Can't find horn "spot" on the steering wheel in an emergency...

[McDermott]

(Edited to get rid of censored words)

Yup, its the stupidest "effing" design I've EVER seen in a vehicle. Its a really poor design. On the steering wheel, there seems to be only one square inch near the top of the center pad on the right side that will actuate the horn. Its dangerous.

More than once in traffic I've slammed the palm of my hand into the "horn" area of the steering wheel, and i missed the designated one inch. No sound. Last time I was so mad I punched my steering wheel three or four times as hard as I could (and the horn sounded once becuase I hit the spot only once). Unreal.

Do you guys just get used to this quirk? In my other vehicle, ANY place on the steering wheel pad will actuate the horn.

Anyone else with this problem?

Ram

'05 2500, QC, Cummins, Short Bed.

 

[MartyK]

I usually miss the "spot" on my first attempt and mine's an '05 too.

 

[TFucili]

It's less than ideal, but better than when Ford put the horn function on the blinker stalk, meaning you had to push in on the end of the stalk, which was nearly impossible in a panic situation.

 

[seafish]

I usually miss the "spot" on my first attempt and mine's an '05 too.

Me too...thus I have installed a 6v horn from an old truck facing forward above the exhaust manifold...I then added a foot operated, momentary starter switch down on the floorboards between the clutch and brake pedals...(for those of you old enpough to remember, the switch is just where the old foot operated highbeams switches used to be) In an emergeny, I can still keep both hands on the steering wheel, use my right foot for the gas or brake, and punch the switch with my left foot for a STARTLING sound.

 

[mwilson]

It's less than ideal, but better than when Ford put the horn function on the blinker stalk, meaning you had to push in on the end of the stalk, which was nearly impossible in a panic situation.

That got me to thinking about the Ford Fairmont the wife and I bought when we were first married and had like no money. I believe that the horn worked off the stalk on that thing.

It was a standard and as we discovered one day very low on compression. It was parked on a slight incline in gear, wife went in the house and heard something rolling. It went whoosha, woosha, whoosha down over a bank and hit a horse trailer. No, the parking brake didn't work......We was poor......didn't ever get any better between Ford and I over the years...

Mike.

 

[MartyK]

I remember the high beam switch on the floor. My buddy had a Dart that had a foot operated pump for the windshield washer fluid.

 

[McDermott]

Wow, I TOTALLY forgot about those floor mounted high beam switches.

I wish engineers had to drive what they design so they could fix it. Or, maybe its the "bean counters" that cheapen-up the engineered vehicles so the company gets more profit. Who knows.

 

[seafish]

There IS actually a plate that can be removed on the floor pan, under the carpet, in which to mount a standard size foot switch just where I am talking about.
I have pics of my install somewhere...I'll try to find them if anyuone is interested.

 

[Regcabguy]

There IS actually a plate that can be removed on the floor pan, under the carpet, in which to mount a standard size foot switch just where I am talking about.
I have pics of my install somewhere...I'll try to find them if anyuone is interested.

Paul Fox @ Orange Muffler installed the foot switch to control my friend's offroad lights. Works well.
Dodge must have listened as my '07 horn works bumping just about anywhere on the center of the steering wheel.

 

[seafish]

Paul Fox @ Orange Muffler installed the foot switch to control my friend's offroad lights.

Dave, if you know Paul, can you tell me what happened to Defiant Truck Products?? I have noticed that for over a year his website has been down.
PM me with details?? Thanks.

 

[TLane]

Well, I normally avoid using the horn, making the other guy mad doesn't seem to be of much benefit. But today, we left on vacation and some guy in a rental truck (Chevy) tried to pass on a hill, and I had the cruise on so I simply maintained speed - he couldn't keep up. He tried on the next hill, and started back into my lane before really getting past me - not to mention that he forgot that he was towing a trailer. Fortunately, I "hit the spot", and the horn scared him back into his lane.

 

[RDThompson]

The last few times I have used my horn has been to get someone to put down their phone and notice the now green light . At the risk of giving offense, in most cases if you have to use your horn you weren't paying attention. I know it's vexing when someone does something stupid that causes one to react and take evasive action, sounding the horn just aggravates the situation. Many of the old guard officers that trained me believed that if you had time to hit the horn, you had time to brake. It beats being in an accident and ruining your day, not to mention your truck. My neighbor was just telling me about a commercial driver who received several thousand dollars in fines from a judge for having and more to the point using the side facing airhorns on his tractor. He also gets to attend an anger management class and pick up trash on the highway. He got to keep his class A but he's only a couple points away from being on foot. In the interest of full disclosure, I have an airhorn mounted as well. I use it mostly to herd sleepy people back to their own lane when they start to weave. Usually one little hoot does the trick.

 

[jgillott]

The last few times I have used my horn has been to get someone to put down their phone and notice the now green light .

Because of said individuals on their phones, ipods, etc., all of our new units are being equipped with these.... Trust me when I tell you that people still don't notice you are coming.

http://www.fedsig.com/products/253/rumbler

Nice demo video here.

http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/03/09/n_rumbler_police2.cnnmoney/