electrical and ignition Need Help From Someone Who Knows How To Fix A Horn

[Koblenz]

Get ready. I am not versed in horn nomenclature.

 

Today I replaced my turn signal selector arm.  I had hoped it would make my yellow dash indicator blink. Nope, no blink.

 

Anyway, now the horn doesn't work.  I think the spring loaded pin that makes contact with the metal faced horn ring is broken.  From what I can tell the pin is in constant contact with the metal surface.  Is it supposed to be? If not, where do I get a replacement?

 

Hope this makes sense. I will take a pic tomorrow.

[ray_]

The pin is supposed to be in constant contact. Pushing the horn button completes the circuit.

[emmodg]

Yeah, the pin stays in contact with ring. I think it's called the "carbon pin". I think the born button creates a ground when pushed. Realoem lists the pin with a price. I need to rig something up myself - I have an older MOMO hub that doesn't have a pin.

[dbmw2002]

Back to the turn signals, are all your mounting screws clean and in good contact with body sheetmetal, check this before bulbs on the fronts, the ground is all thru the mounting screws.

[Koblenz]

Thanks guys.

 

Yeah, all the grounds are good.  The turns all work, flashers work. Horn fuse is good.  Pin is in constant contact.

 

The legendary quote, " It worked fine before! "  I guess after yardwork and Christmas shopping I will trouble shoot it again.

Edited December 14, 2013 by Koblenz

[Buckeye]

If horn worked before you worked on turn signal, etc. and horn rin spring not broken, then you need to confirm the horn ring is sited in upper colum cover and then attach lower cover.

Edited December 14, 2013 by Buckeye

[adawil2002]

Fuse good, pin in contact. Check that the wire is connected to the back of the brass ring.

[Koblenz]

Intact but getting ready to go over it again.  Coffee not beir.

[jgerock]

Pin and cancellation ring on bottom of my MOMO steering wheel hub.

 

As suggested above, make sure the brass horn contact ring is sitting correctly in the grooves for both the upper and lower steering column covers.  You didn't disconnect the horn ring did you?

[Hans]

I modified a stock pin and plastic tube to fit Momo hub.

[BDB]

I had some issues w/ my horn for several months, finally Le at Garagewerks fixed the problem---and boy was it an easy fix.

 

First, the horn contactor pin must make contact with the brass ring at all times.  The plastic ring that the brass ring is mated to has a male spade on it.  Make sure that the female connector is attached to it.

 

Second, that plastic ring that has the brass ring on it must sit perfectly between the top and bottom half of the steering column pieces.  It only fits one way.  If its not seated in there perfectly, that plastic/brass ring thing will tilt backwards at an angle and then the pin will lose contact with the brass ring.

 

Lastly (and this is what I was missing), there are bolts (or are they screws?) that secure the bottom to the top piece.  You must secure them all.  I didn't have two of the interior most screws and that was causing the steering column and the brass ring to shift ever so slightly when I turned the wheel lock to lock.  This would then force the pin out past the brass ring and then of course the horn wouldn't work.  I broke two that way.  

 

Replacement contactor pins:  I bought mine from Crowder's Custom.  The pins were abnormally long so I had to Dremel off a little bit and then sand the pin round on the tip.  

 

 

 

 

[AustrianVespaGuy]

Might help to make sure you're clear on how the horn circuit is supposed to work, then you can troubleshoot the different parts of the circuit as needed:

 

1.) +12V Power to Horn relay from the ignition switch via fuse 6.

2.) The other side of the relay coil is then connected to that ring on the steering column, and goes through that spring pin and finally gets grounded when you push the horn button(s), thus complete the circuit and tripping the relay.

3.) Now that the relay has been energized, the +12V (also from fuse 6) flows through the relay and through the horn(s) to ground.

 

So first determine if your relay is clicking to see whether the problem is in the relay control circuit or with the horns themselves.  If it's in the relay control circuit, which we are assuming since that's what you've been messing with (pin, etc.), start using some alligator clips to find the problem.  E.g. clip the negative relay coil (I think the #85 terminal on the relay) to ground to make sure the relay is working, then clip the ring on the column to ground, then the pin, etc. until you find the issue.

 

As for your turn signals, spend the $11 and 10 minutes it takes to upgrade to a modern electronic flasher, it will fix the problem with your dash indicator and you'll never look back.  Good instructions here:

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/topic/85984-signal-flasher-upgrade-easy-to-do-what-a-difference/?hl=electronic+flasher#entry255736

 

Hope this helps!

 

-Carl

[Koblenz]

SOLVED!

 

First thanks for ALL the help. I used all of them. 

 

Apparently there is a "retaining clip/ground" in the horn button. Somehow that was making  no contact. Bent it a tad and viola!  Additionally we reasoned the horn relay might have come loose during the alternator removal.  

 

At this point I have my beloved Hellas on full annoy.  I owe you guys a beer!

[bnam]

Get ready. I am not versed in horn nomenclature.

 

Today I replaced my turn signal selector arm.  I had hoped it would make my yellow dash indicator blink. Nope, no blink.

 

Anyway, now the horn doesn't work.  I think the spring loaded pin that makes contact with the metal faced horn ring is broken.  From what I can tell the pin is in constant contact with the metal surface.  Is it supposed to be? If not, where do I get a replacement?

 

Hope this makes sense. I will take a pic tomorrow.

One more thing to try -- swap the parkng light and flasher light wires at the front left flasher.  If the wires are interchanged, the dash light can stop working.

[John_in_VA]

Apparently there is a "retaining clip/ground" in the horn button. Somehow that was making  no contact. Bent it a tad and viola!

Congrats!