A good friend from the west coast recently posted an interesting blog on his facebook page. It seems the homeowners in his neighborhood have become upset with the unnecessary noise produced by horn honking. No, not the honking at someone's untethered pet in the street, but the annoying blast created by drivers who have to double-click their vehicle's remote fob every time they lock the doors.
Why Should You Care About Noise Pollution?
Most vehicle owners never think about the noise pollution that is created when they are simply too lazy to have pressed the door lock upon exiting their vehicle. However, the collective effect of a neighborhood, a community, a township, a city, a state, a region, a country, a continent -- you get the point -- produces an overwhelming amount of noise pollution.
When you stop and think about it, horns were designed to use as a warning device and not to let everyone know that you are exiting your car or truck. Moreover, excess noise can be a bad thing and the extra honks can become an abrasive and anxiety-producing sound. Not only does it add to environmental noise pollution, it desensitizes people to a "honk" being issued as an alerting sound or warning.
Quick Fix to Eliminate Unwanted Horn Honking*
According to Michael Parra at the Your Mechanic website, it is not that difficult to silence the horn beep feature when using your auto key remote. Your car is set by default to honk the horn when you lock your doors with the remote fob. However, you can change this if you prefer.
What to do to deactivate the horn honk feature:
- Press both the lock and unlock buttons on your remote for two seconds.
- Watch for the hazard lights to flash three times.
- Lock the doors and confirm that the horn does not sound.
If you want to reactivate the horn honk feature:
- Press and hold both the lock and unlock buttons on the remote for at least two seconds.
- Watch for the hazard lights to flash once. The horn should honk one time.
Every vehicle made with the "honk when locked" feature can be programmed out by the owner or the dealer. If this does not work on your vehicle, check the Operator's Manual that came with your car or truck. If you installed a third party system, then check the instructions manual for disabling the noise pollution.
*NOTE: Turning off the horn honking feature does not affect the panic alarm function or vehicle's security system. Plus, your headlights will still give you a warm and fuzzy wink.
