OnStar does cover towing, but only if your subscription includes Roadside Assistance, and the tow goes to the nearest GM dealership rather than a shop you choose. It counts against a combined limit of four roadside service uses per year.1OnStar. Roadside Assistance
What a Tow Through OnStar Looks Like
Roadside Assistance provides emergency towing when your vehicle cannot be driven due to a mechanical failure. OnStar dispatches a third-party towing company; it does not run its own fleet.1OnStar. Roadside Assistance The destination is fixed: your vehicle goes to the “nearest Dealer.”2OnStar. How to Get Roadside Assistance The available documentation does not describe an option to route the tow to an independent mechanic or to your home.
OnStar does not publish a mileage cap on the tow itself. Coverage is defined by the destination — nearest dealer — not by distance.
The same feature covers a handful of other roadside problems: flat tire changes, battery jump-starts, lockout assistance, and fuel delivery if you run out of gas.3Chevrolet. Roadside Assistance Winching for vehicles stuck in mud, snow, or sand is also part of the service.4Jim Keras Buick GMC. Understanding OnStar Roadside Assistance
The Four-Use Annual Limit
Every roadside service draws from a single pool. Tows, tire changes, jump-starts, fuel deliveries, and any other roadside help combine toward a total of four uses per year. After four, additional charges apply.1OnStar. Roadside Assistance OnStar’s published materials don’t list a dollar figure for those overage charges.
Which OnStar Plans Include Towing
Roadside Assistance is not part of every subscription. Under OnStar’s current lineup, these plans include it:
- OnStar Protect, at $29.99 per month, which bundles Roadside Assistance with Automatic Crash Response, Stolen Vehicle Assistance, and the OnStar Guardian app.5OnStar. OnStar Plans
- OnStar One, starting at $49.99 per month, which combines the full suite of OnStar services.6OnStar. OnStar One
The Connect plan at $14.99 per month and Connect Plus at $24.99 per month focus on entertainment, remote commands, and Wi-Fi. Neither includes Roadside Assistance.5OnStar. OnStar Plans Older tiers such as Safety & Security and OnStar Guardian have been replaced by OnStar Protect, according to OnStar’s legacy comparison page.7OnStar. Legacy Plans Comparison
If you have no active plan, you can still call OnStar for a tow, but you’ll pay out of pocket for the service.2OnStar. How to Get Roadside Assistance
Towing After a Crash
Automatic Crash Response and Roadside Assistance are separate features. In a serious crash, an advisor is connected to the vehicle and can notify emergency services, but the crash-response documentation does not describe towing as part of that process.1OnStar. Roadside Assistance
OnStar’s own guide on what to do after a crash says that if the car isn’t drivable, “an OnStar Advisor can also contact a nearby towing company for you.”8OnStar. What to Do After a Car Crash The wording describes the advisor coordinating a tow, not a guarantee that the cost is covered, and the sentence carries an asterisk pointing to additional terms. If you expect to need collision towing, confirm with OnStar directly whether the cost falls under your plan.
Factory Warranty Roadside Is a Separate Benefit
New GM vehicles come with complimentary roadside assistance tied to the factory warranty, distinct from a paid OnStar subscription. For standard Chevrolet models, the coverage runs five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. Electric vehicles get eight years or 100,000 miles.9Chevrolet. Roadside Assistance The complimentary coverage includes towing to the nearest Chevrolet dealer along with flat tire changes, jump-starts, lockout help, and fuel delivery.
How you call for help differs. With an active OnStar plan, you can press the blue OnStar button, use the infotainment screen, or open the mobile app. Without an active plan, you call a dedicated phone number.9Chevrolet. Roadside Assistance Once the factory coverage runs out, a paid OnStar subscription is how you keep roadside coverage inside GM’s ecosystem.10Vince’s GM Center. GM Roadside Assistance Coverage Explained
Coverage in a Non-GM Vehicle
The OnStar Guardian app extends Roadside Assistance to people who are not in a GM vehicle. It works in any passenger car, truck, or motorcycle, and the coverage follows the person rather than the vehicle.11OnStar. Guardian App FAQ Services available through the app include towing, flat tire changes, jump-starts, lockout assistance, and fuel delivery.12GM. Guardian App Roadside Assistance
The four-per-year cap still applies, with extra charges after that.13Apple App Store. OnStar Guardian Safety App Family members added through the “My Family” feature can use the roadside benefit if they have the app installed.11OnStar. Guardian App FAQ
Other Limits Worth Knowing
- Commercial vehicles and other specialty rigs are excluded. Roadside services cover passenger vehicles and motorcycles.14McGuire Chevrolet. OnStar Chevrolet
- If your vehicle does not have a spare tire, additional charges apply for a tire change.15OnStar Canada. Roadside Assistance
- OnStar’s disclosures note broadly that “limitations and restrictions apply” and refer subscribers to the full terms of service. For an unusual situation, calling OnStar before you rely on coverage is the safest check.