Simple little civic horn problem... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Bossnass · 04-17-2004, 10:39 PM

The horn has stopped working in my girlfriends 94 Honda Civic. No alarm has ever been installed on this car, and of course the fuse is fine.

It clicks when I try to honk the horn. I take this to mean that the relay is ok. Or I'm confused and it means the relay is toast.
As far as I can tell, the wire connections at the horn itself are intact, looks like a clip harness.

The little teeny tiny horn is wedged so close to the radiator and bumper I can't easily get to it. Yeah, I understand that tight spaces are a fact of life when working on cars, but I'm a big guy and this is a civic.

I'm also thinking that the horn is screwed in, but my forearm is scraped up enough for now. So where should I go from here? Seems like such a bloody hassle for a horn. I've messed with truck engines, but I've never really touched an import.

BoCo · 04-18-2004, 01:53 PM

My Civic horn broke when I smacked a railroad tie in someone's front yard the first winter I had it. I bought 2 new ones at AutoZone and wired them in parallel and bolted them to the same hole the old one was in. They work fine but I'd still like a couple horns from a Suburban under there.

WarWagon · 04-18-2004, 03:44 PM

If you can get a voltage source to the horns, make sure the horn itself is working. The clicking "usually" means the relay is working (I've had one instance where it wasn't), but that should also save a lot of work in that you know there isn't a break somewhere between the column and the relay. I'd see if you can get at the horn leads with a multimeter and see if you're getting any power when its pressed. If you dont want to go through the hassle of trying to trace the horn wires back, it may be worthwhile to just clip the wires at the relay, buy a regular relay for $1 and run some new wires for it.

shakran · 04-18-2004, 04:29 PM

There are two trouble spots for horns on hondas: The horns themselves, and the switch in the steering wheel. If I recall, your car has an airbag, which means if it's the steering wheel switch you'll have to get it fixed rather than doing it yourself.

To access the horns, remove the front bumper cover. The mounting bolts are probably behind the bumper lights. There will be screws over by the wheels as well. Once that's removed, the horns will be right there. Test 'em by hooking them directly to the battery. No sound = replace horn.

Bossnass · 04-18-2004, 05:09 PM

Thanks guys.

I mostly didn't want to go to the hassle of getting to the horns if the problem was elsewhere. Looks unavoidable as I'm pretty sure now that it's the horns. I do have an airbag, shakran, am I wrong to think that if the steering wheel switch is functional enough to make the relay click, then it's the horns causing the problems?

Pardon my ignornace, but does every car horn have two horns within it? The little canister that I think is the "horn", I can open that up and find two actual horns within that? Or am I just not seeing something?

I'll put it off untill I can get to a better working location and my tools, not the dimly lit parkade of the apartment block with a borrowed socket set.

Hrm. If I'm actually going to put effort into this, I'm seriously considering looking for a little air compressor and hooking up an air horn. As I find myself driving this car somewhat freqently, I'd like to be able to catch the attention of the next SUV/pickup that decides they have the right of way because they are larger.

shakran · 04-18-2004, 06:04 PM

you are most likely correct IF the click is the relay. It could also be the busted switch

Is your steering wheel set up with the two horn buttons like they had on most early airbags, or do you just hit the center of the horn like normal cars?

Most cars have 2 horns, your civic is no exception. One's on the left of the bumper, the other's on the right. If you're not getting sound from BOTH of them, that kinda makes me think horn switch.

You may end up wanting to track down an electrical service manual for your car and go after it yourself unless you determine it's in the wheel - shops like to charge HUNDREDS of dollars for electrical diagnostic work.

telekinetic · 04-21-2004, 02:25 AM

If the relay clicks, it isn't a busted switch

If I were you, I would take a length of wire, and test the horns...pop the relay out, have someone (gf?) hold the horn button, and try jumping the three prongs of the relay socket in different combinations to see if you can get the horn to go off. If you can, go down to Pep Boys and spend $1.50 on a relay. If you can't, go down to pep boys and spend $10 on a replacement horn...but I'd almost guaruntee it is the relay.

shakran · 04-21-2004, 05:20 AM

it actually can be. I had a bad switch on my 91 civic that CAUSED the relay to die. What had happened was that the greese in the steering wheel joint had, over the years, picked up a lot of dust and other crap, and had gotten sticky. This caused the switch to sit too close to the metal ring, and it made rapid intermittant contact. The relay flipped on and off just as rapidly, and it didn't take long for it to die.

