19:01
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I figured out I can hit "0" to get a representative. I did try contacting a couple of the eBay sellers asking if they knew if the mirrors could be activated. They replied saying "Yes." When I replied back saying the Onstar FMV web pages are gone and if they were sure and had instructions or a number, only one person replied saying that since he had sold some of the mirrors and didn't hear any complaints, he just assumed that meant they could be activated. :P So the OnStar representative says that no new OnStar FMV mirrors could be activated and no new OnStar FMV accounts could be set up. (I didn't bother asking if an OnStar FMV account could be transferred from a broken mirror to a replacement mirror.) I know there is Verizon Hum, but I've read about long hold times, and poor quality of the units that plug into the OBD-II ports, causing false warnings and alerts and such. Anyways, I know OnStar FMV is nothing like actual built-in OnStar, I guess I just felt like since it's a Cadillac it would nice to at least have the emergency OnStar button. Oh well!
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Feb 12, 2019 19:36
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Telebite posted:I figured out I can hit "0" to get a representative. Generic non-Onstar tip: every time I've gotten stuck on an automated support line, I have had fantastic luck with just mashing the number keys/buttons as fast as I can for a second i.e. 90321840938420. I can't remember a time in the past where it didn't get me a representative almost immediately, or at least sent straight into the queue to speak to an actual person. Most of the time I don't even bother with listening to the automated options. Did it a couple weeks ago with Chase bank.
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Feb 13, 2019 03:44
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The Royal Nonesuch posted:Generic non-Onstar tip: every time I've gotten stuck on an automated support line, I have had fantastic luck with just mashing the number keys/buttons as fast as I can for a second i.e. 90321840938420. I can't remember a time in the past where it didn't get me a representative almost immediately, or at least sent straight into the queue to speak to an actual person. Most of the time I don't even bother with listening to the automated options. Did it a couple weeks ago with Chase bank. It always sucks when they've been smart enough to set up the system so it will just go "Nine zero three two..... is not a valid selection" or some such horseshit. Sometimes the phone maze will even reply with zero not being a valid selection. Whoever invented these systems should be shot into the sun. They're purposefully designed to get people to give up and go away.
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Feb 14, 2019 21:33
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I've beaten those by just being persistent, most of the ones I've run into will crow back the "not a valid input" a half dozen times or so before giving up and transferring you to someone live.
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Feb 14, 2019 22:11
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Bajaha posted:I've beaten those by just being persistent, most of the ones I've run into will crow back the "not a valid input" a half dozen times or so before giving up and transferring you to someone live. Yeah, just keep mashing, always works.
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Feb 17, 2019 01:10
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Voice activated ones also will shoot you to an operator if you swear a couple times.
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Feb 17, 2019 04:53
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Slugworth posted:Voice activated ones also will shoot you to an operator if you swear a couple times. This is my favored technique for getting quick service. While on hold just start swearing up a storm, talking about how angry you are about whatever minor inconvenience you're calling about is. 9/10 times you'll be transferred to a real human within a few seconds, at which point you can drop into normal cheerful tones. You can tell it really fucks with their heads too.
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Feb 17, 2019 07:05
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If you are calling some help line and the wait or service is terrible try the Spanish option they are usually an higher quality call center that is actually trained on following a nonsensical script.
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Feb 17, 2019 09:46
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They switched from Verizon to ATT in that time period. If you can find out whether it is a GSM, CDMA or LTE (Don't know if these were available) unit call ATT for GSM or Verizon for CDMA. You may be able to get your question answered.
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Feb 18, 2019 02:08
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ATT and VZW only handle the actual data/voice connection, though for the cars that came with OnStar from the factory, they could add the car as a line to share minutes (instead of paying OnStar's ungodly charge). That said, FMV was handled by Verizon, Also, Verizon is shutting down their 3G CDMA network at the end of the year, and since the earlier digital OnStar units were 3G CDMA, I don't think they can be added to a family plan anymore (they've publicly announced that they won't activate any 3G devices anymore, they'll only support existing active devices until the end of the year). I kinda wonder if I can even activate the OnStar system in my Saturn at this point - the network is still active, but only until the end of 2019... I may try throwing the original stereo back in and seeing what they say when I hit the OnStar button. fake edit: just tried putting the VIN from both my current car and my old car into OnStar's website (both 06 Saturns), and I get a technical difficulties message.
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Feb 18, 2019 08:54
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OK, so instead of an Onstar mirror, I'll instead try having an Auto-Vox X1 Pro dashcam + reverse mirror installed. 
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Feb 18, 2019 13:31
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Telebite posted:OK, so instead of an Onstar mirror, I'll instead try having an Auto-Vox X1 Pro dashcam + reverse mirror installed. Do post a review once installed.
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Feb 18, 2019 22:24
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There are plenty of them on YouTube already... the "pro" permanently installs instead of strapping over your existing mirror and plugging into your lighter socket. It also has a larger display area that fills completely. I'm hoping I can find a good shop to do it! If you power it off it *does* function like a regular mirror that reflects the rear view.
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Feb 18, 2019 23:31
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Telebite posted:There are plenty of them on YouTube already... the "pro" permanently installs instead of strapping over your existing mirror and plugging into your lighter socket. It also has a larger display area that fills completely. I'm hoping I can find a good shop to do it! If you power it off it *does* function like a regular mirror that reflects the rear view. Well, let me know your thoughts anyway. If you've got a couple reviews you felt were good could you share a link or 2? Some of these reviews are pretty painful to watch.
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Feb 19, 2019 18:15
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