With the outward-facing corporate decree of “zero crashes, zero emissions, zero congestion” being bankrolled largely by V8-powered trucks and SUVs that require human inputs, it’s easy to see how General Motors can be critiqued as tone-deaf with that messaging. However, today we’re here to address a different tone problem.
Anybody who drives a recently built General Motors product – be it a Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, or Cadillac – that has a push-button ignition knows what we’re talking about. The abrupt, loud, over-reactionary horn that happens every time the keys are left in the car once the driver’s door is closed after opening. Or, when the vehicle is running, and the keys leave the vehicle, once again once the driver’s door is closed after opening.
The most frustrating example of this is through GM’s Maven vehicles. They are locked/unlocked via the phone app, and the user actually never uses a key fob at all. Despite this, the horn notification goes off every single time the driver exits the vehicle. This is a massive oversight, at best. However, we might just as well have Washington DC to thank for all of this, as it is federally mandated that a vehicle with a push-button ignition needs to alert the operator if the keys exit the vehicle. But, then again, it’s not written that it has to be the horn. And to that end, the feature is thankfully defeatable, after enough time reading the owners manual and figuring out how to turn it off, via the center console touch screen.
While we completely understand the fundamental need for some sort of notification in the event of absent-mindedness, there’s no reason for it to be this aggravating. Other automakers have figured it out, like Audi:
The chirp is has its own purpose, completely outside of the function that a horn provides. A chirp notification would arguably provide a more pleasant user experience than utilizing the horn. Especially in situations that require some quiet. Like trying not to disturb a sleepy neighborhood in the middle of the night. Moreover, it’s not like GM doesn’t know how to do this correctly. For example, each and every GM plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle emits a soft chirp when a successful charging process begins. Signaling to the user that the batteries are receiving the necessary power to recharge. We can’t see it being too difficult to extrapolate this sound effect to the entire vehicle portfolio, and use it instead of the horn to notify people about their key fob.
What are your thoughts on the GM horn notification? Let us know in the comments below.
Comments
I dont like any of the alerts or alarms on new cars. But I have learned to live with it! It’s not going to change!
Big government over regulation at its best.
Although Toyotas and most Japanese cars are worse for annoying seatbelt and door buzzers.
toyota is GARBAGE
All GM needs to do is spend an extra few days to develop a less annoying horn chirp. That’s it, problem solved. It’s not “Big Gubmint’s” fault that GM’s managers are so damn cheap.
60 percent of the people out there should not be driving anyway much less being stupid enough that they need the government to mandate the horn blow to inform them of their keys location.
how can you say such rubbish…. Audi have a soft chirp, that is all we need to hear…. if no one says anything nothing will change.,… these horns are fukin annoying.!!!!
The chirp should be in the key fob, not the car’s horn.
I get in and out of my truck several times a day with the engine running to maintain laptop and other instruments. This horn honk each time for engine running alert is annoying A.F. Enough so I’ll switch brands on the next truck purchase.
When walking away towards the back of the car in a noisy parking lot (or when it’s windy), the horn is not all that loud and needed to make sure you hear it. Just happened to me last week, as I was walking away I heard the horn, but it sounded too far away. But it did sound like mine, and I went back – sure enough, I left the keys — thank you horn!
But I agree it scares the crap out of you when it’s quiet, like in the garage at home. FCA vehicles do this too, but if the car is running, it doesn’t beep, only a notification on the display.
Boy, I wish that was my biggest problem in life. Oh the humanity!
Depends on your position in said “humanity”.
In a world that contains so many automotive product choices, having a glaring negative as the one mentioned in the article is just one reason for customers to NOT choose your offering.
Not sure GM needs any more reasons for people NOT to buy its vehicles…
I don’t recall one single person ever complaining about this “problem.” Lot’s of other issues, but never this. Not once in years.
GM using the horn when the car is locked using the key fob has been a topic of discussion for years……
Your probablY a deaf old man driving a car from the 90’s that has no technolgy
Please don’t give us an attitude as we have paid a lot of money for our vehicles that should not annoy us!
My Cadillac started that recently. I had no idea why the car was crabbing at me. I chalk all the sounds up to nagging and backseat driving. 🙂
The car takes me where I want to go and brings me back. I have yet to be stranded so I’m ok with the Cadillac weirdness.
