'23 Model 3 uses the PWS speaker for normal horn function too.

[NZGUY]

Thought some of you may find this interesting:

I have an April 2023 Shanghai-built Model 3 based in New Zealand, and noticed the PWS speaker also does double-duty and makes the "horn" sounds too, as this car doesn't have the standard dual-horn arrangement located in front of the the left-hand wheel well area. The connectors are there but they're blanked off and there's no 12v present to them when the horn is pressed.

I don't yet know if this is due to being disabled via software, or whether there's a physical disconnection somewhere upstream from those connectors.

This is different to the 2022 and earlier cars, which still have the horns but didn't come with the PWS speaker installed (At least here in NZ). It's now a service installable item if one wishes to have it retrofitted.

My PWS speaker also has different electrical specs compared to the 2022 and earlier units. Mine is Part Number: 1671113-00-B and is rated at 50w/2ohms. Older speakers were 25w/4ohms. I'm guessing the higher power rating is to also make it louder since it makes the normal horn sounds.

 

[Soul Surfer]

Did you by any chance, change your horn noise through the user-interface? I can’t think of any other reason why it would do that. I could be wrong.

 

[kodenco]

Thought some of you may find this interesting:

I have an April 2023 Shanghai-built Model 3 based in New Zealand, and noticed the PWS speaker also does double-duty and makes the "horn" sounds too, as this car doesn't have the standard dual-horn arrangement located in front of the the left-hand wheel well area. The connectors are there but they're blanked off and there's no 12v present to them when the horn is pressed.

I don't yet know if this is due to being disabled via software, or whether there's a physical disconnection somewhere upstream from those connectors.

This is different to the 2022 and earlier cars, which still have the horns but didn't come with the PWS speaker installed (At least here in NZ). It's now a service installable item if one wishes to have it retrofitted.

My PWS speaker also has different electrical specs compared to the 2022 and earlier units. Mine is Part Number: 1671113-00-B and is rated at 50w/2ohms. Older speakers were 25w/4ohms. I'm guessing the higher power rating is to also make it louder since it makes the normal horn sounds.

Wow, that is very odd...but kinda neat. Have you noticed a that other features that use the PWS are louder than what you hear from the US cars in youtube videos and such?

 

[NZGUY]

Did you by any chance, change your horn noise through the user-interface? I can’t think of any other reason why it would do that. I could be wrong.

I haven't changed anything.

I was looking at having the PWS speaker switched on/off manually, and that's when I realised there was a difference between my speaker and older ones. I also noticed the horn sound was different to 2022 models.

I do not have the physical horns, it's just the one speaker doing all external sounds.

 

[NZGUY]

Wow, that is very odd...but kinda neat. Have you noticed a that other features that use the PWS are louder than what you hear from the US cars in youtube videos and such?

Haven't really compared, and it's hard to do via videos anyway.

To be honest, I'd rather not have the PWS. It's not a legal requirement to have one where I am, and I don't like the UFO sound when reversing.

 

[NZGUY]

Here's a couple of pics of my setup.

First pic is of the PWS speaker specs.

Second pis is behind the trim of the front left wheel well shroud. This shows the blanked off connectors that would have gone to the two horns (which aren't installed in my car). These have the blue/black and red/black wires.

 

[brkaus]

I guess that puts an end to unhooking the UFO speaker.

 

[THEZEST]

I've had my 2023 build Model 3 long range for a few months now and honestly the horn is so quiet it's dangerous! At highway speeds other cars can't even hear it with their windows up.

After doing some more research it seems the PWS/Boombox functions as the horn in any car that shipped from China with the Boombox/PWS pre installed. Surely the output of the new horns (for pre highland 2023 M3's) don't meet regulatory requirements of most states in Australia requiring at least 85dB output from a horn?

Has anyone else experienced this issue? Rumour mill says the highland PWS/boombox has a higher output speaker

 

[THEZEST]

I upgraded from a 2022 Chinese built M3 RWD to a 2023 built M3 LR and the horn is SIGNIFICANTLY quieter. So much so that on highways other vehicles cannot hear it at all.

I honestly question if it meets Australia's ADR requirements, some states requiring a minimum of 85dB output on their horns.

The 2022 car had an old-school horn and the 2023 car is using the boombox/PWS speaker. Honestly I get cost savings, but the PWS is inadequate in it's current state to be used as a horn.

 

[hgmichna]

It opens the way to user-selectable horn sounds.

 

[Maki22]

The Highland comes with a PWS speaker in the back and a Super horn in front (basically also a speaker).

 

[Ultimos]

The Highland comes with a PWS speaker in the back and a Super horn in front (basically also a speaker).

Does this mean you’d be able to disable the PWS speaker without affecting the horn?