2018 LEAF Horn Upgrade DIY

[OrientExpress]

I would try to not mount the horn inside the engine compartment. The sound will be muffled in there...

For the New LEAF inside the engine compartment gives it the most air and it is loudest there. The area around the bumper cover and radiator opening is completely sealed unless you want to remove the front bumper cover to install your horn. For the first generation LEAFs I recommend putting the horn where the stock one is in front of the radiator.

[lorenfb]

As usual, some like to overthink a simple solution, i.e. it doesn't require anymore complexity than the Leaf1
15 minute horn update.

[gibacca]

So I've been unsuccessfully trying to find a similar writeup for the 2019 SL plus, it may be too early to expect one so soon after it was released. I would assume they have not changed the stock horn positioning, but I have not looked myself. I will soon have time to spend on this project, and will report what I find here. I purchased the FIAMM Grande horn, I used one successfully on the 2013 Leaf I had. I used the brackets supplied with the horn for the 2013 mount, but purchased L-shaped brackets for this project (they hold the horns better because 2 bolts hold the brackets together). I am plotting on bending these at the ends so the horns wind up next to each other - this way they may fit in the original location, which would be my preference...

[OrientExpress]

The 19 Plus is exactly the same.

[Dala]

I upgraded to a 28 year old horn Now I got that mid 90s Nissan sound

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifi-SACWG50

[OrientExpress]

That sounds like a warning horn from a big industrial shop!

[LeftieBiker]

Reminds me of my "giant angry squirrel" electric bicycle "horn."

[gibacca]

So as I was planning earlier, I upgraded the horn of the 2019 SL Plus to a set of FIAMM Grandes.

Here are a few observations from the install:

- I did not need to take down the entire wheel well - just the part that is immediately below the washer fluid tank (and the bottom shroud as well, just 1 screw) - that forward portion of the wheel well bends down; the opening is not large, but it is usable; also - the SL Plus has the blue accent strip that I found hard to remove - if that can be removed, the access gets a lot better.
- I used 2 L brackets from Ace hardware that I connected together with 2 bolts/nuts to form a T bracket, then bent the bracket into a U shape, so after mounting the horns, they sort of face each other, and the whole contraption is more compact as a result; the upper bolt/nut combo is also used for mounting.
- I was able to fit my 2 horns through the opening, and with some scraped hands and a lot of cursing I was able to tighten the mounting bolt on the same tab the original horn was mounted on; the contraption hangs freely, and it seems there is plenty of space going towards the middle of the car; I used a normal socket wrench and pliers together to tighten the 1 bolt/nut (with washers on both sides) the contraption is hanging on.
- After sealing everything back up, I'll admit the horn could have been louder in a different position (such as the engine compartment), but I am happy I was able to install it in the same spot as the original horn.
- It took me several hours to do this, mostly trying to figure out how to position the horn contraption and how to tighten the mounting bolt.

So the bottom line is the new horns CAN be mounted in the same location as the original with a little bit of elbow grease, and the whole wheel well does not need to be removed. Sorry I have no pictures, but I tried to make the description as detailed as possible.

[Lothsahn]

Is it possible to make it harder to accidentally hit the horn?

Turning on the cruise control I accidentally bump the horn, and it's WAY easier to activate than any other vehicle I've driven. I wouldn't want to do a horn upgrade unless I could make sure I don't accidentally set it off.

I was thinking a good old lighthouse fog horn would make a great upgrade.

[ZAli]

So as I was planning earlier, I upgraded the horn of the 2019 SL Plus to a set of FIAMM Grandes.

Here are a few observations from the install:

- I did not need to take down the entire wheel well - just the part that is immediately below the washer fluid tank (and the bottom shroud as well, just 1 screw) - that forward portion of the wheel well bends down; the opening is not large, but it is usable; also - the SL Plus has the blue accent strip that I found hard to remove - if that can be removed, the access gets a lot better.
- I used 2 L brackets from Ace hardware that I connected together with 2 bolts/nuts to form a T bracket, then bent the bracket into a U shape, so after mounting the horns, they sort of face each other, and the whole contraption is more compact as a result; the upper bolt/nut combo is also used for mounting.
- I was able to fit my 2 horns through the opening, and with some scraped hands and a lot of cursing I was able to tighten the mounting bolt on the same tab the original horn was mounted on; the contraption hangs freely, and it seems there is plenty of space going towards the middle of the car; I used a normal socket wrench and pliers together to tighten the 1 bolt/nut (with washers on both sides) the contraption is hanging on.
- After sealing everything back up, I'll admit the horn could have been louder in a different position (such as the engine compartment), but I am happy I was able to install it in the same spot as the original horn.
- It took me several hours to do this, mostly trying to figure out how to position the horn contraption and how to tighten the mounting bolt.

So the bottom line is the new horns CAN be mounted in the same location as the original with a little bit of elbow grease, and the whole wheel well does not need to be removed. Sorry I have no pictures, but I tried to make the description as detailed as possible.

Thanks for providing some feedback. I also have a 19 SL Plus and was wondering what I might expect to encounter when I finally undertake this upgrade.