This morning my wife called me to say she almost got hit and couldn't get the horn to work! I also experienced this as well and had to frantically hit various parts of the steering wheel to get it to work. Anyone else also experiencing issues with the horn and is there a fix for it?
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Difficult to get the horn to work!
- Thread starter Mav777
- Start date
RSL2020
Member
Fusion
Member
The primary method of honking the horn is meant to be the Tesla app on the phone. The physical button on the wheel is just a backup. 
daveymcgav
Member
Mine has a similar issue (right side of the wheel doesn't work for horn, but left does). Tesla service center says it's a known issue with a service bulletin, so bring it in! Definitely not normal
BluestarE3
Active Member
It's easier if you press on either the left or right side where the horn symbols are imprinted on the steering wheel, especially by using either thumb. It takes a lot more effort to press the center of the wheel (on/near the "T" logo) to get it to sound.
laudbrian
Member
This issue was concerning for me because I am left handed and a few owners from the same FB groups I am in posted about this and some with their own video clips. Some users had mentioned that a few tabs needed to be pressed in to make better contact under the steering wheel. I probably would have never caught it till an event happened and since I hardly honk the horn but it makes sense from a safety standpoint since our cars are so quiet.
Scheduled an appointment and a Tesla Ranger came out a few weeks ago to look at the issue and said he could not find anything wrong and to just press harder. He even brought a replacement steering wheel with him in case it needed to be replaced which he said didn't need. Part of the troubleshooting process was that the ranger had to reset the windows from a panel in the rear right passenger foot well area after I saw him in my security camera with the hood open and the rear door open and questioned why he had to work in that area. I assumed since he did the normal diagnostics and just took his word for it about pressing harder.
Here is my video before it was fixed, squeaks, instead of honking on the left side:
Here is my video after it was fixed at the Service Center in Dublin, CA:
I was in the paint issue queue which they finally addressed.
I brought up the horn issue again and they fixed it.
Honks as it should on both sides now!
Scheduled an appointment and a Tesla Ranger came out a few weeks ago to look at the issue and said he could not find anything wrong and to just press harder. He even brought a replacement steering wheel with him in case it needed to be replaced which he said didn't need. Part of the troubleshooting process was that the ranger had to reset the windows from a panel in the rear right passenger foot well area after I saw him in my security camera with the hood open and the rear door open and questioned why he had to work in that area. I assumed since he did the normal diagnostics and just took his word for it about pressing harder.
Here is my video before it was fixed, squeaks, instead of honking on the left side:
I was in the paint issue queue which they finally addressed.
I brought up the horn issue again and they fixed it.
Honks as it should on both sides now!
follow.johnny
FSD Beta Tester
Thanks for your post and videos. I also have the same issue with the left side horn not working with light or harder press. I will schedule a mobile ranger to have this issue fix and see if they can also do my tire rotation.
laudbrian
Member
Good luck and you're welcome! Add to my poll if you can on my main post: Model 3 - Horn Issue - Check the left side
That "fixed" video is very helpful and the way any horn should work. Mine requires a dead center hard push to get it to work. One can get used to this, but I've shot blanks a number of times trying to honk. So what was actually done to fix this? No new parts right? Just a window reset?
Solarman004
Member
I had no horn with a left side push, and it worked on the right and center.
Service Center confirmed it was a bad switch and fixed it in the same day.
I should add that if it weren't for this thread, I never would have tested it.
Service Center confirmed it was a bad switch and fixed it in the same day.
I should add that if it weren't for this thread, I never would have tested it.
bd7349
Member
Yup, it's much harder to activate the horn than in any of my previous cars. I have to push the top center in order to get it to work. Annoying, but I can deal with it for now.
Barklikeadog
Active Member
follow.johnny
FSD Beta Tester
Forgot to post an update but my horn issue was resolved by the service center, see detail of fix below:
Leeclanual
Member
Mine works like a champ... I press it at least 10 times per day... loosened it up.
Garlan Garner
Banned
I had 2 issues with my horn.
First of all...the low tone of my horn broke. Tesla Service Center replaced it.
Secondly pressing the right side of the airbag wouldn't work concerning the horn. The Service Center said that its working fine.
Nope - it wasn't. I removed the airbag and bent the metal round tube that comes in contact with the horns metal tube and everything has been fine for the past 2 months.
Barklikeadog
Active Member
I typically hit mine 10 times before I get out of the driveway. ask my neighbors and our vertigo stricken squirrels if you don't believe me!
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