I've never really liked them much for the simple fact that when I really need to use the horn, it's a real pain to remember that the MINI has those little horn buttons on each side of the steering wheel instead of one big horn button in the center of the wheel like every other car made on the planet.

Well today, I had a situation where a guy in a huge truck wasn't looking and started coming out into my lane. I was in a panic because the guy was about 2 feet from smashing into the side of my MINI and I was scrambling to find one of the horn buttons in order to honk at the guy while at the same time I was trying to spin the wheel to get my car out of the way. Luckily the guy turned his head and saw that he was going to plow into me and slammed on his brakes just in time.....good thing, because I never was able to find the buttons on the wheel, I was too busy looking at his front bumper that was about to smash into me.

What a horrible idea it was to make the horn buttons so small, and hard to get to when you really need them....in a panic when you don't have time to look down and see where they are because you are too busy trying to spin the wheel and drive out of a bad situation.

Anyone else hate those MINI horn buttons?

 

i was so confused til i remembered there are two spoked steering wheels which i am assuming you have. im now greatful i do not have one lol. that is terrible designing by mini tho

 

Try getting the big center one in an R56 to actually work...

 

how long have you had the car?

it took me a long time to get used to the buttons, but now my thumb floats over the left button when cruising through traffic for quick action... just don't get trigger happy that took awhile to not happen either

 

I've had the car for a couple of years now. I have no problem using the horn when I'm going in a straight line, and I don't have some car ready to pile into me The problem is when you REALLY need the horn and you are turning the wheel at the same time, you never really know where the buttons are unless you stair down at the wheel, which in a panic situation is hard because you are putting all of your focus on the road.

Just a horrible design in my opinion.....a center horn button what have been so much better. No matter where you have the wheel positioned, it's always in the same place on the wheel.

I've had more than a few close calls that could have easily been avoided with a quick honk of the horn to alert the other driver.........and I was scrambling to find those little horn buttons.

 

How about this for a problem. I had an R56 ('09) and an R50 ('02 with 2 spoke wheel) that my wife and I drove for over a year and going back and forth was interesting. I tried the change the radio controls and almost hit the horn all of the time.

 

At least its on the steering wheel. If i remember correctly the TR7 i had years ago had it on the end of one of the stalks.

 

The tiny little buttons do befit the anemic horn, however.

 

I have a center mounted one that works fantastic in my R56 '07.
I use it a lot in Vancouver traffic.

 

I, too, dislike the horn buttons on the sides of the spokes. I've had my S for 10 years and panic situations are still a problem. I actually like the horn on the stalk like on my '75 Mini and several other cars I've owned over the years.