Horn Relay


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By 56-Vicky - 18 Years Ago
Can anyone help me with the horn relay troubleshooting?  My horn was working fine until a few months ago. 

When I push the horn ring I get nothing.  I pulled the ring and shorted the wire to the ourter mental and still got nothing.  There are 3 wires on the relay, when I short the middle to the one closer to the firewall the horn sounds.  The other wire seems to be nothing...

Can anyone tell me what the 3 wires are attached to or what they do?  Also what other things can I do to test other areas or connections?

Thanks

By Hoosier Hurricane - 18 Years Ago
Andrew:

One terminal on the relay is "hot" all the time.  Another connects to the horn.  The third connects to the horn ring and is grounded when you push on the ring.  If you can ground that terminal and the horn sounds, then the problem is in the wiring to the horn ring.  There is a connector in the wire just outside the steering box that may have become disconnected.  Sometimes the wire down the steering shaft breaks, it gets twisted back and forth a lot when the steering wheel is turned.

John

By 56-Vicky - 18 Years Ago
Great, thanks for the hlep.  That all makes sense, I'll play around with it again today after work.

Can I test the relay by grounding the "horn button" terminal on the relay? Would that tell me if my steering wheel wire is broken?

By Hoosier Hurricane - 18 Years Ago
Andrew:

Yes, and Yes.

John

By 56-Vicky - 18 Years Ago
Strange coincidence... The horn started working again.  Hasn't worked for a year, didnt work this past weekend when I was jumping the relay and testing contact on the wheel, but now it works.  I haven't had time to look at it but yesterday I dropped it off to have it clay-barred and waxed (first ever wax job) and on the way home I was playing with the horn and it works!!

I think it may be a bad wheel wire that is making contact once in a while. I should have time to look at it tomorrow and see if I can narrow it down.  It's driving me NUTS!

By MoonShadow - 18 Years Ago
Could have been a stuck relay too. Maybe jumping it broke it loose. Chuck
By Hoosier Hurricane - 18 Years Ago
More than likely the contact surface under the horn ring is corroded.  Clean it up with some steel wool.

John

By MoonShadow - 18 Years Ago
While on the subject. I picked up a power steering horn ring for my 56. The old one works fine but was wrong. The new ring will honk on a bump or jostle. I've checked the insulation rubber and its good. Everything on the backside looks the same. Same wire and button. But it still honks! Any Ideas? Chuck in NH