The trouble began as John Hall, his wife AJ, and their cat, Bunny, were headed back to their home in Penticton, British Columbia, about 150 miles east of Vancouver, after a vacation trip to California.

“We were near Ashland, Oregon, when we noticed the first signs of a serious electrical problem with our vehicle,” says Hall. Even though Hall — who worked in the automotive industry for many years — could recognize the problem, it didn’t mean he was prepared to fix it himself, especially out on the road.

“We were traveling north on Interstate 5 and had just entered Oregon,” Hall says. “After navigating to the side of the road, we pushed the OnStar button and asked to run an On-Demand Diagnostics(1) check, which was quickly provided.”

If the “Check Engine” light comes on, or there are concerns about the vehicle while you are driving, an Advisor can run an On-Demand Diagnostics check to see if there is a maintenance issue that requires attention. OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics is a powerfully simple way to know what your vehicle’s key operating systems need by checking the transmission, engine, emissions, brakes, air bag, stability and much more.

“The OnStar operator ordered a tow truck and supplied the name and telephone number of the nearest dealership that could provide assistance for this type of problem,” Hall says. “It was all arranged within about five minutes, and the tow truck arrived in under an hour.”

It was a long tow of at least 50 miles to Springfield Buick in Springfield, Oregon, but the couple were greeted by friendly folks who were prepared to make their ordeal a bit easier. “We arrived in Springfield at about 5:45 p.m. The dealership’s service manager and several employees had waited for us to arrive,” says Hall. “They gave us a car to use overnight and made sure we had a place to spend the night.”

The repairs were made and Team Hall was ready to roll by noon the next day.

“We became big fans of the OnStar service, which we had never needed before that day. We’re grateful now that we had the Safe & Sound® OnStar plan,” says Hall. “Both the OnStar operators and Springfield Buick were so helpful and courteous that it turned a difficult situation into one in which we have fond memories of human kindness.”

In addition to having On-Demand Diagnostics available in case of a problem on the road, subscribers can also sign up for a monthly email report which offers peace of mind by sending you a summary of checks on your engine, transmission, antilock brakes and more to make sure your vehicle is ready for the road.

1 Capabilities vary by model. Visit onstar.com for details and system limitations.

Have you ever had to use On-Demand Diagnostics — or wished you had it? Tell us about it in the comments below.

• Used-vehicle shoppers want to know everything they can about a vehicle because they want the best value for their money. When you include OnStar in your online or classified ad, it’s a smart way to make your vehicle stand out.

• You can help potential buyers feel confident that your vehicle’s key systems are in good condition by showing them your monthly OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics reports. Attach your most recent report to your online ad, or print it out for shoppers who come to check out your vehicle. For added reassurance, show your buyer the mileage and oil life history available under the “History” tab.

• Another great selling point that adds value to your vehicle is that all pre-owned GM vehicles factory-equipped with OnStar digital hardware (model year 2006 and newer) are eligible for three free trial months⁽²⁾ of OnStar Directions & Connections with unlimited Turn-by-Turn Navigation.

All the buyer has to do is press the blue OnStar button and ask the Advisor to activate his or her three-month trial. Whoever buys your vehicle will have access to popular OnStar features such as Emergency Services 24 hours a day, Automatic Crash Response, OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics, Turn-by-Turn Navigation, Remote Door Unlock, Stolen Vehicle Assistance and more.

So when it’s time to sell your vehicle, remember to let OnStar help.

1 Visit onstar.com for coverage map, details and system limitations. Services vary by model and condition. OnStar acts as a link to existing emergency service providers.

2 GM pre-owned vehicles factory equipped with OnStar digital hardware are eligible for 3 trial months of the OnStar Directions & Connections Plan. Excludes FMV. Offer expires 12/31/11. Valid email address required.

Most people will never find themselves in a scary situation like that. But on any normal day, you could lock your keys in the car, need directions, get a flat tire or need to contact someone while you’re on the road. OnStar keeps you connected with the help you need to get through those situations, with a live OnStar Advisor there to help, 24/7.

