No horn...'97 XLT

[rollinstone]

Searched thru about 100 threads...no answer.

Horn doesn't toot. Cruise control is OK and the air bag light only comes on during start-up, so I'm guessing I don't have a bad clockspring, unless one measly wire for the horn in the clockspring coil is shorting...which I consider unlikely.

Checked the fuses and relays under the hood and they seem OK...even switched them around.

When I hit the "PANIC" button on the fob all I get are flashing lights...no horn.

I cleaned the contacts on one of the horns...can't get to the outside horn, tho...still nothing. Both horns are rusty and the horns' bracket bolt is rusted/corroded solid to the point that several applications of PB Blaster had no effect in allowing me to remove the horns for a closer inspection.

When I push the horn pad I CAN hear a clicking sound under the hood...does that point to a bad relay? I'd think at least one of the horns would work unless they're wired in series and the first horn is bad so no power is getting to the second horn (the outside one).

I've got a new clockspring still in the box, but that's a last resort. I'll wait 'til I hear back from y'all first.

 

[willindsay]

If you hear the relay click then power is getting to it. So your problem is somewhere between the relay and the horn.

 

[stretchman]

I would be thinking a bad ground.

 

[rollinstone]

I would be thinking a bad ground.

Bad ground? Do you mean there's a grounding wire that came loose somewhere or a short?

The entire wiring bundle has got quite a lot of protection. The only exposed wiring I could see is right out of the end of the bundle with one thin blue wire that goes straight to the first horn. The protective sleeve is pretty well chewed up what with the battery being right above and lots of corrosive exposure...I'll look at that wire more carefully Wed morning, but I know for sure it's not touching anything metallic.

Otherwise, I'm thinking of going to local junker and picking up a horn assembly and swapping out...I'll be shearing a bolt in the process, though.

 

[BigPip]

have you tried to see if you have current going to the horn with a volt/amp meter or test light? You can use something as simple as a light (12v) with two wires coming out and attach it to the horn.

Good Luck- If you need a new horn, I always use Cadillac horns!

 

[rollinstone]

OK...I've determined that the fuses are good, the relay is good, and I have have power to the horn(s).

I removed the original horn set. The original bracket holding both horns was very badly corroded and rusted, as well as a fair amount of rust and dirt on the horns themselves. While removing the bracket the bolt sheared, as I thot it would. Rather than fool around I decided to buy a new horn set with about double the decibels.

The new bracket(s) that come with the set had to be custom bent...no prob. I cleaned all connections. I hooked everything up running a connector cable between the two horns as the original was set up. I attached the power cable after double checking that it was still receiving power...and no joy! No sound...nada. I've tried several different cable hookup variations with no success.

In the instructions I noticed that it states: "the horn is not polarity conscious - the horn does not need to be mounted to a grounded portion of the vehicle."

Is this right? What the heck is going on?

 

[rollinstone]

OK...the saga continues. I hooked the new horns and the old horns directly to the battery and guess what? Both sets of horns work! Go figure! AAMOF, the sound of the old horns (Fiaams or something) is FAR superior to the new Blazers purchased at Auto Zone.

So the new horns are going to be returned. I am going crazy trying to figure out why the horns won't toot when they're installed. I got fuses, I got relay, I got power, but no toots!

Do you suppose a relay could be weakened to the point of not delivering enough of a charge to the horns. I thought relays stepped up battery power. If that's so, why does the battery by itself set these horns off?

I hope someone steps in here to help me out...I'm outta ideas.

 

[rollinstone]

Today an electrical engineering friend of mine says hook up the horns and check the resistance level at the horns...could be that the wire supplying power is shorting out along the way and not delivering sufficient power to activate the horns.

Man, if that's the case gonna be a major PITA tracking that one down....those wire bundles are impossible to trace a wire in...

 

[lounge lizard]

your looking for the blue wire. it is going into the relay distribution box right next to the brake master cylinder.

very easy to track down. matter of fact I spliced mine out, added a relay and a switch and run my air horns off the same wire

 

[G-96XLT]

I had this same problem, It was the ground. I think I had to file and grind all contacts for a long time. I did the same thing and hooked it to a battery to make sure it tooted. Eventually grounded it and it worked and has worked since. I make sure to pop a toot when I lock up.

 

[budwich]

Today an electrical engineering friend of mine says hook up the horns and check the resistance level at the horns...could be that the wire supplying power is shorting out along the way and not delivering sufficient power to activate the horns.

Man, if that's the case gonna be a major PITA tracking that one down....those wire bundles are impossible to trace a wire in...

You might want to get your "electrical engineering friend" to get his hands dirty and helps you out with the testing...

How did you determine that you had power at the horn? What ever you did to do that, you need to wire the horn EXACTLY to the SAME points (ie. power AND ground). It is more than likely that you have a ground issue.