When your car horn goes out, it’s not just a pain in the ass; it’s a safety issue. You could find yourself in some dangerous situations. Here’s how you can find and fix the problem yourself.
Car horns not working can be scary. You could have an electrical problem or a component failure. Here’s what you need to do to figure out what’s wrong with your car horn and how to fix it.
So, let’s get started, and we’ll walk you through how to figure out what’s wrong with your car horn and how to fix it.
Initial Troubleshooting
Start with the easy stuff. Check the horn fuse and the horn button. Find your fuse box (check your owner’s manual), find the horn fuse, and see if it’s blown. Look at the horn button to see if it’s worn out and not completing the circuit.
Inspecting the Horn Relay
The horn relay is a key piece that often goes bad. You can find your horn relay in your fuse box or under the hood. Use your multimeter to check for continuity. If you don’t have continuity, replace the relay, and you’re good to go.
Testing the Horn Itself
Disconnect the horn and connect it directly to the battery using jumper wires. If the horn doesn’t blow, it’s probably bad. Check for corrosion on the terminals before you replace it, because that might be the problem.
Electrical Connections and Wiring
Look at all the wiring going to and from your horn and horn switch. Look for frayed wires, loose connections, or corroded terminals. Fixing or replacing damaged wiring will fix your horn.
Professional Intervention
If these things don’t fix your problem, it might be time to call a professional. You may have a bigger electrical issue or a deeper mechanical problem that requires more than you have in your toolbox.
In a nutshell, if you go through the process we just outlined, you should be able to figure out what’s wrong with your horn and fix it.
