HELP! Horn goes off when headlights are turned off?

[lindsay_elaine]

Recently bought an '06 Explorer, it came with a GWC Warranty for one year. Took it to the their local recommended shop for a clunk in the front end, they replaced the steering rack and upper/lower control arm on the drivers side (they were great!) However I picked it up tonight and when I got home tried to shut my truck off. When I turn the headlights off the horn blows, it's not the alarm it's a constant horn noise. It doesn't go off if the running lights are on, if I set it on automatic all is quiet until the lights switch themselves off and then it just blares. I don't know what to do, I am leaving on an 800 mile road trip tomorrow night and I don't have time for this! Pulled the horn fuse for now, terrified I'm going to wake up my neighbors anyway. What the heck is going on?

 

[lindsay_elaine]

Well I went outside and moved my truck around closer to the door so I could get some packing done, I pressed the horn just for fun and all my steering wheel control lights (I have radio, climate, and cruise buttons on the wheel) and climate control in the dash went dim, and a few of them went out completely. Shut the headlights off and on again and all the steering control/climate control lights come on. Something wrong in the steering column?? Could changing a steering rack mess that up or is it just really bad timing? Decided we will just have to drive it with the horn fuse pulled until we get back but I'm worried about other things messing up now

 

[boominXplorer]

It is very possible they damaged the clockspring or let the steering shaft turn a revolution when replacing the steering rack. The clock spring is located behind the airbag in the steering wheel. If its damaged enough then it could potentially deploy the airbag since its energizing the horn circuit. It would be a long shot but possible.

 

[Kiliona]

Unless you have electrical knowledge this is not something you're going to be able to figure out yourself (experience with a DVOM and the like). If it started after they did some work on it (especially a rack which involves pulling the steering wheel or atleast disconnecting the column) then it's their fault and they should fix it for you. Sucks you're going on a trip though, but I would bring it in first thing in the morning and demand it's fixed that day.

Best of luck to you.

 

[lindsay_elaine]

I am taking it back tomorrow to have the alignment tweaked, I'm guessing the electrical issues won't get resolved before I leave for our trip tomorrow and I'm going to spend the entire time worrying about it. I'm still not sure why the horn blows when the lights are off but not when they are on, they said on the phone it couldn't be something they did but we'll find out I guess.

 

[lindsay_elaine]

Just an update, dropped the truck off first thing Friday morning (the day I was leaving for my trip) They said they'd try to get a clock spring and take it back to the alignment shop and call when it was done. I waited all day with no word from them, drove down there at 4:30 and the truck was at an alignment shop for the third time. They couldn't get a clock spring that day and said if I pay for the part they will put it in for free since we can't prove they broke it. They keep blaming previous unknown work and the dealership I bought it from. We got on the road a couple hours late because they never called to just tell me the part wasn't available. To top it all off the clunk I brought it in for is still there and they want me to bring it back to replace the front struts (which are brand new!) And see if that fixes the clunk. We are currently on vacation with it and after driving it I think the "messed up alignment" is actually a crooked steering wheel. The radio buzzes from the messed up wheel controls and I can't dim my dash lights. Pretty unhappy right now and thinking we will ask them to pay for the part and put it in ourselves (there are a couple mechanics in my family, only brought it to this shop because of the warranty) What a headache!

 

[asull85]

I wouldn't bring it back to that shop. If it is under warranty can you bring it to another shop or possibly a Ford dealership?

 

[lindsay_elaine]

They gave me the part without a fight, they didn't admit fault or apologize but handing over the part was admittance enough for me. Took it to my uncle's house and had it installed in under an hour (shop quoted 3 hours labor that they would do for free to help me out, yeah no thanks!) Now working on fixing my stereo, the cd player jammed from cycling the battery so many times last week and won't read disks anymore. I know the six disk players are prone to breaking but I think it would be a pretty big coincidence for it to randomly break while I had all these other electronic related problems (climate control lights staying on but going off and back on again when horn pressed, radio not shutting off on it's own, buzzing noises etc.) Looks like I'll have to order a new drive mechanism to fix it which isn't a huge deal but just adds to the annoyance. Happy to have all the clock spring related problems fixed today, maybe now I can get back to chasing down the clunk I brought it in for!

 

[Explorer_PL]

For the clunk, check the stabilizer links in front and rear.
They are cheap, like $ 17 per set.
These cars like to go thru them regularly.
I am on my 3rd set in front and 2nd in the rear with 194k miles.

 

[Kiliona]

They gave me the part without a fight, they didn't admit fault or apologize but handing over the part was admittance enough for me. Took it to my uncle's house and had it installed in under an hour (shop quoted 3 hours labor that they would do for free to help me out, yeah no thanks!) Now working on fixing my stereo, the cd player jammed from cycling the battery so many times last week and won't read disks anymore. I know the six disk players are prone to breaking but I think it would be a pretty big coincidence for it to randomly break while I had all these other electronic related problems (climate control lights staying on but going off and back on again when horn pressed, radio not shutting off on it's own, buzzing noises etc.) Looks like I'll have to order a new drive mechanism to fix it which isn't a huge deal but just adds to the annoyance. Happy to have all the clock spring related problems fixed today, maybe now I can get back to chasing down the clunk I brought it in for!

Good to hear they kinda got off their high horses and KINDA admitted fault... It's blatantly obvious what happened, and it happens all the time. Doing any steering work if you twist the wheel too far or put it back on wrong the clock spring can break very easily. Good luck with the clunk!