What a crock.
People buy based on looks and cache.
The rest is irrelevant to 95% of the buying public.
Lol the rest is irrelevant to 95% of the buying public. Okay, that’s not true.. but even if it were – you wouldn’t even need to lose .001% in sales to justify such an easily resolved issue to see a return. It’s just obnoxious and you can count me amongst the 5%, that’s for sure.
So you never read an owners manual. Not played with the convenience settings available within the radio…
Horn confirmation for when you leave a key in the car and horn confirmation for lock-unlock can all be controlled from the radio. Turn it off, turn it on… all at a fingers reach.
If there wouldn’t be a horn warning, the complaints would be, “i left my keys in the car and they are now locked in there”.
Magic.
Not sure why the answer to everything is read the manual. GMC Acadia is my work vehicle. Sometimes I get back really late at night. The honking horn when I get out of he vehicle to open the gate scares the &@ out of me. So I googled what to do. You can google everything. That’s why the saying “goggle is” is so popular. Reading this article and finding nothing of use isn’t acceptable. We’re in the 21st century. Reading through the manual and not being able to do a quick search is crazy. Have to thank BOb though for showing a YouTube video on how to do it!!!!
The horn blowing is aggravating as Hell.
One previous smart ass remark noted it was probably a 90 year-old complaining.
He’s not far off. I’m 85 and if I spend 60,000 on an automobile I should be able to make the damned thing do what I want. Not some drippy nose tech freak that does not know how to drive a manual shift. Yes. We used to have them. Auto tranny is better for sure.
So my advice to the smart ass with The big mouth is to STFU
Since my prior input I purchased a Prius and, lo and behold, it gave sound notifications when locked or unlocked making me feel like “one of them”. I quickly learned how to silence that nuisance.
I have a 2015 Silverado and it intermittently does the 3 horn honk when closing a door – there is no option in the onscreen menus that successfully turns this off. I have definitely tried. New models evidently have a selectable option to ‘stop chime when keys left in car’ but that is not on the 2015 silverado. The only thing I’ve found online that remotely helps is one article that said if you leave the vehicle completely untouched for over 12 hours it can stop that honk Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t.
I agree with the article. For too long, GM has relied on the main horn for these warnings, while other manufacturers use a separate “tone” or “beep” sound that is far more pleasant and still catches your attention. The loud rude “honk” is as distasteful on my $52,000 Acadia Denali as it is on my Volt.
At the very least, I bet the engineers could significantly decrease the length of the pulse to the horn. Since there is an electric to mechanical conversion inside the horn, perhaps if they energized the horn circuit for only 1/4 second, it would sound far more polite (shorter and likely perceived as quieter). Or two 1/10 sec honks. There probably is a SOFTWARE adjustment here that would make things more palatable if they can’t budget for a separate device.
Seems like an easy fix – yes, it is annoying.
Yes, it’ll take some time & effort, but the horn should be reserved for serious stuff – otherwise, friendly chirps and tones pls.
Why should it be annoying just read the owners manual and deleat it. Then the most annoying thing in your vehicle will be your MOTHER IN LAW.
I could not find an answer in the owners manual.
Why are so many people leaving their Key (fobs) in the car?
The car thinks the fob is in the car? Maybe there is an issue with the car. I’ll add that to the list for the next service visit.
If you live on acreage with gates or get out of a running car/truck to check your mailbox, this annoyance happens daily. I didn’t realize you can turn it off. I will check that out.
I deal with it as well and it doesn’t bother me at all. And it should not bother you. So the car chirps at you! Who cares if it makes a few beeps when you get out of the car or truck
who are you to say what bothers others….
If something as simple as that bothers you then that means you have bigger problems in your life.
I cant believe grown adults care about a car give off a few beeps when they get out of the car.
We have become a weak minded culture and this is just part of the evidence
I venture to argue that the most annoying feature on GM vehicles (as well as and other makes) these days, is “Start/Stop Technology”. What a joke. I have a 2017 Cruze, for my daily driver. The system seems to engage at the dumbest moments. Like at a quick stop for a stop sign, or a similar momentary pause. If I’m sitting at a light for 2 minutes or so, I get it. But a 3 second pause? Someone didn’t think this through. I’m not saving any fuel for 3 seconds, followed by a restart. I wish the system was able to be switched off, like in Cadillac models.
