# Radio system user interface is hideous, what is GM thinking?



## coinneach (Apr 10, 2012)

*shrug* I had mine figured out in about five minutes, and I've been in IT as long as you. Every manufacturer's interface is different, they all have their good and bad points (cf Every OS Sucks).


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## Dreamsofyou365 (Jun 26, 2012)

The car salesman sat with me for awhile explaining every feature. I was a pro at it before I pulled out of the lot


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

Reading the manual helps a lot.


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## stodge (Jul 20, 2012)

GoldenCruze said:


> Reading the manual helps a lot.


I will if I buy it. I'll have to!


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

If your salesman is as good as mine, then he will show you how it all works, along with all of the other systems in the car.


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## TechCruzer (Mar 15, 2012)

Between your other thread & this one you might just want to reconsider buying the Cruze... you've already got two strikes against it & seems there may just be a third on the way. I'm not trying to make up your mind, but seems you may already have done that. Either way best of luck on whatever car you purchase soon.


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## Bac n Black (Aug 2, 2012)

When it comes to computers my knowledge is extended to the ON/OFF button. My salesman ran me through it and while it was a little confusing to start with; I am now getting the hang of it.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

stodge said:


> I test drove the 1.4 turbo today and it has the screen based controls for configuring the radio. It took me an hour to work out how o move the sound to the rear speakers. Boy was I angry! I couldn't swear as my 6 year old was in the back seat.
> 
> I don't understand why anyone at GM thinks this whole screen interface is usable. I've been usin and programming computers and technology for over 30 years and I can generally learn how to use a user interface. But this system had me stumped and frustrated.
> 
> ...


I'll tell you how difficult it isn't, at least on the non-navigation system. I'm not sure if the nav-equipped system is any different. 

Press the button that says "tone."

Use the jog dial on the right side to map down to the fader. Should be 4 notches to the right. Along the way, you'll pass by Treble, Mid, Bass, and Balance. 

Press the button in the middle of the jog dial to engage that adjustment. 

Use the jog dial to fade forward or backward. 

Press the button in the middle of the jog dial to exit the adjustment mode. 

Press the "back" button to return to the home screen. 

It's not that hard. Took me a few minutes and I didn't need the owner's manual. If this is a "make or break it" feature for you, there's not much else one can say. Of all the qualities one should look at when buying a new car, the ease of fading the speakers is probably at the bottom of my list, right next to what shade of black the carpet lining in the trunk is. 

If I was a Chevy salesman and you told me you're passing up on the Cruze becuase it was too difficult for you to figure out the fader, here's what my response would be:










The Cruze is an excellent vehicle that is packed with features that colossally outweigh minor nuances such as the learning curve of setting the speaker's fader.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Make that four negative threads, none of which remotely describe either of my Cruzen. Stodge appears to be a troll. If he isn't I strongly recommend he go buy anything else as he will never enjoy a Cruze.


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## Jaycruze (Jul 11, 2011)

Quit wasting your energy replying to this guy, its fake!

He's test driven the Cruze like 20 times!!! wtf?? bullllsheeet


AND the radio is SUPER EASY TO USE... cmon hes just a some Ford salesman lol.

*edit, I'll admit he is VERY creative with his bullsh#$! I hope they pay him the big bucks!


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## TechCruzer (Mar 15, 2012)

obermd said:


> Make that four negative threads, none of which remotely describe either of my Cruzen. Stodge appears to be a troll. If he isn't I strongly recommend he go buy anything else as he will never enjoy a Cruze.


Agreed... based on her other posts I don't believe the Cruze is satisfying her & she doesn't even try to like it since every thread or post is negative. So... I say stodge time to move on. :wave:


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## stodge (Jul 20, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> I'll tell you how difficult it isn't, at least on the non-navigation system. I'm not sure if the nav-equipped system is any different.
> 
> Press the button that says "tone."
> 
> ...



I think this one had the navigation though it gave an error about a missing card when I tried to access it. And no, I can't remember how I did it, it was so convoluted. Even your description is more convoluted than it should be. Press, jog, jog, jog, adjust, back, back.

I disagree, if it's this convoluted to adjust the fader, then obviously adjusting many other things will be just as convoluted though the menu system. But that's my opinion so feel free to mock if it makes you feel better.


