Introduction: Replace (meep, Meep) Horn on a 2010-2011 KIA Soul

If your like me you are not a fan of the wimpy "MEEP, MEEP" horn that comes stock on many smaller cars. I decided I wanted a more standard HONK! of a mid to full size car without the mid size car price.

SUPPLIES NEEDED

  • Ratchet
  • 10 & 12 mm Sockets
  • Wire Stripper & Cutter
  • 2 Wire Taps
  • 2 Flat Blade Crimp Style Wire Ends
  • Small quantity of wire
  • several zip ties

You also need a set of horns of your choice. My personal preference are the Fiaam Freeway Blasters. They are 130 DB horns, and have a very high quality build and sound. They also have a lifetime warranty. Whatever horns you use, make sure you find a place to mount them that they don't hit anything when vibrating, and get TWO DIFFERENT TONES. You need a low and high tone horn.

So I headed over to rockauto.com and ordered some horns.

Step 1: Step 1: Remove Your Bumper

Using the service book pages locate the screws and clips for the front bumper and remove them. You may want to have some extra clips on had as I always tend to break at least one. They can be found in almost any auto parts store. I just ordered mine with the horns.

PLEASE NOTE!!!!!

Their are clips that hold the bumper on under the headlights to remove it without breaking the bumper cover you have to push IN then UP then PULL OUT! Do it slowly and carefully and you won't break it like I did. Look at the picture with the red circles that is the clips I am talking about.

Step 2: Step 2: Remove Stock Horn.

Here is where the stock horn is located. Hence why you need to take the bumper off to REPLACE the horn. Remove the stock horn by removing the bolt that holds it in place. Pinch the connector and pull it off of the horn. Using your wire cutters, CUT THE HORN PLUG off of the wiring harness. You'll never want the OEM horn again. Now using the same wire cutters, cut the plastic clip that holds the wiring up at the old horn position. Be careful not to hit the wiring.

Step 3: Step 3: Add Connections to the Wires

Strip the ends of the wires and crimp the flat blade connectors onto the ends. Red wire is positive, black wire is negative. Don't worry, you won't shock yourself here, someone would have to honk the horn WHILE you were messing with the wires to even try to do anything. Now for a little trick. The short pieces in this picture come with the horns. Cut as shown. Using the wire taps, put the OEM wire in the pass through slot of the tap, about 4 inches from the end, and the wires you cut in the last step into the other side of the tap. Look at the taps, you'll figure it out easily. Squeeze the contacts on the tap and then push the covers over it when finished. The end should look like this...

Note, you now have 2 negative, and two positive. Remember, one of EACH needs to go to each horn, and they can connect to either of the horn flat blade connectors.

I put one horn on either side of my radiator so I had to extend the wires a little longer that the picture shown.

Step 4: Step 4: Mount Horns and Test.

Like I said in the previous step I mounted my new horns on either side of the radiator. Wire them up and test them to make sure they work. If not double check all the wiring to make sure it is connected correctly. Once you are happy they work use the zip ties to secure the wiring out of the way so it doesn't get pinched or damaged while driving. Put your bumper back on and enjoy your new horns.