Horn doesn't work

FiReSTaRT · Post by **FiReSTaRT** » October 7th, 2005, 7:35 pm

Now that I replaced the defogger relay/harness (thanks guys, especially Grants!) and re-wired my deck, I have another problem:

-My horn doesn't work... At all.

Due to the severity of the symptom, I'm pretty sure it's not just a corroded switch. Before I try anything radical, I want to replace the fuse (since I have some automotive 10s, 15s, 20s and 30s lying around), but I don't know which one's responsible for it. For starters, can you guys tell me which one it is and where it's located?

Grants · Post by **Grants** » October 16th, 2005, 10:40 pm

Hey FiReSTaRT how'd you go with this?

FiReSTaRT · Post by **FiReSTaRT** » October 16th, 2005, 10:57 pm

Hey Grants.. I still haven't taken a look at it because I've been extra-busy... I'll see if I can take a look tomorrow. Btw. when you say underneath the dash, do you mean where the headlight, defogger and other relays are or do I have to take the dash apart to find it?

Grants · Post by **Grants** » October 16th, 2005, 11:07 pm

Same area - should be able just to get to it from below. Luck with it!

FiReSTaRT · Post by **FiReSTaRT** » October 17th, 2005, 12:29 am

In that case I won't need luck... I already have your guidance lol I'll see if I can get to it tomorrow, as long as the relay itself doesn't cost me an arm and a leg. I can always buy another one of those light wiring kits and eventually have all of my relays hanging by plastic ties lol

Edwood · Post by **Edwood** » November 7th, 2005, 1:21 am

My horn stopped working too.
Search function is not working well. Can't find older threads posted showing how to replace the relay, anyone got a link?

I had replaced my dying horn with a nice and loud dual horn. It worked like a charm for many months. But suddenly one day, the horn wasn't working at all. No sound whatsoever. I press the horn on the steering wheel, and nothing happens.

-Ed

Grants · Post by **Grants** » November 7th, 2005, 4:54 am

Can you hear the relay click under the dash? Its not very load but you should be able to hear it with the engine, etc, off.

Edwood · Post by **Edwood** » November 8th, 2005, 4:34 am

Grants wrote:Can you hear the relay click under the dash? Its not very load but you should be able to hear it with the engine, etc, off.

I can only hear a physical switch of some kind when I press the steering wheel center, but no "click" or something else.

I'll double check with the engine off.

-Ed

Grants · Post by **Grants** » November 8th, 2005, 3:39 pm

Try that first and if the noise you hear is coming from under the dash it means the relay is probably ok (unless the main contacts are burnt out).

You ok with a voltmeter? If you can locate the relay you should have 12V to the GREEN / WHITE wire at the relay at all times and 12V to the GREEN / YELLOW wire when the horn button is pressed and the relay clicks.

Let us know how you go and if we can be of some more assistance.

Vanished · Post by **Vanished** » November 8th, 2005, 7:11 pm

Wow hey my horn stopped working two..then one day it just starded blairing at me, so i cut some blue wire that i was SURE was the horn, but it kept going so i just to the wire out by the horn.

Now I just don't know what to do about it. White and red you say? I'll check it out and see if they're not connected or corroded or something...w/e

Edwood · Post by **Edwood** » November 9th, 2005, 2:21 pm

Grants wrote:Try that first and if the noise you hear is coming from under the dash it means the relay is probably ok (unless the main contacts are burnt out).

You ok with a voltmeter? If you can locate the relay you should have 12V to the GREEN / WHITE wire at the relay at all times and 12V to the GREEN / YELLOW wire when the horn button is pressed and the relay clicks.

Let us know how you go and if we can be of some more assistance.

Anyone got a pic of where the relay is?

I have a DMM, so I can measure the voltage.

I'm pretty sure the relay is dead, because I have never heard the clicking. I'm heading to my MX-3 soon, so I'll have a listen.

-Ed

Edwood · Post by **Edwood** » November 11th, 2005, 6:36 am

Well, I think the horn itself is dead for some reason.

I pressed the horn very slowly, and can hear a clicking from under the steering wheel cover? Is that where the relay is?

-Ed

Grants · Post by **Grants** » November 11th, 2005, 7:12 am

The relay is under the dash above the pedals sort of...

If you can hear it clicking it means there is power to the relay (so the fuse must be ok as the relay uses the same 12V supply to both energise the coil and provide power to the line side of the relay contact) and the switching is working ok.

So I'd be going straight to the horn itself and checking the connections and seeing if you get 12 volts there. Hopefully its just a bad connection.

Edwood · Post by **Edwood** » November 14th, 2005, 4:16 am

Grants wrote:The relay is under the dash above the pedals sort of...

If you can hear it clicking it means there is power to the relay (so the fuse must be ok as the relay uses the same 12V supply to both energise the coil and provide power to the line side of the relay contact) and the switching is working ok.

So I'd be going straight to the horn itself and checking the connections and seeing if you get 12 volts there. Hopefully its just a bad connection.

Of course, this involves removing the turn signal lamp assembly and the headlight. If I have to replace it again, I'm going to relocate the horn, what a stupid place for it in the first place.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll be taking my trusty Fluke DMM to my MX-3....

-Ed

Grants · Post by **Grants** » November 14th, 2005, 4:53 am

Or dropping the skirt... might be easier. Thats what you have to do with ours as the fog lights prevent you getting the headlight out.