Some of the Caddys lack the ability to defeat s/s. The XT5 is one that cannot be defeated.
Auto Stop is absolutely awful. It is in no way seamless. Most people don’t realize it also kills the power steering, which gives you a momentary dead zone in the steering wheel, and then jerks back to life when the engine restarts. This is very clumsy when you have to stop mid-turn.
Things like start/stop and active fuel management should have options to put them in last used state. Meaning that if I turned off the start/stop feature on my car while driving then it should stay that way regardless if I shut the engine off to go get a coffee or not. The features are required by gov’t to meet emissions and fuel mileage demands. Since I own the car I should have the right to drive it how i want to not how they tell me I should. Next thing you know they will be disabling the ability to floor it from a stop light to drag race a mustang or beemer. By the way beemer allows you to turn the start/stop off. If they can allow this why can’t other car manufacturers do the same.
Then stop being cheap and buy a Cadillac! I have a Malibu with start stop and it doesn’t bother me at all! Maybe you should be the one doing the changing and not GM!
Brian, I’m not cheap. I’m practical. I bought a Cruze as my daily driver, because I use this car for work. I drive approximately 30,000 miles per year, in my career. I like everything about the car, except this feature. Why the hell would I buy a Cadillac, when my work car is going to get driven into the ground? Maybe you shouldn’t assume that everyone needs, wants, or can afford a Cadillac. And I know for a fact, that many people are annoyed by this “technology” that has become pervasive in the auto industry. I don’t believe for a moment that this feature saves any appreciable amount of fuel. Again, I’m not cheap. I happen to also own a 2018 Silverado 1500/Z71, a 1996 C1500 Silverado, a 1996 Corvette Collector Edition convertible, and a 1987 Monte Carlo SS. I have no desire to own a Cadillac. I’m a lifelong Chevy guy. Maybe you should stop being so eager to assimilate to the liberal one-size-fits-all/conformist/socialist mentality? Already have a deposit on a boring self-driving pod?
How can you be bothered by a technology that saves fuel and shuts off when the car is not moving? I think people just love to complain, and are never happy especially when it comes to new technology.
As for Cadillac I made that comment because paying a premium is the cost for having options. The feature has a switch on Cadillac cars because they have paid for that premium option!
I’ve been driving a car with start stop technology for 5 years and its flawless. It works great and you cant even tell when it shuts off or turns on unless you are against it from the beginning and turn the radio off and focus on what the car is doing. It is so normal now I dont even realize weather it’s on or off!
We have to stop being dinosaurs and start looking towards the future. If we dont those v8 engines we love are going to disappear.
So what would you rather want
Having to live with start stop technology and still have v8 engines
Or
Refuse the start stop technology and live in a world with zero v8 engines or performance cars.
?
Again, what fuel am I saving in 3 seconds at a stop sign? Please, educate me. I’d be interested in learning about the additional wear and tear on the starter/ignition system, due to the numerous unnecessary starts because of this system.
https://youtu.be/_nr0h7GXY6E
Your smarter then that! Every second a engine is not running its saving fuel!
If you need to be “educated” the you don’t deserve to be driving. Most gasoline is burned at stops because you are getting ZERO MPG! The “stat-stop” feature is a light hybrid system, and it does work. I have driven large V8 engine cars and tiny I4 imports, and the need for performance is a foolish desire,, not practical or economical, unless you are the owners of a oil company, or get gasoline for free. all of us that are on the advance edge, driving hybrids (as my Chevy Volt) are way ahead and really “educated”!!
The cadillac XT5 doesn’t have the possibility to shut it off!
So with that cadillac model you pay the premium for NOT having that option.
Not so luxury is it?
And a v8 that is the true dinosaur in the room.
In 10 years time all will be electric, and all ice engines will be gone.
Not my preference, but unfortunately the way things are headed.
And no crappy start/stop system is flawless.
Maybe when you drive like a 80 year old and have a hearing problem you can sort of live with it, otherwise you will notice it.
That’s why the start stop technology is so important now, it extends that 10 years for v8 engines. Otherwise the v8 extinction would happen much quicker!
It is flawless! How long have you driving a car with the technology? I have plenty of miles driving one. And if you think i drive like a grandpa you would be dead wrong!
