Hey: I have an '03 Cooper S with a Quicksilver exhaust and the Alta intake kit. Have 58 K miles with no trouble to speak of. Low mileage because I retired a few years back.

I bought the Fiamm Air Horns (Moss Motors part no. 545-080) and had them installed using the stock horn wiring (stock horns had failed) about 6 months ago. I love the sound, similar to the "Maserati Air Horns" that were marketed some years ago---and loud.

Well, I live in New Orleans, and the drivers are really bad down here (based on 40 years of business experience driving in ALL US cities), so I admit I do tap the horn buttons more than most people in the South usually do. But then the Saints won the Super Bowl, and I think I wore those suckers out that night.

About a week later, the horns failed, and I wondered if people had any experience with the Fiamm product (red plastic trumpets and a stainless steel-looking compressor). Is it usually the relay that goes, or does the compressor usually totally fail? Just want some info to see if I can fix it myself before I take it to the local bandit to get it fixed.

Thanks.

 

Hi: Nobody responded, but I figured it out myself, eventually. Turns out it was the 15 amp fuse that blew. Duh. If it blows again, I'll replace it with a 20 amp.

For Mini owners that run into this problem, the fuse for the horn is NOT in the fusebox under the bonnet (hood), but in the fusebox in the cockpit next to the driver's left leg. The fusebox holds a few spare fuses.

BTW, DON'T drop the fuse while you are replacing it. There is an open area at the bottom of the fusebox, and the fuse will get dropped into the bodywork or suspension.