horn not working
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From: Central jersey, nj
horn not working https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...07#post5741507
basically, horn doesn't work pushing down on the horn in the car, it slowly went to crap, but the sound stayed the same. how do i remove that cover to be able to check to see if the contants are good?
basically, horn doesn't work pushing down on the horn in the car, it slowly went to crap, but the sound stayed the same. how do i remove that cover to be able to check to see if the contants are good?
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
There are four #30 torx screws holding the cover on from the back side of the wheel. Be sure to remove the AIR BAG fuse first to prevent accidental deployment.
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From: Central jersey, nj
Originally Posted by WhiteBird00
There are four #30 torx screws holding the cover on from the back side of the wheel. Be sure to remove the AIR BAG fuse first to prevent accidental deployment.
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
The air bag system retains power for a minute or so after the fuse has been removed so wait at least that long before removing the air bag (it will take that long to undo the screws). If you're concerned about accidental deployment you can disconnect the air bag wires at the base of the steering column after removing the fuse. That is what the service manual recommends but it's not necessary as long as you wait a minute for the sensor module to loose its retained power.
When you pull off the air bag you will find the wires go to a yellow connector. The connector has a locking tab that must be pulled out before you can disconnect it.
Check the horn ground wire for good ground since that might be causing your problem. Also check the horn switches for damage. If that's not it then you'll have to remove the steering wheel. Make sure you use a proper puller because using a hammer can damage the steering column. Once the wheel is off you will see the contact ring. It is held in place by a retaining ring. On older cars this was a simple spring loaded contact rotating on a metal ring and cleaning the contact often solved horn problems. I've never taken one of the new contact coils apart so I'm not sure how much you can do with it. They're more complex now because they have to carry multiple circuits - horn, air bag, audio controls - so they're not considered repairable by GM.
When you pull off the air bag you will find the wires go to a yellow connector. The connector has a locking tab that must be pulled out before you can disconnect it.
Check the horn ground wire for good ground since that might be causing your problem. Also check the horn switches for damage. If that's not it then you'll have to remove the steering wheel. Make sure you use a proper puller because using a hammer can damage the steering column. Once the wheel is off you will see the contact ring. It is held in place by a retaining ring. On older cars this was a simple spring loaded contact rotating on a metal ring and cleaning the contact often solved horn problems. I've never taken one of the new contact coils apart so I'm not sure how much you can do with it. They're more complex now because they have to carry multiple circuits - horn, air bag, audio controls - so they're not considered repairable by GM.
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thanks...how hard would it be to wire up a different horn? or just splice into the wires after the contacts and add a button? Seems easier, i'm not comfortable with messing with the air bag system to much. Do I pull the fuse under the hood? then unclip the wires at the base of the steering wheel? It almost seems like it would be easier to add a button? thanks again.
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Just about any horn can be used - just connect to the positive (dark green) and negative (black) wires at the original horns. I put a pair of "WingBlaster" 130db horns on mine and they make a huge difference.
I wouldn't recommend bypassing the factory horn button. It can be done if you splice in below the contact ring (or even at the base of the steering column) but you lose the functionality of having the horn easily accessible because you would have to mount your new button someplace stationary. In order to have a button on the wheel you would still have to mess around with the contact ring so you might as well fix the factory setup. If you suspect the problem is in the factory horn switches rather than the contact ring then they are easily replaceable without removing the steering wheel.
I wouldn't recommend bypassing the factory horn button. It can be done if you splice in below the contact ring (or even at the base of the steering column) but you lose the functionality of having the horn easily accessible because you would have to mount your new button someplace stationary. In order to have a button on the wheel you would still have to mess around with the contact ring so you might as well fix the factory setup. If you suspect the problem is in the factory horn switches rather than the contact ring then they are easily replaceable without removing the steering wheel.
