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OnStar For Hearing Impaired?

5K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  Merc6 
#1 ·
I'm hoping I may find some other people who may also be hearing impaired or maybe some suggestions as to where to turn to. First off, I am hearing impaired in which I wear a hearing aid on my right ear. I can hear but I must "lip read" in order to understand somebody. Now to the topic of this post... OnStar For Hearing Impaired? Since I just bought my Cruze a couple of weeks ago, this is my first vehicle with OnStar capabilities. I did go and register at the OnStar via their site and can see there is some things you can gather on your account/vehicle. However, what I am trying to get to is how can I take advantage of OnStar in my car when I can't understand what the voice is asking me? I can hear the voice loud and clear but just cannot understand. I thought maybe there could be some text scrolling across my screen on the hub or whatever you call it that shows the radio stations or something but that isn't the case. I got to wonder how I will ever benefit from it. What do I do if I was to have some issues such as getting stranded or crash and the voice starts talking to me? What to say? Anybody have any thoughts on this, or some suggestions where to turn to? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advanced.
 
#2 ·
To the best of my knowledge, all of the sounds, XM, OnStar, Bluetooth cell phone, alarms, come through the same radio loud speakers. How does your radio sound to you on a voice station? Can you make that out?

Seem to have an opposite problem using my bluetooth cell phone. That woman locked up in the radio speaks too loud, with no way to turn her down. Volume control has no effect on her.

My problem with OnStar, at 45* N latitude in tree lined Wisconsin, satellite is only 22* above the horizon, so don't get any reception at all. perhaps yours is garbled, and those with excellent hearing make it out? Also a separate receiver, yours could be defective. See your dealer about this, ha, no reception back in their shop either, an all steel building.
 
#3 ·
NickD, I listen to music radio just fine. There's a difference in listening to music and listening to voice where music is about tune, tempo, beats, etc., and voice is just that... voice. I cannot and do not listen to voice radio stations because just like I mentioned... I have to "read lips" to understand them. I don't even talk on the phone unless there's a 3rd party involved to relay me the conversation being said.
 
#4 ·
To a lot of us on star is useless, I have never seen a need endless you are in an accident, in which case if you hear a person from on star just tell them you are hearing impaired and cannot understand what they are saying but you need help cause you were in a wreck and tell them how you are injured. They then call police, fire and EMS and relay what you say. Hopefully you never need this but if you are willing to pay out the $15 a month it could come in handy.
 
#5 · (Edited)
$15/month? I see the rate on my OnStar account page being $18.95/mo or $199/year. My wife insist that I continue the service since I do work long distance from home. Having OnStar could be handy if only I knew that the OnStar voice will be able to just hear my talking. Other than that, getting remote unlock in case I lock my keys in the car could be handy as well. But I don't see myself paying $18.95/month or even MAYBE $15/month. I would do it if it was more like $10/month.

Editing post: I just found that starting October 1st of 2013, the fees go up $1/month making it $19.95/mo
 
#6 ·
I think when my rial was expiring they offered $15 but I told them I wouldn't pay more than $50 for a year of service, they told me they couldn't and we parted ways. The cell apps were beyond slow and I just did t see the value.
 
#7 ·
Was just trying to determine if that garbled speech was caused by your Cruze sound system, apparently not. Garbled speech is caused by one's ears no longer hearing a flat frequency response. Different portions of the audio spectrum have a wide variation in amplitude so you can only hear portions of a speech pattern that does exhibit a wide range of these frequencies.

Understand they now have digitally controlled hearing aids that can be tuned to hear more of a flat frequency response. Did you ever look into these? Don't have to answer.

I know OnStar does not work with the battery disconnected. Never tried to learn if it has a backup system in the event of an accident. To try this, would have to find an open field someplace as don't even get reception as it is. Cruze puts the battery way up in front, other vehicles find a safer spot for it. A collision in the left front would render that battery useless in a very short fraction of a second.

Ever since they added microcontrollers to our vehicles, started carrying towing insurance, and up to 200 miles of towing is included far cheaper than OnStar that only helps you find a towing vendor, you pay for the towing.
 
#10 ·
Coppertop,


Congrats on your new Cruze! Let me know if you have any questions about your system, we're always happy to help. TTY service and equipment is available for your OnStar-equipped GM vehicle. You can learn more about it here: OnStar Mobility Offer | GM Mobility. Hope this helps!


-Jessica, OnStar Advisor
Social Media Team
Thank you very much Jessica! Odd thing is that when I talked to my dealer about OnStar for hearing impaired, he flat out told me that there isn't anything on the OnStar service that could help me out. Hmm, I guess I will be looking into your supplied link, fill out the application, and take it right back to the dealer and get them up to speed.
 
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