Yet Another Horn Issue

[BuickBroke$]

Hoping someone can shed some light on an issue I’m having with my ‘85 Regal Limited. Horns used to work, now all of a sudden they don’t. I can hear the relay clicking when I press the horn button, but nothing. Checked all fuses, they’re all fine.
Hooked up a test light to the lead that goes to the horn and it’s got power at all times. I’m assuming the horn button completes the ground? When I hit the horn button the test light stays lit.
Anyone know how to test the actual horn? Just run a wire from the battery?

 

[ELCAM]

The horn button completes the ground to the horn relay. The relay switches on the +12V for the horn the horn case is grounded to the body.

Sounds like you have an issue controlling the relay or with the relay itself, it should not have +12V at the horn all the time only when the button is pressed.

If there is +12V at the horn wire and the horn is not working then the horn is not getting a ground or the horn is bad.

Forgot to add. Yes you can jump +12V from the battery to the terminal on the horn and it should work.

 

[BuickBroke$]

Ok, well after much fun under the dash I swapped out the horn relay. Everyone should try that… just for fun… 🤪

Good news, now there’s no power to the horns until I hit the horn button. Bad news is, still no horns! Think it’s possible to have blown them both out? Seems odd.
Anyone know a good replacement horn set?

 

[ELCAM]

Hella makes some plastic ones that are a replacement for the older car horns. Never used the other brands.

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[Rt Jam]

Sounds like there was 2 problems.
You hearing the relay means it was getting signal to the relay. Now there is only 1 circuit left. The relay will close contacts to energize the horn.
You have constant power at the horn. Relay contacts stuck closed. Replacing relay resolved that.
Now you confirmed power to the horn when button is down and relay is closed. Your horn needs a ground or it's not working.

 

[BuickBroke$]

Sounds like there was 2 problems.
You hearing the relay means it was getting signal to the relay. Now there is only 1 circuit left. The relay will close contacts to energize the horn.
You have constant power at the horn. Relay contacts stuck closed. Replacing relay resolved that.
Now you confirmed power to the horn when button is down and relay is closed. Your horn needs a ground or it's not working.

Does the horn get its ground just from being bolted to the body? I have never moved them

 

[John Canon]

Normally the horns get their ground return through the bracket to the body metal. As a quick test you can put a test light or voltmeter between the horn casing and a good body ground. If there is voltage when you operate the horn circuit, then it is a bad ground in the bracket. Whet you are measuring is the voltage drop across the grounding circuit.

Or quick test number 2: clip a jumper wire between the horn casing and body ground. If the horn works, then it is a bad ground.

 

[Ernest]

These $30 car horns looks to be your best bet.

 

[BuickBroke$]

These $30 car horns looks to be your best bet.

Haha, maybe the big ones…

 

[g0thiac]

Take a set of booster cables, connect the + and - terminals, then connect the other - to the horn mounting bolt, unplug the wiring connector- and touch the horns metal to the +, and try seeing if they make noise-

I can guarantee, in this case almost 98.1% times it's going to spark and then sound like completely a s s- how I know this, is because I just went through the same issue you did.

It's really easy to set the new one up, takes less than a few minutes and you can drive safer again homie 😤👌👌👌