04-17-2004, 10:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
Bossnass Détente Location: AWOL in Edmonton	Simple little civic horn problem... The horn has stopped working in my girlfriends 94 Honda Civic. No alarm has ever been installed on this car, and of course the fuse is fine. It clicks when I try to honk the horn. I take this to mean that the relay is ok. Or I'm confused and it means the relay is toast. As far as I can tell, the wire connections at the horn itself are intact, looks like a clip harness. The little teeny tiny horn is wedged so close to the radiator and bumper I can't easily get to it. Yeah, I understand that tight spaces are a fact of life when working on cars, but I'm a big guy and this is a civic. I'm also thinking that the horn is screwed in, but my forearm is scraped up enough for now. So where should I go from here? Seems like such a bloody hassle for a horn. I've messed with truck engines, but I've never really touched an import.

04-18-2004, 01:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
BoCo Fear the bunny Location: Hanging off the tip of the Right Wing	My Civic horn broke when I smacked a railroad tie in someone's front yard the first winter I had it. I bought 2 new ones at AutoZone and wired them in parallel and bolted them to the same hole the old one was in. They work fine but I'd still like a couple horns from a Suburban under there. __________________ Activism is a way for useless people to feel important.

04-21-2004, 02:25 AM	#7 (permalink)
telekinetic zomgomgomgomgomgomg Location: Fauxenix, Azerona	If the relay clicks, it isn't a busted switch If I were you, I would take a length of wire, and test the horns...pop the relay out, have someone (gf?) hold the horn button, and try jumping the three prongs of the relay socket in different combinations to see if you can get the horn to go off. If you can, go down to Pep Boys and spend $1.50 on a relay. If you can't, go down to pep boys and spend $10 on a replacement horn...but I'd almost guaruntee it is the relay. __________________ twisted no more

04-18-2004, 03:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	If you can get a voltage source to the horns, make sure the horn itself is working. The clicking "usually" means the relay is working (I've had one instance where it wasn't), but that should also save a lot of work in that you know there isn't a break somewhere between the column and the relay. I'd see if you can get at the horn leads with a multimeter and see if you're getting any power when its pressed. If you dont want to go through the hassle of trying to trace the horn wires back, it may be worthwhile to just clip the wires at the relay, buy a regular relay for $1 and run some new wires for it.

04-18-2004, 04:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	There are two trouble spots for horns on hondas: The horns themselves, and the switch in the steering wheel. If I recall, your car has an airbag, which means if it's the steering wheel switch you'll have to get it fixed rather than doing it yourself. To access the horns, remove the front bumper cover. The mounting bolts are probably behind the bumper lights. There will be screws over by the wheels as well. Once that's removed, the horns will be right there. Test 'em by hooking them directly to the battery. No sound = replace horn.

04-18-2004, 05:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
Bossnass Détente Location: AWOL in Edmonton	Thanks guys. I mostly didn't want to go to the hassle of getting to the horns if the problem was elsewhere. Looks unavoidable as I'm pretty sure now that it's the horns. I do have an airbag, shakran, am I wrong to think that if the steering wheel switch is functional enough to make the relay click, then it's the horns causing the problems? Pardon my ignornace, but does every car horn have two horns within it? The little canister that I think is the "horn", I can open that up and find two actual horns within that? Or am I just not seeing something? I'll put it off untill I can get to a better working location and my tools, not the dimly lit parkade of the apartment block with a borrowed socket set. Hrm. If I'm actually going to put effort into this, I'm seriously considering looking for a little air compressor and hooking up an air horn. As I find myself driving this car somewhat freqently, I'd like to be able to catch the attention of the next SUV/pickup that decides they have the right of way because they are larger.

04-18-2004, 06:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	you are most likely correct IF the click is the relay. It could also be the busted switch Is your steering wheel set up with the two horn buttons like they had on most early airbags, or do you just hit the center of the horn like normal cars? Most cars have 2 horns, your civic is no exception. One's on the left of the bumper, the other's on the right. If you're not getting sound from BOTH of them, that kinda makes me think horn switch. You may end up wanting to track down an electrical service manual for your car and go after it yourself unless you determine it's in the wheel - shops like to charge HUNDREDS of dollars for electrical diagnostic work.

04-21-2004, 05:20 AM	#8 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	it actually can be. I had a bad switch on my 91 civic that CAUSED the relay to die. What had happened was that the greese in the steering wheel joint had, over the years, picked up a lot of dust and other crap, and had gotten sticky. This caused the switch to sit too close to the metal ring, and it made rapid intermittant contact. The relay flipped on and off just as rapidly, and it didn't take long for it to die.