Stock Problems/Issues Discussions related to warranty related issues and repairs, or other problems with the OEM parts and software for MINI Cooper (R50), Cabrio (R52), and Cooper S (R53) MINIs.

R53 Horn Doesn't Work

Old Dec 11, 2013 | 02:58 PM
  #1  
Fir3Chi3f's Avatar
Fir3Chi3f
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R53 Horn Doesn't Work

Howdy all! I never had to use it, but was recently asked what the horn sounded like and found that it doesn't work at all.

So my question is, what does it sound like? Anyone care to put a video up of the horn noise?

Oh, and any advice on fixing it would be appreciated.
 
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Old Dec 11, 2013 | 03:10 PM
  #2  
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First thing, start looking for blown a fuse. Your MINI has 2 horns the odds of both going bad at the same time is small.
 
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Old Dec 11, 2013 | 05:06 PM
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From: Indy
Originally Posted by ashchuckton
First thing, start looking for blown a fuse. Your MINI has 2 horns the odds of both going bad at the same time is small.
Not really. I bet u find a blown fuse, replace it and blow the new one. Then pull the bumper and remove the horns. Dollars to donuts when you tilt them water will leak out. Replace with Hella Supertones and never look back.

They probably didn't go bad at the same time; you just didn't notice when the first one died.


Edit, Hella Supertones; brain fart typed PIAA, doh!


Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using NAMotoring
 

Last edited by PrplPplEtr; Dec 11, 2013 at 07:29 PM.
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Old Dec 11, 2013 | 05:37 PM
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They sound quite loud for such a small car :p

As for fixing them, start by looking at the fuse, if the fuse is ok, unhook the connectors and using either a test light or multimeter, check to see if you get voltage at the connectors. Normally, you should get around 12V or whatever the battery is at. If you have a normal voltage at the connectors, you know that all the wiring is ok and that the horns are dead.
 
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Old Dec 11, 2013 | 05:48 PM
  #5  
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It sounds like this

 
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Old Dec 11, 2013 | 06:07 PM
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minibx wins the internet

Yep, I'm googling around and found a bunch of threads saying the same thing, PrplPplEtr (love the name btw).

My only issue at this point is that the supertones look a little too flashy and youtube videos make them sound more like high-pitched banshees than a loud car horn.

I did run out there to check the fuse, but couldn't get it out. Need a fuse puller and/or some warmer gloves.
 
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Old Dec 11, 2013 | 07:35 PM
  #7  
PrplPplEtr's Avatar
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From: Indy
Originally Posted by Fir3Chi3f
My only issue at this point is that the supertones look a little too flashy and youtube videos make them sound more like high-pitched banshees than a loud car horn.
they aren't as loud if you use the stock harness and just replace the horns, and if u put them in the stock location they are only flashy to the gremlins that live under your bumper cover; nobody else will see them.

I cut the plug off the dead stock ones and soldered in leads to the Hellas then just plugged them right into the factory harness. No Nautilus chamber; they look more like speakers than "horns" so no place for water to become entrapped and kill them. My car ate two sets of factory horns before I switched to the Hellas.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using NAMotoring
 
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 11:49 AM
  #8  
Minibeagle's Avatar
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From: New Brunswick, CANADA
Originally Posted by Fir3Chi3f
I did run out there to check the fuse, but couldn't get it out. Need a fuse puller and/or some warmer gloves.
There is a red plastic fuse puller in the panel. Makes pulling fuses so much easier.

I replaced the horns on my 2006 JCW this fall. Both stock horns were full of water. One was fried and the other was putting out teh weakest "toot".

I replaced the horns with Hella Supertones. Much better
 
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Old Dec 13, 2013 | 01:55 PM
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Here is a link to the horn location and bumper removal if the fuse does not do the trick.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...n-located.html

And here is were we talked about the "hey horn" which minibx lined ( pretty funny from back in the day ) above and the replacement bumper horns :

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...install-2.html

Check and see if your horns work after the fuse.
 
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Old Dec 13, 2013 | 06:50 PM
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Fuses look good.

We actually just put a new trans in ourselves last week. I'm going to pull the bumper and see if we remembered to reconnect them and possibly replace them while there.
 
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Old Dec 16, 2013 | 05:58 AM
  #11  
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Yea, might have not plugged them back in or something since you had the front end apart. Transmission is a good size job.

Let us know how it goes.
 
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