# I hate the trend of cars using the horn to indicate remote lock/unlock
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [September 11, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942 "2023-09-11T17:25:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/1 "2023-09-11T17:25:17Z")
My car just does a light beep sound when I lock or unlock. This used to be the norm. For some stupid reason it’s become the trend to use the car horn for this purpose.
I hate walking through the parking garage to work and someone somewhere is locking or unlocking their car. _HONK_ just as I’m passing their car.
It startles me every time. I despise it.
Do you share my irritation?
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/2 "2023-09-11T17:27:58Z")
I know that, for the three cars which we own, it’s when you click the lock button on the key fob for the _second_ time that you get the honk – the first click locks the doors, and briefly flashes the car’s lights, but only one of the three cars makes an audible “beep” on that first click.
I don’t know how many cars honk the horn on the first “click,” but my suspicion is that what you’re hearing is people who are clicking twice (or more), just to make sure that the car is locked, by hearing the actual honk.
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### Author:  [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/3 "2023-09-11T17:30:29Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> I don’t know how many cars honk the horn on the first “click,” but my suspicion is that what you’re hearing is people who are clicking twice (or more), just to make sure that the car is locked, by hearing the actual honk.
Or people who can’t find their car and need the honk.
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### Author:  [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/4 "2023-09-11T17:31:30Z")
Yeah I understand it’s the second click. But my car doesn’t use the f@&king horn on the second click. It’s uses an audible but not scare the crap out of passerby \* beep beep. \*
I wish car makers would return to that instead of the horn.
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/5 "2023-09-11T17:43:51Z")
I’ll note, for what it’s worth, that the “trend” has been around for a while. My aforementioned three cars, which honk on a second click of the key fob, are a 2007, a 2012, and a 2015.
FWIW, I find the honks to be annoying, at a minimum, especially when someone decides they have to do this late at night (which happens, with some frequency, in the parking lot across the street from my house).
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### Author:  [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/6 "2023-09-11T17:50:49Z")
Huh, I’m honestly not sure what produces the sound my car makes. It’s a very short sound, either way, and doesn’t sound like someone is honking AT anything.
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/7 "2023-09-11T17:53:09Z")
Either my remote or the receiver is weak so I have to press the button a bunch of times to get it to work (yes I’ve changed the battery). The locks are loud enough I can usually hear them changing or not, but if I don’t hear it I’ll just keep hitting the button until I hear the horn.
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### Author:  [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/8 "2023-09-11T17:59:52Z")
> [@Quintas](#):
>
> Do you share my irritation?
Absolutely, how did this become the default? What kind of sociopath at the car companies was like “Hmmm we need a way to indicate a car has been locked. What is the most obnoxious, disruptive way to do that?.. What’s that you say? Releasing a fusillade of rockets and noxious chemicals was not deemed not feasible by the powers that be? Dammit. OK I guess we’ll just have to work with what we have, lets just sound the horn, that’s pretty obnoxious and disturbing”
I would say its not really a “trend” its been that way for a couple of decades at least in the states.
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/9 "2023-09-11T18:01:03Z")
Never underestimate a corporation’s desire to save money, even if it’s fractions of a penny per unit.
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### Author:  [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/10 "2023-09-11T18:03:48Z")
> [@DCnDC](#):
>
> Never underestimate a corporation’s desire to save money
In this case it can’t even be blamed on that. I mean, they could have just not made your car blast an obnoxious noise every time it is locked. That would have been cheaper and had no negative side affects.
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### Author:  [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/11 "2023-09-11T18:04:42Z")
I like to hear that the car has responded to the clicker. I don’t need a loud, obnoxious noise, but I do prefer to get audible feedback.
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### Author:  [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/12 "2023-09-11T18:09:07Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#):
>
> I like to hear that the car has responded to the clicker.
Though I’ve never had a car where the locks themselves were not clearly audible.
It being the default is what is irritating to me (you can, if you are willing to scour your manual and jump through some hoops) turn it off. Why not make the default have it off, and if you really have trouble hearing the click, and are super super concerned about accidentally leaving your car unlocked, then you can look up in the manual and turn it on.