@techcruzer: fair point, though so far I've been pretty easy on the Cruze, which happens to be in the top two on my list! You should hear some comments I've made about other vehicles. Buying a car is an expensive venture, and I spend time in my car every day. So knowing the foibles and positive aspects of a vehicle is very important to help weigh the decision. Maybe I'm over analyzing as I hate to spend money!! Lol


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## stodge (Jul 20, 2012)

Jaycruze said:


> Quit wasting your energy replying to this guy, its fake!
> 
> He's test driven the Cruze like 20 times!!! wtf?? bullllsheeet
> 
> ...



Whatever makes you happy. I'm no fanboy - I drive a Ford but I don't like any of the new Fords. I was shocked when I sat in the new Escape yesterday, the dash quality sucks with cheap and ugly plastics. But go on convincing yourself that the Cruze is perfect and no one is allowed to make negative comments. And I'm still waiting for my cheque from.... Who exactly?


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## bci26401 (Jun 25, 2012)

A little common sense and u could figure it out in 3 minutes. SMH Your looking anything to complain about the cruze.


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## socalcruze (Aug 4, 2012)

It took me about 12 seconds to figure out how to adjust the fader, balance and tone on my nav-equipped Cruze.

If the OP thinks the Cruze system is hard to figure out, he should run far away from anything with a Ford Sync system.


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## rbtec (Feb 3, 2012)

No problem here.


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

stodge said:


> Even your description is more convoluted than it should be. Press, jog, jog, jog, adjust, back, back.


Wow... so pressing the TONE button, turn dial to fade, adjust as you see fit, press the back button to leave the settings menu (Think this step is optional as eventually it leaves the menu on its own)seems to hard/convoluted? Stock radio is really easy to operate, never even had to read the manual to figure any of it out. 

If you don't want to come off as a dick, why start an inflammatory post(see title)? Why jump down peoples throats that are trying to help you if you really were here to get info/help & not just be the usual troll? only person that I have heard have issues with the radio settings so far is you, so that should tell you where the real problem is.


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## cremery (Aug 19, 2012)

i see a flaw ... i have test driven many a vehicle (well only about 5 but thats not the point). Every vehicle i HAVE EVER test driven i had a sale rep with me in the vehicle. I realize that you are clearly exaggerating a bit when you say you tried for an hour to figure it out. but seriously when you were trying to figure this out you never once thought "i should ask this sales person who is knowledgeable about this vehicle and would probably know how to work this radio". I mean for example the seats when i first got in I had to ask how to adjust the backrests angle since i could only see two handles and neither did what i wanted it to. he then showed me the third handle and that took all of 20 seconds from the time i realized i wasnt sure how to do it till i had my seat adjusted. 

common sense ??? clearly not very common


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

cremery said:


> i see a flaw ... i have test driven many a vehicle (well only about 5 but thats not the point). Every vehicle i HAVE EVER test driven i had a sale rep with me in the vehicle.


Maybe where you live, around here they throw you the keys & say "See you when you get back!"


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## carbon419 (Aug 20, 2012)

Hahaha, reading these posts are hilarious. Sounds like stodge is trying to find whatever he can to complain about. Honestly everything is laid out pretty easily. If you have owned a car before is multiple radio and tune settings you can figure the Cruze's out in no time. I was calling people from my in-car phone via bluetooth and bumping to some sick tunes before I was 3 miles down the road. People floor me. Especially since its the dealerships job to run step by step. Simple!


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

stodge said:


> And I'm still waiting for my cheque from.... Who exactly?


The Government?????


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

If you think the radio is complicated in the Cruze, you'd have a heck of a time adjusting the radio in my 79 Chevy pickup..... I didn't have any trouble figuring most things out on the radio.

I think some places treat test drives differently. My sales person went with the kid in the Camaro. She handed the Cruze key to me and asked me to be back within 20 minutes.


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## stodge (Jul 20, 2012)

It all makes sense now. Because the car had navigation I wrongly assumed that the option for the fader was buried within the menu system there. Maybe somewhere in the radio config etc. It didn't occur to me until the end that I missed one button; the tone button. By that time i was completely frustrated, especially as my six year old was giving me grief in the back seat! Sat in the LTZ today without navigation and voila, I worked it out. So with a sweeping bow I humbly apologise for my stupidity and technology blindness!! :idiot:


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Should of had your six year old demo the controls.  He probably would have done better than the dealership's salesman.


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## stodge (Jul 20, 2012)

obermd said:


> Should of had your six year old demo the controls.  He probably would have done better than the dealership's salesman.


She would have done better than me for sure.


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