Fixing horn after removing cruise control switches

[Litenin]

I have a 2003 Sport Trac that the cruise control has not worked for years and I just removed the 2 steering wheel mounted switches. Now the horn buttons do not activate the horn. The horn still sound with the remote.

Does anybody know what wires I can splice together in the ribbon cables(s) that go to the cruise control switches to get the horn buttons working again?

 

[Exploder321]

I have a 2003 Sport Trac that the cruise control has not worked for years and I just removed the 2 steering wheel mounted switches. Now the horn buttons do not activate the horn. The horn still sound with the remote.

Does anybody know what wires I can splice together in the ribbon cables(s) that go to the cruise control switches to get the horn buttons working again?

Somehow you would have to find a wiring diagram of the steering wheel components... Otherwise, you might consider just re-installing the switches. You could also then determine why the cruise was inop (may just have to replace the servo unit - get another one from a salvage yard). The other route would be to obtain the 'clock spring' unit for the non-cruise equipped version of your vehicle and swap it out in the steering wheel, they're ususally behind the air bag - be very careful when working around the air bag, they're known to go off. I was able to install cruise control in my Jeep XJ by getting the servo and switches from salvage and the clock spring from AutoZone. I think fixing the cruise would be the path of least resistance.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

As stated above, you might need the clock spring from a non-cruise control Sport Trac or 2 door Sport. Ranger might work, too. Explorer clock springs will not work as the connector for the airbag is different. The wiring to everything in the steering is interconnected through the clock spring. By removing the switches, you broke the circuit. Switches are $20 or less. Clock springs are considerably more, and a bit more complicated to swap, but doable.
There aren't many parts in the cruise control system - the servo on the passenger side inner fender, cable, deactivation switch on the master cylinder, clock spring, and switches.

I don't think you can splice into the ribbon cables, and probably shouldn't try.