Here are eight ways  OnStar can make your drive better — and provide peace of mind — every day:

1) Ever get that sinking feeling when you realize you’ve locked your keys in the car? It happens to just about everyone. But OnStar can get you back in your vehicle — usually in minutes. Call OnStar (1.888.4.ONSTAR) and an Advisor will send a signal to unlock your doors (after confirming your account and security information, of course). No locksmith needed. No hassle for you.
2) We’ve all had days where we need a little help finding our destination. OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation⁽¹⁾ can help get you there effortlessly. Push the blue button and ask an Advisor to help you get where you need to be. With OnStar, you’ll have the most up-to-date routes right at your fingertips, and a live person who can assist you. Or plan your route ahead of time using Google Maps™ or MapQuest.com and send it right from your personal computer to your vehicle with eNav. You can store up to five destinations and retrieve them from your vehicle whenever you want.
3) Find yourself stranded with a flat tire or an empty gas tank? Remember, with OnStar you’re always connected. Push that blue button and Roadside Assistance⁽²⁾ can help you get back on your way.
4) If you make a lot of calls from your car, OnStar Hands-Free Calling⁽³⁾ lets you keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Just push the Hands-Free Calling button and say the phone number or the stored name you want to call.
5) Ever start to panic when you can’t find your car in a parking lot? Call OnStar (1.888.4.ONSTAR) and ask to have a remote signal sent to activate your vehicle’s horn and lights to make it easy to find.
6) If your car’s ever stolen, OnStar can work with the police to attempt to recover it. OnStar Stolen Vehicle Assistance⁽⁴⁾ can pinpoint the location of your vehicle using GPS technology and provide the information to authorities. OnStar Ignition Block⁽⁴⁾ can remotely block your ignition, making it impossible to restart the vehicle once it’s turned off. And with OnStar Stolen Vehicle Slowdown,⁽⁴⁾ an Advisor can work with the police to send a signal to your vehicle to gradually and safely slow it down.
7) If you want to make sure your vehicle is running efficiently, try OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics.⁽⁵⁾ We’ll send you monthly email reports showing what’s going on with your vehicle — in simple terms with color-coded icons that make it easy to review. Every month hundreds of diagnostic checks and maintenance checks are run on your vehicle’s key operating systems. And it’s all part of your OnStar service, at no additional cost.
8 ) If your “check engine” light comes on or you hear a strange noise while you’re driving, push the blue button and ask for an On-Demand Diagnostics⁽⁵⁾ check. An Advisor will complete a real-time check — and let you know what next steps to take.

It’s easy to see how OnStar becomes part of people’s everyday lives. Because, after all,  you just never know what the day will bring.

There are things you should and should not do if you lose tire pressure. These tips from safercar.gov can help keep you safe during a tire blowout:

• • Gradually release the accelerator. Do not apply the brakes or suddenly release the accelerator — these actions can affect handling and may lead to loss of control of your vehicle.
• • Correct the steering as necessary to stabilize your vehicle and regain control. Look where you want the vehicle to go and steer in that direction.
• • Once your vehicle has stabilized, continue to slow down and pull off the road where and when you judge it’s safe to do so.
• • Remember, no matter which tire blows out — front or back — the dos and don’ts for safely maintaining control of your vehicle are exactly the same. The only difference between a front and rear tire blowout is that you will feel the force of a front blowout more in the vehicle’s steering, while you’ll feel a rear blowout more in the seat or body of the vehicle.

Safercar.gov also recommends that you check your tire pressure at least once a month, as most tires lose air over time and it’s difficult to determine whether a tire is properly inflated just by looking at it.

It’s easy to keep tabs on your tire pressure if you sign up to receive the OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics report for your car. Each month you’ll receive a report via email to let you know what’s going on with your vehicle, including tire pressure and key information about your transmission system, emissions and antilock brakes.