2019 Explorer Horn Sound

[jay3]

Hi all, new to this forum and new to the world of Explorers. I just picked up my first Sport this past weekend and so far I truly love it. My only, albeit odd, complaint is this really strange, low pitch, almost whiney sound of the horn. It sounds like one you'd find in a car in the 1970's. I asked my dealer and he said that it was normal for this model unfortunately. I've had my fair share of 2017-18 Explorer Limited rental cars and do not recall this sound, so I am taking his word with a grain of salt. Does anyone have any information? Seems like a stupid thing to obsess about but it was barely audible on the road this morning. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum Jay.
I wonder if this is a 2019 model thing? Each model year seems to have its own quirks.

Peter

 

[jay3]

Welcome to the Forum Jay.
I wonder if this is a 2019 model thing? Each model year seems to have its own quirks.

Peter

Very well might be. I'm hoping that some fellow 2019 owners can weigh in and provide some insight.

 

[Brad C]

On mine, they forgot to put one of the horns on the vehicle. I pointed this out to the service rep, they ordered a replacement horn set and put the dual horns on the vehicle. This seems to be a problem with some Explorers of all models, not just Sports. The service rep is just trying to avoid the replacement. I had to argue too.

 

[Brad C]

Oh, you can look in the area of the hood release and see the horns...missing one? There should be two, even the bracket has the mount for the second horn.

 

[jay3]

Oh, you can look in the area of the hood release and see the horns...missing one? There should be two, even the bracket has the mount for the second horn.

I will check it out and report back. Thanks for the info!

 

[bigtexan99]

I replaced the factory horns with Hella Horns and very happy with them.

2016+ Raptor Style Grill and Hella Horn swap

 

[jay3]

Oh, you can look in the area of the hood release and see the horns...missing one? There should be two, even the bracket has the mount for the second horn.

It appears you are 100% correct. Missing the second horn and I don't think we are the only ones with this issue. Saw multiple Platinum reviews on Youtube with the same horn, and my salesman sent me a soundbite of another Sport with the same sound. Below is a photo of what I saw (or didn't see). Thanks for the tip!

 

[Brad C]

Oh, I don't have the issue anymore...I demanded they replace the bracket with two horns as it should have had from the beginning. When you look at the parts catalog, the only part available is the bracket assembly with BOTH horns attached as well as the wire harness.

 

[jay3]

Oh, I don't have the issue anymore...I demanded they replace the bracket with two horns as it should have had from the beginning. When you look at the parts catalog, the only part available is the bracket assembly with BOTH horns attached as well as the wire harness.

I’ll be doing the same. And I’ll also bring it up to Ford corporate as I consider the lack of the second horn a potential safety hazard.

 

[thefranchise713]

On the final year of the US Focus, Ford went to a "single note" instead of dual note horn for the 2018 model year, along with a number of other feature deletes. Wouldn't surprise me if similar happened here, but glad to see you got the right horn.

 

[jay3]

On the final year of the US Focus, Ford went to a "single note" instead of dual note horn for the 2018 model year, along with a number of other feature deletes. Wouldn't surprise me if similar happened here, but glad to see you got the right horn.

I spoke to a SA over the phone and explained to him that the car is missing the second horn. He punched in my VIN and as it turns out, some late production 2018 models and 2019 were intentionally produced with the single horn, and it even said that as a result, the tone/sound will be different. The note also stated that any work towards altering this would not be covered under warranty. In short, I am out of luck unless I want to do it myself. Seems like a very weird corner to cut on Ford's part.

 

[Brad C]

The part is cheap, like $20 bucks cheap.

I guess I BS'd my way through that one with my service advisor....

 

[peterk9]

Search Results | Auto Nation Ford White Bear Lake

Peter

 

[jay3]

AutoNation Ford White Bear Lake | Parts & Accessories

Peter

Thanks Peter. Excuse my ignorance but does anyone know what level 2 means with regard to these? I've seen what appears to be two identical parts : w/ level 2 and w/o level 2.

 

[peterk9]

Thanks Peter. Excuse my ignorance but does anyone know what level 2 means with regard to these? I've seen what appears to be two identical parts : w/ level 2 and w/o level 2.

I don't think anyone has ever been able to figure that out. It's been asked several times.

Peter

 

[jmr061]

SSM 47664 - 2018 And 2019 Various Ford Vehicles - Revised Horn System - Horn Tone DifferentFrom Prior Model Year(s)
Some 2018 and 2019 Ford vehicles have incorporated the deletion of one horn as a running change. This single horn system will produce a different tone than the previous dual horn system. Any repairs, or the addition of any parts to affect the sound of the revised horn system, would not be considered warrantable.

APPLICABLE VEHICLES
2018 - 2019 CAR: DQ CD539N EDGE
2018 - 2019 TRUCK: M2 C520N ESCAPE
2019 CAR: ZG S550N MUSTANG
2018 - 2019 CAR: C7 CD391N FUSION
2019 TRUCK: UB U502N EXPLORER
2019 TRUCK: B8 U553N EXPEDITION
2019 TRUCK: FC P552N F-150
2018 CAR: DH C346N FOCUS
2018 - 2019 CAR: PH D258N TAURUS

 

[jay3]

SSM 47664 - 2018 And 2019 Various Ford Vehicles - Revised Horn System - Horn Tone DifferentFrom Prior Model Year(s)
Some 2018 and 2019 Ford vehicles have incorporated the deletion of one horn as a running change. This single horn system will produce a different tone than the previous dual horn system. Any repairs, or the addition of any parts to affect the sound of the revised horn system, would not be considered warrantable.

APPLICABLE VEHICLES
2018 - 2019 CAR: DQ CD539N EDGE
2018 - 2019 TRUCK: M2 C520N ESCAPE
2019 CAR: ZG S550N MUSTANG
2018 - 2019 CAR: C7 CD391N FUSION
2019 TRUCK: UB U502N EXPLORER
2019 TRUCK: B8 U553N EXPEDITION
2019 TRUCK: FC P552N F-150
2018 CAR: DH C346N FOCUS
2018 - 2019 CAR: PH D258N TAURUS

Yup. This is exactly what the SA read to me over the phone, verbatim.

 

[JAPeterson]

I think that I would just install a air horn, compressor, and tank.

It gets peoples attention a lot better

 

[Brad C]

The one-horn system is the wimpiest sounding horn I've ever heard. If I had not talked my way into another horn, I would have done something...it's dangerous as produced.