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Horn stopped working! (not the fuse or relay)

Michelangelo

Michelangelo

Full Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
190
Location
Utah
2003 Avalanche 1500

My horn just stopped working. So I checked the fuse under the hood and it was good. Swapped out a working relay for the Horn Relay and still no dice. No matter how hard I push on the horn or angle (hoping it's a bad connection underneath there), it won't make a sound.

Any ideas on this? Something makes me think its the connection underneath, as previous to this the horn was very finicky; meaning it would only sound if I pushed really hard on it. Then all of a sudden it just stops working.
 
Yeah I have not blown the horn in years (except the train horns >:D )

It may be the horn contacts in the steering wheel (the 2 metal bars)
 

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Mine did that on occasion and there are other references to quirky electronics on this.  After the battery was disconnected it started to function again.  Glad that it works, hate not knowing how I fix it.
 
If its not the contacts, then.... Any chance water got in the horn part itself?  This has happened in boats that I have owned more than once...  sometimes you can shake most of the water out,  let a fan dry it out overnight, and it will work again...  you can also replace the part... they are not that expensive...
 
Check horn itself...

 
Ok yeah thanks for ideas. No water has gotten into the horn at all. Also, where is the horn(s) located? Are they easy to get to?

I suppose I'll try to disconnect the battery first and see where that gets me?
 
If you have the steering wheel controls, set the  feedback on the door locks to blow the horn. You will have to hit the door lock button twice on the remote. The horns are on the radiator support.
 
Good pt and thanks for the reminder. I do remember my horn working when I opened the door on truck without disarming it. I just reaffirmed that by letting the panic button go off, making the horn honk. So I know my horns actually work.
 
I'm replacing the top right steering wheel control switches after the bulbs went out and coating started coming off. I thought since my horn recently stopped working, i should try to fix it. (Horn works, its that when I push on the horn itself on the steering wheel it won't activate). 

So any advice on trying to get this thing to work once I get the airbag off? If I push down on the little horn activating switches with a screw driver, is that a good way to test them? Assuming they'll still sound if and when I remove the airbag fuse?
 
I would think that would be a good way to test them. Once you take the airbag out you will see the switches
 
Took airbag off today.  Noticed there's a small little white plastic plug/connector with a spring and wire right in the middle of the steering wheel, fits and clips down into the hole. One of the tabs on mine is broken. Is there a way to order just that plastic plug/connector?

Anyway...was able to get it stuff back down in the hole and could not, for the life of me get the horn to work. I cleaned the little metal/copper contacts underneath the metal horn rail things and still nothing. I bent the metal tabs that are on the backside of the airbag and horn assembly out, hoping they were the problem with not enough contact. Put horn back together and at least now I can get horn if i push down very, very hard and firmly on the middle of the horn. what gives? HOw much and how many of the metal rails or contact on the horn need to touch in order for this thing to sound off?
 
That little white connection you push it in and turn it clockwise about a quarter of turn to seat it.
 
You know, I don't fix this stuff myself. I've been taking it to the dealer (*gasp*).  However, they've replaced all the items listed here, plus the entire steering wheel minus the airbag parts.  After each fix, it's eventually stopped working again after a few months.  I'm convinced there's something wrong with the electrical system, since I've also had the daylight running lamps go out intermittently...  The dealer has picked up a strange surge occurring...  But they can't seem to trace it to its origin to fix it. 

If anyone has any advice with this issue...  :help:
 
I haven't even bothered trying to "fix" the horn. It works now but only if Ipush on the very center of the horn pad area, very hard!

This vehicle seems to be plagued with electrical issues. The last one I had was a buzz and humming that was coming through my new stereo head unit and speakers when I replaced the OEM unit. The sound tech said it was coming through a fault in the harness somewhere. He was able to get rid of most of it by installing a noise filter and by rewiring, bypassing some of the harness when it came to the new head unit. This will be the last American truck I'll by.
 
The horn contacts go through the SIR coil. " Supplemental inflatable restraint"  Or some call it a clock spring. The one for the truck's without steering wheel controls is about $80. The one for with the control's list's for around $550 or so from the dealer. My horn worked with the remote, the horn contacts under the airbag were good also. So I had to replace the SIR coil. My cost was still around $450 for the part. My horn worked sometimes when the steering wheel was turned. If you hold the horn pad down and turn the wheel left to right and it start's to work that mean's the SIR coil is no good. Make sure the truck is running so the wheel is easy to turn.  I hope this help's.
 
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