There are other ways to achieve the mileage those say that the start/stop features save. I put headers and a catback exhaust with a cold air intake upgrade and I now achieve 2 miles more per gallon then the window sticker says is the max the vehicle will achieve. Example: GMC 1500 Sierra Denali 6.2L 4×4 top mileage is 24mpg. I currently get 26mpg on the highway and that is with the active fuel management turned off so it runs in V8 mode all the time.
My point is you like things to be your way and I like mine to be my way. Since I own the vehicle then I should be able to customize and tailor the vehicle to drive the way I want as you should be able to do yours. if it is a computerized feature then they can add the ability to turn it off or on by the owner.
BTW who told you that start stop has extended the life of the v8 for 10 years and by whom. Do you have documents proof that is not fake news?
anyone who believes humans and their cars is what is causing global warming needs to cool down. The earth is a living organism and has a life cycle just like everything else. All we need are massive volcano eruptions to spews a whole bunch of ash in the air and we can go into an ice age over night. The earth is in a warming cycle and until those volcanos erupt or the sun cools down a bit we will continue to head in that direction regardless of what we try to do. We are just the tiny ant in the whole universe of things. Get a grip people…enjoy life….
Personally from a reliability standpoint, I hate the Start/stop feature. Especially when I stop for a quick second before putting the car in Park and it shuts off.
However, I actually don’t mind it at all from a usability standpoint, when sitting at a stoplight in a car other than the XT5, I actually hate sitting there knowing how much fuel is getting wasted. Even when I’m not in the Caddy, I still “expect” the car the shut off because I have gotten so used to it. Its not THAT bad.
Your comment about paying a premium is not true. A beemer that cost less than my Mercedes Benz has the ability to turn off the start/stop feature yet my benz does not and the dealer will not put it in a state that is called “last known setting”, meaning if I turned that feature off it stays off until I turn it on. This is the manufacture controlling these features not the price of the car. I spent $150 to get a device that will do that exact same thing as the beemer for my benz. Plugged it into the diagnostic port and it flipped a bit to put it in last known used and this can be reversed at anytime I want. BTW these types of things do not void your warranties as some people will have you believe.
Brian raises hail with us on the Cad forum. Like auto s/s you try to disregard. 🙂
You can turn it off in the Settings menu on the center stack. It’s under Remote Lock Unlock Start, then Remote Left in Vehicle Alert. Turn it off and it’ll stop that annoying honk when you leave they keys in the car or when you exit the vehicle with the keys and the engine is still running.
It will still honk if the car is running and you exit it with the key fob and close the door.
This is a bigger issue, one that also involves the lock chirp. On GM cars, the horn is the crudest and most unimaginative chirp yet.
No it won’t. Doesn’t do that on any of my cars.
Suppose you don’t like the cardboard piece of crepe speakers that come with your GM car? So you buy some better stuff and add it to your car? Well it turns out your directional signal (at least in the Buick Encore) isn’t a device in your dash but a ‘sound’ played through your car stereo system. Signal a left and lose your hearing.
The Intellilink system only offers LOW and HIGH settings. The low is really loud.
Thought the article would talk about the start stop instead of the horn lol
Terribly aggravating when jumping out to get mail….forget to bring something with me, among many other reasons to get out and in quickly. Couldn’t find a way to shut it off in my leased 14 Regal GS. Looked and tried going through the obvious programming menus. No need to worry anymore. My Jeep GC has no such annoying alert for push button start.
Yeah btw your Jeep GC killed Checkov because of it’s gear shifter. No worries anymore, right? Settings-Vehicle-Comfort& Convenience-Key Fob Reminder-Off #blatantlyobvious
I never leave the engine running and open the door, so if I did, I accept the warning. I have seen car owners leave the engine running and accidentally lock the doors. One was a Ford Futura that I helped open by snaking a straightened clothes hanger wire to get under the door seal and pull the door handle.
Why don’t you just go into “Settings” and turn it off? The option is in there!
Slow news day, nes pas? If you’re so annoyed that u write an article and get 25+ responses over the key fob left in vehicle reminder (which even you say is defeatable, just not defaulted as such) then you need to cut back on the coffee! This is just another helpful feature of a GM vehicle, like automatic door locks in/out of gear, DRLs, auto headlights and all the features that help make these nicer cars than just some regular s%itbox. They could make an electronic beep, but that would cost more. Then you’d just write another contentless article about high prices. Now shut up and show me the mid engine Corvette!
