[hotrunner]

Hi All....

I parked my car in a busy lot, waited for my wife while shopping.
Up comes a car, back up next to me, came so close that they almost
side swiped my precious baby I was sitting in. It was unfolding right in front
of my helpless eyes. Did you know that the car horn will not work while the
engine is OFF ? I could not honk my horn while this person just about took the whole
passenger side of my car off while I watched helplessly and pushing on a non functional horn because the car was not running. I must say that the engineers never thought of this and that the software should be corrected so that the horn can work while the engine is off, if possible? Anyone ?

 

[Evlkarl]

I feel your pain I almost got hit the other day in the supermarket parking lot while I was sitting in the car. Here is what I do .... hit the start button without pressing the clutch pedal in and the horn will work so will the radio power windows etc etc. Now if yours is an automatic I do not have an answer maybe somebody else here can put there 2 cents in.

 

[hotrunner]

Thank you !

Yes, I do have an Automatic.

The engineers didn't think this one thru.
This programming must and should be changed because it is a safety issue.
How can this be, no power, no horn.....I have never seen or heard of this
feature before. What would be the reasoning ?

 

[Evlkarl]

Hotrunner, now you have the perfect excuse(horn not working) to place an order for a manual JCW,s

 

[AarnMunro]

Sometime shouting is the better thing to do...

 

[hotrunner]

Sometime shouting is the better thing to do...

A horn is a universal language. Everybody understands this.

Shouting, they wouldn't understand, besides I like my face the way it is,
non punched in.

 

[Sunbar]

On my late 2014 Cooper manual gearbox - ignition off (pressed twice on the start switch) the horn works immediately. Possibly after waiting sitting in the car for fifteen-twenty minutes for everything to 'cycle-down' with the doors closed it makes it in-active? Or USA -v- European spec is different, or the fact that the horn needs a hard press to work or has a slight delay (see other forum comments on horn operation)?

In fact just last week, opening the driver’s door and loading a large parcel on the passenger seat I set the horn off accidentally; startling myself and my neighbour opposite leaving the driveway!

I have had cars in the past where the horn only works with the ignition switched on, so common that I cannot remember which did and those that didn't work. I just got used to it I guess.

I agree with hotrunner I would prefer it to be always able to be used even with the ignition off. However a quick search with Google shows that at least some Audis and Mercedes are the same; ignition off- 'no horn'. As far as I know both FMVSS and EEC regulations don't require the horn to work with the ignition off, so its left for each car maker to decide.