Personally locking is more a force of habit than a security thing, except for the rare cases I have to leave something valuable in my car (which I avoid), I’d actually rather leave it unlocked and have a thief discover for themselves there is nothing valuable without breaking a window,
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### Author:  [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/13 "2023-09-11T18:12:58Z")
I’m really the opposite of you guys. Maybe I’m just conditioned to the honk sound, but my current car doesn’t have it! It emits a small little “bip.” If I can’t find my car in the parking lot it would be nice just to hit the lock on my fob, and have it honk once. Instead, I have to hit the emergency button.
It doesn’t honk on repeated pressing of the lock button, either. (2020 Toyota Camry)
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### Author:  [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/14 "2023-09-11T18:22:27Z")
My 2007 Versa clicks audibly for one fob tap and two sets the car alarm. This bips (hey, it’s a Versa, it can’t manage a beep). However, I found online instructions to disable the bip, so now tapping twice double-clicks, letting me know the alarm is set.
My bedroom is opposite a medical facility’s parking area. Many awakening BEEPs at 6:30 AM, 2:30 PM, and 10:30 PM as shifts change.
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### Author:  [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/15 "2023-09-11T18:25:53Z")
My car ('22 Crosstrek) beeps when it’s locked/unlocked. The sound is not the same as the car horn, but is a high pitched beeping noise. Repeated pressing of the fob will elicit a honk from the car.
Even the beeping got on my nerves and I found a way to turn that off. I listen either for the click of the locks or look for the flashing of the lights.
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### Author:  [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/16 "2023-09-11T18:27:33Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> I’ll note, for what it’s worth, that the “trend” has been around for a while. My aforementioned three cars, which honk on a second click of the key fob, are a 2007, a 2012, and a 2015.
I hypothesize that it’s not a new trend, but rather some makes have always used the horn for this purpose, and other makes continue to use a separate beeper. In my completely non-scientific observation, it seems like it’s mainly the American brands that use the horn. My current Mazda and my old Toyota both use(ed) a _beep beep_ sound separate from the horn. But if memory serves, various rental cars I’ve driven from Ford and GM have honked the horn. And I think my parents’ Ford Focus honks the horn as well.
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/17 "2023-09-11T18:33:48Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#):
>
> My current Mazda and my old Toyota both use(ed) a _beep beep_ sound separate from the horn. But if memory serves, various rental cars I’ve driven from Ford and GM have honked the horn.
FWIW, our 2007 is a Mazda CX-7; the first click gives a flash of the lights, and a little electronic “beep-beep,” while the second click gives a fairly sharp (if short) honk of the horn.
The 2012 Ford Mustang and 2015 Chevy Corvette both give a flash of lights on the first click, and a short honk of the horn on the second.
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### Author:  [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/18 "2023-09-11T18:38:22Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> I’ll note, for what it’s worth, that the “trend” has been around for a while. My aforementioned three cars, which honk on a second click of the key fob, are a 2007, a 2012, and a 2015.
My 2000 Mitsubishi used the horn for its “locked” annunciator, and the only alternative was no sound at all besides the clunk of the locking mechanics.
If you think about it, this is historically likely. Cars had horns from ages past. If you needed an external noisemaker for your remote lock system, you would use whatever is already available in the car rather than increasing the bill of materials for your remote system just to add a redundant noisemaker.
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### Author:  [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/19 "2023-09-11T18:46:39Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> FWIW, our 2007 is a Mazda CX-7; the first click gives a flash of the lights, and a little electronic “beep-beep,” while the second click gives a fairly sharp (if short) honk of the horn.
Since I’m working from home I just went out to the garage and tested this with my 2019 MX-5. Unlock gives two beeps and a flash of the lights. Lock produces one beep and a flash of the lights. A second click of the lock button does indeed honk the horn. I realized I just never noticed this because I never use the remote to lock/unlock the car. Since it has proximity keys I just walk up to the car with the key in my pocket and press the button on the door handle to unlock it, and I lock it the same way. Or if I forget and I walk away with the key the car will lock itself.
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2023, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-the-trend-of-cars-using-the-horn-to-indicate-remote-lock-unlock/989942/20 "2023-09-11T18:47:54Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#):
>
> I realized I just never noticed this because I never use the remote to lock/unlock the car. Since it has proximity keys I just walk up to the car with the key in my pocket and press the button on the door handle to unlock it, and I lock it the same way. Or if I forget and I walk away with the key the car will lock itself.
Of our three cars, only the newest one (the Corvette) has this feature. And, yet, I always use the fob to lock its doors, out of habit and an abundance of caution, I suppose.
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