WOW , I thought I was the only one that found that horn going off annoying .
It’s gotten to the point that when I am at a gas station or just running into a store for something I hit the lock button on my remote just once , hit it twice and HONK !
One thing that is also annoying is when you stop the car and get out and start walking away , HONK , and it automatically locks the car . The first time it did that it scared the cr@p out of me . It’s a nice feature most of the time but minus that horn . Maybe I need to read my owners manual better .
I am not a fan of the start-stop feature though , in the XT5 there is a noticeable hesitation , it’s slight but you get used to it over time .
Picky, picky, picky…
I’m driving an 18 Camaro convertible on my vacation in SoCal. Now that I’ve driven this car for a week, I hate the key fob/horn thing. I absolutely love the car and when I get home, I’m going to get one, maybe next year. The key fob is a PIA and I found myself leaving the damn thing in the car more times than I can count. There has to be a better way…
Any reason a vehicle honks, chirps or makes any sounds when you do anything like locking the doors, remote starting, etc. are a pain in the rear. Don’t believe me? Then you listen to the idiot that pulls into the hotel parking lot at 1 AM and can only lock his/her car by listening to it honk.
Why dont you worry more about what you are doing and less about what others are doing?
See this is the main reason why I try to make as much noise as I possibly can! The reason for this I work nights and nobody cares about the noise that gets made during the day when I am sleeping so I dont care about making noise at night when you are sleeping!
Loud horn at 1 am check
Loud exhaust st 2 am check
Working in my shop at midnight check
Welding my truck at 6am check
I have worked 2/2/3 shift work for the last 20 years. There is always some inconsiderate ******* making noise, people have zero respect when it comes to disturbing others. People have zero respect for others as it is.
toyota is GARBAGE
It is because you left the key in the car. It is a warning to take the key with you as GM cars do not have a key pad like Ford.
My Buick LaCrosse has push button Start-Stop. I know its odd and rare but once in while in a hurry I don’t push the OFF button firmly enough. I know it’s loud but the car beeps a warning that the engine is still running with the doors closed ex fob. Maybe weird but I kind of like the warning.
I find this amusing if its the “most annoying feature.” For my customers who choose to have it left on: it doesn’t bother them and none of them have locked keys in a car since. For my customers who find it annoying: during the delivery process I not only go over where to find and turn off this function on the Infotainment system, I also make sure its turned off if they wish to not hear it. Shame on the salespeople selling these vehicles who didn’t do the courtesy of going over the vehicle. You shouldn’t have to look to your manual to learn how to adjust settings. These things should be brought to your attention before you drive home.
Those annoying GM blinkers…at times the new ones remind me of my grandfathers 1967 Caprice and my 75 Camaro.
shud be a slight chirp quietish….no horn honking …. a horn is supposed to be for warning of an impending collision or similar.
How the hell do i turn it offff .. 3 loud chirps everytime i leave my 15 yukon running
Here’s the fix;
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xwy9vzVLRDs
That’s the ticket!
Thank you!
Anyone found a fix for this shity feature
ya, read the magical owners manual and turn it off
settings to turn on or off the horn confirmations for key left in car and also for locking-unlocking are the vehicle settings you can change within the radio
My wife leaves her keys in the car, when I drive. The constant honking of the horn is obnoxious and really irritates both of us…there should be some way to tone it down or turn it off.
I KNOW WHAT I WANT IN AN AUTOMOBILE AND WEATHER IT IS MANUFACTURE OR BIG GOVERNMENT OR BOTH, THE LATTER BEING OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM. I DON’T WANT MY VEHICLE TELLING ME WITH A HORN I OPENED THE DOOR OR CLOSING THE DOOR I JUST OPENED OR CLOSED FOR ANY REASON. IN FACT I WOULD RATHER HAVE A REAL KEY BACK THAN THIS CRAP. ALL THIS JUST ADDS COST AND MORE TO GO WRONG. WHEN I DO SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS OPEN A DOOR OR CLOSE IT, I KNOW IT AND SHOULD I FORGET THAT IS MY PROBLEM. I DON’T NEED EVERYTHING DONE FOR ME, I AM STILL HERE AND MY FIRST CARS DID NOT EVEN HAVE SAFETY BELTS.
