Component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

3,375 NHTSA complaints about electrical system:horn issues across 44 makes and 418 models.

The electrical system:horn is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 3,375 filings from 44 manufacturers and 418 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.

Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 88 crashes, 19 fires, 41 injuries, and 4 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the DODGE CARAVAN with 245 filings, followed by DODGE GRAND CARAVAN and CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.

Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.

3,375
Complaints
418
Models Affected
88
Crashes
19
Fires
4
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 DODGE CARAVAN 245
2 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 222
3 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY 129
4 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER 108
5 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER 95
6 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 82
7 CHEVROLET VENTURE 57
8 FORD WINDSTAR 56
9 BUICK LESABRE 56
10 FORD ESCORT 48
11 CHRYSLER SEBRING 46
12 HONDA ACCORD 45
13 BUICK CENTURY 42
14 PONTIAC GRAND AM 41
15 FORD F-150 41
16 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 40
17 DODGE RAM 40
18 CHEVROLET MALIBU 35
19 CHEVROLET CAPRICE 34
20 SATURN VUE 33
21 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 32
22 SATURN SL 31
23 HYUNDAI SONATA 30
24 DODGE RAM 1500 30
25 LINCOLN TOWN CAR 29
26 OLDSMOBILE ALERO 28
27 DODGE JOURNEY 28
28 CHEVROLET LUMINA 28
29 FORD TAURUS 27
30 FORD AEROSTAR 26

Recent Complaints

2025 HYUNDAI TUCSON

The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the horn was inoperable. While another driver was reversing, the contact attempted to use the horn to alert the driver, but the horn fai

2016 SUBARU OUTBACK

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the horn was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a routine recall repair, and it was diagnosed and determined that

2023 HYUNDAI VENUE

See attached document for complaint.

2023 HYUNDAI IONIQ 6

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Ioniq6. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-30 MPH and attempting to use the horn, the contact discovered that the horn was inoperable. There were no

2013 TOYOTA TUNDRA

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that the horn failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where the contact was informed that there were no recall

2015 TOYOTA TUNDRA

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that the horn failed to sound while pressing the horn pad in the center of the steering wheel. The horn only sounded while activated with the

2024 HYUNDAI SONATA

The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the horn had become inoperable and no audible sound occurred while pressed. The cause of the failure was not

2020 KIA SORENTO

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the contact attempted to use the horn, but the horn failed to operate. The vehicle was taken to the dea

2023 HYUNDAI KONA

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while pressing the horn pad, the horn failed to produce a sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the horn was replaced; however,

2021 GENESIS GV80

The contact owns a 2021 Genesis GV80. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the horn independently activated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. In additio

2023 FORD BRONCO SPORT

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the TPMS warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after driving for a while, the TPM

2019 ACURA RDX

The contact owns a 2019 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact attempted to use the horn however, the horn was inoperable. The contact stated that while attem

2017 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving or while the vehicle was parked and occupied, while depress the horn, the horn failed to operate. The contact turned

2024 KIA SELTOS

The contact owns a 2024 Kia Seltos. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH and attempting to depress the horn there was no sound coming from the horn. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle

2023 HONDA CR-V HYBRID

The contact owns a 2023 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at various speed, the horn independently activated without the steering wheel center touch pad depressed. The air bag warning

2023 HYUNDAI TUCSON

This week I noticed my low tone horn on my vehicle had stopped working It was replaced under warranty by Hyundai at 41000 miles Only a little while ago at 35000 miles both horns went out and I o

2024 TESLA MODEL 3

The contact owns a 2024 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that whenever it rained, the horn was filling with water that was entering through the grill, and the horn would not function when needed. The

2024 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that the horn was inoperable. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed that the horn system needed to be replaced. The ve

2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

Seller sold vehicle without a working horn and hasn’t fixed it

2021 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the horn had become inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contac

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve electrical system:horn issues?
The NHTSA has received 3,375 complaints about electrical system:horn problems across 418 vehicle models from 44 manufacturers.
How dangerous are electrical system:horn defects?
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN issues have been linked to 88 crashes, 19 fires, 41 injuries, and 4 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most electrical system:horn problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for electrical system:horn issues is the DODGE CARAVAN with 245 complaints.
Where does PlainCars get its safety data?
All vehicle safety data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database, which collects reports from vehicle owners about safety-related defects.

Data Sources

Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.

Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.

Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.

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