expensive horn repair

[griffi]

My RM had some sort of short or loose wire that caused my horn to go off any time and any where.One night it stay horn on long enough to burn out.A repair shop said because of the air bag mechanism in the steering wheel it would cost 900 dollars.Or else they could rig something else up for 265 dollars.Any one had this experience?

[danielsatur]

Do you really need a horn?
You could always buy an air-horn in the can @ Walmarts!

[griffi]

Originally Posted by danielsatur

Do you really need a horn?
You could always buy an air-horn in the can @ Walmarts!

Have you ever tried to get a car inspected with out one?Ever even notice?

[danielsatur]

Doe's Florida have an inspection?
If does, you need to tip the inspector!
It's a one time visual inspection around $100, if the car was registered in another state.

[griffi]

Originally Posted by danielsatur

Doe's Florida have an inspection?
If does, you need to tip the inspector!
It's a one time visual inspection around $100, if the car was registered in another state.

Yea,I keep inspectors in one pocket and 100's in the other.

[Tech II]

I remember this happening on Grand Am's, not RM's....

Usually happened in the winter time.....when the vehicle got cold, the horn contacts, which were real close, would contract, and this would set the horn off......the contacts were all part of the air bag unit.....

Don't know if this is your problem or a guess.......but there is usually a connector from the airbag that goes into the cancelling cam for the horn......I would have that disconnected(naturally your horn contacts won't work now)......if the horn continues to go off, you know the airbag is NOT THE PROBLEM.....

I've seen crazy things happen....do you have keyless entry? Have heard of other people's remotes setting off the horn.....also, does the vehicle have something like Content Theft Deterrant? May have a shock sensor in the system, that is set too sensitive.....we had a Grand prix once out in our lot....there was a crack in the pavement under the car where it was parked....every time a heavily loaded tractor trailer went by the shop, the horn would go off....

As for rigging a seperate switch for the horn, can't do that in my state......everything has to work as designed......

[griffi]

Originally Posted by Tech II

I remember this happening on Grand Am's, not RM's....

Usually happened in the winter time.....when the vehicle got cold, the horn contacts, which were real close, would contract, and this would set the horn off......the contacts were all part of the air bag unit.....

Don't know if this is your problem or a guess.......but there is usually a connector from the airbag that goes into the cancelling cam for the horn......I would have that disconnected(naturally your horn contacts won't work now)......if the horn continues to go off, you know the airbag is NOT THE PROBLEM.....

I've seen crazy things happen....do you have keyless entry? Have heard of other people's remotes setting off the horn.....also, does the vehicle have something like Content Theft Deterrant? May have a shock sensor in the system, that is set too sensitive.....we had a Grand prix once out in our lot....there was a crack in the pavement under the car where it was parked....every time a heavily loaded tractor trailer went by the shop, the horn would go off....

As for rigging a seperate switch for the horn, can't do that in my state......everything has to work as designed......

It was going off in the middle of the night,driving on the hwy when somebody pass,behind cop car,turning around in someone's driveway.You name it,there would be the horn honk.Finally it went off for half an hour maybe,the neighbors called the police and they came knocking on my door,looking all around the house,for suspicious activity.The horn was not blaring,had burned it self out by the time they arrived.And the neighbors just told them an alarm was sounding here,so I did not know what they were talking about,no alarms here.One shop told me,it would be a thousand dollars in man hours,to get into where the airbag deploys,then offer an alternative,to jerry rig it with extra switch,for 200.Theres probably a junk one out there with steering wheel in it and all it's connections,for the cheap.Unless airbags are salvage from them.

[Blue Bowtie]

Have you performed any diagnosis? Have you removed the horn relay in the UEC? That will solve your problem temporarily, and the SIR will remain intact.

Horns around here are not very useful. The typical quip is something about an idiot taking a horn to a gunfight.

[charlie carter]

Originally Posted by griffi

My RM had some sort of short or loose wire that caused my horn to go off any time and any where.One night it stay horn on long enough to burn out.A repair shop said because of the air bag mechanism in the steering wheel it would cost 900 dollars.Or else they could rig something else up for 265 dollars.Any one had this experience?

Bypass the relay and attach button on steering secure with plastic tie.$7.00 for button,$40 for mechanics time.

[Tech II]

Charlie, this is a two year old thread.......as I stated before, you can't get away with that in Massachusetts......you would have to check with your local Registry....

[charlie carter]

Originally Posted by Tech II

Charlie, this is a two year old thread.......as I stated before, you can't get away with that in Massachusetts......you would have to check with your local Registry....

Actually I am griffi too,just forgot my password and did just finally get the horn fixed,and just wanted posters to know how it turned out.I was mistaken about it being burn out.Someone took the fuse out the night it went off,and never told me.And I can only guess as to why other people who looked at it,never mention that.The mechanic replaced the fuse and honk it did.He still did the bypass though because of the sudden honking without wanting it to.

[charlie carter]

Originally Posted by Tech II

Charlie, this is a two year old thread.......as I stated before, you can't get away with that in Massachusetts......you would have to check with your local Registry....

Ok,I reread your first thread.I never heard anyone say it had to be fixed proper,just that it was illegal not to have a horn.This had nothing to do with weather.A car could pass me on the interstate and about that time my horn would blare.Parked at the gas pump,when a cop walked in front,got beep.Turning around in a stranger's driveway once and it goes off.Then a lot evenings while we were in bed it would sound off.