OnStar gives you access to specially trained Advisors who are available to help 24/7. All you have to do to connect to one is push a button. Pushing the red Emergency button gives you a priority connection to an Emergency Advisor.
You might be asking yourself, “Which button should I push, and when?”
The short answer is, if you’re ever in an emergency situation or feel like you’re in danger, always push the red Emergency button. If not, push the blue OnStar button.
To help you identify which situations count as an emergency and which don’t, we’ve put together a quick quiz so you can learn which button to push in different scenarios.
Select an answer to see if you chose correctly.
Which button would you push in each of these scenarios?
Select an answer to see if you chose correctly.
Question 1
You and your family are on a road trip when one of your children in the backseat is having trouble breathing. You pull over, but can’t find the asthma inhaler.
Answer 1: Red Emergency button
Emergency Advisors can connect you to First Responders and can offer crucial medical advice to help until First Responders arrive.
Question 2
As you’re driving through your neighborhood after work, a jogger crosses your path at a stop sign as you wait to turn right. You round the corner and notice out of the corner of your eye that the jogger has collapsed and is clutching his chest.
Answer 2: Red Emergency button
Even if an emergency happens outside your vehicle, Emergency Advisors are ready to help you be a Good Samaritan. They can also provide medical assistance, such as instructions on how to perform CPR if needed, until First Responders arrive.
Question 3
On your way to the grocery store, you’re approaching an intersection as the light turns yellow. You step on the brake and stop at the intersection just as the light turns red. The driver next to you does not stop in time and collides with a vehicle that has just entered the intersection on a green light.
Answer 3: Red Emergency button
If you witness a crash, you can push the red Emergency button to be connected to a specially trained Emergency Advisor who is ready to help. The Advisor can use your vehicle’s location to help First Responders find the scene, which is important when every minute counts.
Question 4
On your morning commute across town, you can’t avoid hitting a piece of sharp debris in the road. Your passenger-side front tire is punctured and goes flat. You turn on your hazard lights and slowly steer your vehicle to a safe parking spot.
Answer 4: Blue OnStar button
The blue OnStar button is the best way to ask for Roadside Assistance.
Question 5
While visiting a new city with some friends, you’ve done the impossible: agreed on what kind of food you’d like to eat for dinner. You’ve all got a taste for Italian, but you’re not sure where to find a good restaurant and you’re already on the road.
Answer 5: Blue OnStar button
If you need help finding places like restaurants or other businesses, push the blue OnStar button and ask for directions using Turn-by-Turn Navigation.
Question 6
You’re on a multi-state road trip to get to a conference for work and see dark clouds ahead. You tune the radio to the weather report and it warns you about a massive thunderstorm. You can’t pull over for the night because you’ve got somewhere to be. You think a detour is in order — you just need some navigation help.
Answer 6: Blue OnStar button
If you need to focus on the road while also finding a way out of a tricky driving situation, push the blue OnStar button and an Advisor can provide an alternate route with Turn-by-Turn directions.
Question 7
You recently received a new credit card to replace one that expired. You’ve been updating your payment information wherever you used that card, and you realize you need to update your payment method for OnStar. So, before driving to work, you sit in the driveway and push the button.
Answer 7: Blue OnStar button
Pushing the blue OnStar button is an easy way to manage your account, including finding your account number, enrolling in Auto Renewal, updating your payment method and adding or changing your emergency contact.
What really matters is that you feel confident pushing either button to take advantage of your OnStar service. If you’re in an emergency situation or feel like you’re in danger, push the red Emergency button. If you’re in a non-emergency situation, use the blue OnStar button. No matter the scenario, OnStar Advisors love to help, and they can connect you with the assistance you need.