Stop being a dinosaur
The caps lock is just perfect for that post.
Omg.. thank you for this post i couldnt find anything online about it thought i was the only one dislike it.. i stoped driving my denali I hate it so much and just found out there is no way to turn off.. my brand new ram dose not do it thank god..
So you never read an owners manual. Not played with the convenience settings available within the radio…
Horn confirmation for when you leave a key in the car and horn confirmation for lock-unlock can all be controlled from the radio. Turn it off, turn it on… all at a fingers reach.
If there wouldn’t be a horn warning, the complaints would be, “i left my keys in the car and they are now locked in there”.
Magic.
journalisme normally involves some research right? then why did you do absolutely no research on why it honks if it was possible to turn it off? (which you can….)
i will quote , ” FAKE NEWS”
My Volt has an option to disable this alarm and I would think all of the rest of GM’s vehicles have the same option.
So think of it as a way to troll buyers who are too lazy to RTFM.
My horn beeps randomly when I get in my Sierra 1500 GMC Denali. My keys are never left in the vehicle. I wish GMC would make some operation instructions to turn this horn alert off more easily to find. It is not just annoying to me but also my neighbors at 2 o’clock in the morning. Most people who purchase this high tech vehicle are just ordinary people. So GMC please keep that in mind when building these sophisticated machines.
Open up the owners manual. It is in there.
Hit home button on or under the radio screen, go in to settings, go to “Vehicle”, scroll to “Remote Lock, Unlock, and Start”, scroll to the bottom and there is an option to turn it off. I have a 19 GMC Sierra, should be the same if not similar.
Cheers
because some people such as my neighbor across the street does not care… RAM Diesel…huge horn noise…inconsiderate for sure….
I read the owners manual for my 2019 GMC Elevation and it did NOT cover how to turn off the annoying horn. Thank you to the person who posted the steps how to
I have a 2018 chevy cruize and sometimes when I close my door the horn will blow for now reason. I have taken it to a dealership and they can’t find anything that is causing this. Can anyone help me with this and thank you in advance.
I left my keys in my car overnight and it locked. I have a 2019 Buick Encore. Does anyone know why it locks and how long after you leave your car does it lock?
Super annoying and downright startling, and attention drawing. How do you turn itnoff???
The auto lock and horn honk is absolutely annoying and unnecessary!!
While some could argue that there is convenience in not having to touch your vehicle to lock it, the auto lock drives me bananas, and the horn only adds to my aggravation!! If i exit my vehicle, please leave it on me to decide if I wish to lock it or not!! Surely I am still able to think that far for myself!!!
My other vehicle is European, with a keyless fob. I simply grab the handle to unlock, and touch the handle upon exiting (if I decide) to lock the vehicle. Simple. Non of this annoying crap of my doors auto locking, in the middle of let’s say unloading for example, or when family or friend would like to assist in unloading.
Those are all things you can adjust via the radio settings. Your dealer should have given you a walk through of all those user defined options within the radio menu at delivery time. Check youtube and stuff.
This horn is absolutely annoying! I’ve been trying to figure out how to shut it off but as yet have not found out. Could not find anything in “settings.”
I actually hate hearing the horn blow when I enter my truck and close the door. I have tried to figure out what to do to avoid this to no avail so far. What is the reason behind this.
I’m ready to unplug the horn🙄
This is a 3-way between government, BigTech, and mindless consumers. It’s just a matter of time until retaliation strikes back.
2018 Traverse “leave remote in Vehicle and every other option is OFF” yet it beeps The horn weather the car is on or off when you close the Driver door. Does anyone know how to defeat this umhum Feature.
Also Auto Stop will make me leave GM Forever after 60 years. Auto Stop is the Dumbest feature EVER. !!!!!!!!!,!,!,!,!,!,!,!,!,!,!,!,!,!,!,,,!,!,,,!,!,.
I hate the horn beeps they are going to get me beat up or killed! Sometimes people are wanking by on the sidewalk when I get out and when the horn beeps 3 times people jump and give me dirty looks. GM needs to fix this dumb idea. This coming from loyal a GM retiree.