I'm pretty sure I've read about this issue, but now I can't find anything. If I pick up my wife for lunch, I'll drive in front of her building give a little polite beep of the horn so she knows I'm there. However, when I try that with my F54, I get nothing. So I try again. Still nothing. I push a little harder, but again just with a quick jab to the horn. Still no sound! So I push harder and longer. Then the freaking horn blares full volume, but after a split second delay. I tried it several other times on back roads. It's the same thing. The horn is either nothing or full volume and I need to press and hold it to get it to work. Does anyone else have the same situation and have your found a remedy?

 

The current theory is that the horn signal is electronically processed, thus the inability to finesse a quick 'toot.'

There have also been reports of corrosion of the contacts within the steering wheel.

Demonstrate the issue to your dealer. They will probably tell you this is a normal condition if they determine the switch/contacts in the steering wheel are functioning correctly.

When I asked about the inability to give a friendly toot, I was told the horn is designed for dangerous emergency situations and gives the full blast by design.

Tell that to the person in front of you who fails to proceed when the light changes because he's checking his texts -- instead of hearing your friendly toot he gets the full blast and you get shot.

 

I had an F57 loaner car recently and noticed this behavior too with the horn. Not only was it delayed like half a second from when I pressed the horn, it sounded really puny and weak too. It should not behave like this and hopefully MINI decides to find a fix for it.

 

Strange, had to use my horn on the way home from picking up my car...I very rarely use my horn, but the guy was flat our snoozing at the green light. Was able to give a couple quick toots for an attention getter, no delay that I noticed in mine.

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...lem-delay.html

 

I did some more experimenting, and it seems that as long as I press in the center, it honks without delay. I get the delay and then the full volume when I press on an edge. With my other cars, I can press the edge of the hub to get a polite honk. I guess, I'll just have to remember to hit the center with the Mini.

 

I had read on some other boards about slight corrosion build up on some of the cars where the steering wheel center contacts the leads.