Startling. Annoying. Irritating. Aggravating. Pick the adjective of your choice, they all apply equally to the use of a vehicle’s horn to indicate that the doors have been remotely locked.
![2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid front](https://www.vicariousmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2017-Chrysler-Pacifica-Hybrid-250x167.jpg)
This is perhaps the stupidest, most illogical automotive feature in the history of car horns. What’s worse is that many owners don’t know how to reset the function to a less intrusive lock verification, such as a flash of the headlights. Some auto journalists don’t even get it.
My tester this week is the Chrysler Pacifica. Every time I locked the doors, the horn emitted a loud, sharp honk! It was ridiculously loathsome, and was nothing short of embarrassing to me if anyone was within a mile of the vehicle.
![2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid center console](https://www.vicariousmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Centre-console-250x167.jpg)
This van had been out to numerous journalists before it came to my peaceful driveway, whereupon I delved into “vehicle settings” and changed the “honk” to a flash of the lights; silent, yet clearly visible to me.
I find it reprehensible when I’m jolted out of delirium by some callous clown locking doors as I walk past his/her vehicle. So c’mon people, stop triggering angina with the unnecessary blast of a car horn to verify the locking of doors. Pull out that owner’s manual and reset the blasted thing; your neighbours will love you for it, and so will their cardiologist.