Car horn is beeping

uncool · 01-20-2008, 01:43 PM

My 2007 Prius' horn honks ever so lightly but steadily over the last few weeks. Not loud enough for other cars to hear but I hear it. Anyone know what is going on with it?

**Tideland Prius** · 01-20-2008, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncool

My 2007 Prius' horn honks ever so lightly but steadily over the last few weeks. Not loud enough for other cars to hear but I hear it. Anyone know what is going on with it?

Have you driven it?

I don't know but when my 12V battery was dying, my Prius started honking very softly hoping to get my attention. I eventually went outside to see what the commotion was and found out it was my Prius!

. Barely had enough juice to start it (phew!)

uncool · 01-20-2008, 08:05 PM

it has been doing this for weeks. everything is up and charged. It just randomly gets my attention all the time.

**Tideland Prius** · 01-20-2008, 08:08 PM

Hmm... I have no idea then. If the panic/alarm went off, it'll be a full-on honk on the horn, not a soft one.

uncool · 01-20-2008, 09:01 PM

Its very cold here in Chicago and I started using the EBH Wayne installed (thanks again Wayne), and thats the only thing different in my daily driving.

priusincc · 01-22-2008, 08:09 PM

Are you positive its the horn? There is a noise that sounds like a horn beep (or barking), caused by the brake actuator valve. It's more pronounced in cold weather, and occurs when pressing the brake petal. There are other threads on this. Mine has been doing it for some weeks; I thought it was the coolant transfer pump at first. Will have it checked out at next dealer visit; I try to minimize those.

absinto · 07-09-2008, 05:40 AM

I have the same problem with my horn; I was hoping that it was more widespread so that there would be a documented solution. The soft honking noise is continual but unpredictable, so naturally the dealership is telling me they can't find anything wrong. I'll explore the other threads regarding the brake actuator valve, but it's hard to imagine the noise is something other than the horn itself.

Patrick Wong · 07-09-2008, 12:22 PM

Hmm, perhaps the place to start would be to remove the large black plastic cover over the radiator. To remove the plastic fasteners, use a screwdriver to rotate each fastener CCW while exerting upwards pressure on the cover near the fastener. This will allow the fastener to pop out.

Once the cover is removed, you can access the two horns. Disconnect the wires leading to the horns, to prove whether the sound is coming from the horns - or not.

southjerseycraig · 09-07-2009, 08:01 PM

My car horn started beeping loudly this evening with the car sitting in the driveway, the fobs far away, and not a person in sight. I ran outside and hit the 'unlock" key and the beeping stopped.

What could possibly be causing this? The last thing I need is for this to happen when I can't hear the horn; I suppose that the 12V battery would deplete.

01-20-2008, 01:43 PM	#1
uncool Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 14 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Car horn is beeping My 2007 Prius' horn honks ever so lightly but steadily over the last few weeks. Not loud enough for other cars to hear but I hear it. Anyone know what is going on with it?

01-20-2008, 08:05 PM	#3
uncool Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 14 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Car horn is beeping it has been doing this for weeks. everything is up and charged. It just randomly gets my attention all the time.

01-20-2008, 08:08 PM	#4
Tideland Prius Moderator of the North Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 19,616 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: N/A Package: Technology Package (Canada) Thanks: 228 Thanked 344 Times in 243 Posts Friends: 23	Re: Car horn is beeping Hmm... I have no idea then. If the panic/alarm went off, it'll be a full-on honk on the horn, not a soft one.

01-20-2008, 09:01 PM	#5
uncool Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 14 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Car horn is beeping Its very cold here in Chicago and I started using the EBH Wayne installed (thanks again Wayne), and thats the only thing different in my daily driving.

01-22-2008, 08:09 PM	#6
priusincc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Northern Nevada Posts: 228 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 3 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Car horn is beeping Are you positive its the horn? There is a noise that sounds like a horn beep (or barking), caused by the brake actuator valve. It's more pronounced in cold weather, and occurs when pressing the brake petal. There are other threads on this. Mine has been doing it for some weeks; I thought it was the coolant transfer pump at first. Will have it checked out at next dealer visit; I try to minimize those.

07-09-2008, 05:40 AM	#7
absinto Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Car horn is beeping I have the same problem with my horn; I was hoping that it was more widespread so that there would be a documented solution. The soft honking noise is continual but unpredictable, so naturally the dealership is telling me they can't find anything wrong. I'll explore the other threads regarding the brake actuator valve, but it's hard to imagine the noise is something other than the horn itself. Last edited by absinto; 07-09-2008 at 05:48 AM.

07-09-2008, 12:22 PM	#8
Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Green Valley, AZ Posts: 4,049 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: N/A Package: #9 Thanks: 21 Thanked 212 Times in 183 Posts Friends: 44	Re: Car horn is beeping Hmm, perhaps the place to start would be to remove the large black plastic cover over the radiator. To remove the plastic fasteners, use a screwdriver to rotate each fastener CCW while exerting upwards pressure on the cover near the fastener. This will allow the fastener to pop out. Once the cover is removed, you can access the two horns. Disconnect the wires leading to the horns, to prove whether the sound is coming from the horns - or not.

09-07-2009, 08:01 PM	#9
southjerseycraig Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Cherry Hill, NJ Posts: 47 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: II Package: N/A Thanks: 24 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Friends: 0	Re: Car horn is beeping My car horn started beeping loudly this evening with the car sitting in the driveway, the fobs far away, and not a person in sight. I ran outside and hit the 'unlock" key and the beeping stopped. What could possibly be causing this? The last thing I need is for this to happen when I can't hear the horn; I suppose that the 12V battery would deplete.