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Horns

jseremba

Well-known member
Joined
May 16, 2013
Messages
53
Location
Toms River, NJ
Corvette
1989 Blue Z51 6 spd Manual Transmission
Hello Everybody

I own a 1989 Z51 6 spd. My horns do not work. I took the center off the steering wheel and found this. Is this what it is supposed to look like. The spring is on the yellow wire. When I ran a wire from battery ground to the yellow wire the horns did sound.
 

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Hello Everybody

I own a 1989 Z51 6 spd. My horns do not work. I took the center off the steering wheel and found this. Is this what it is supposed to look like. The spring is on the yellow wire. When I ran a wire from battery ground to the yellow wire the horns did sound.

You need to clean the two prongs with the yellow arrows pointing to them.
You also need to clean the contact area the two prongs make when the horn button is pushed down.
That grounds the Yellow wire. Use sand paper or crocus cloth to clean the metal surface.

 
You need to clean the two prongs with the yellow arrows pointing to them.
You also need to clean the contact area the two prongs make when the horn button is pushed down.
That grounds the Yellow wire. Use sand paper or crocus cloth to clean the metal surface.


You are correct. Just after I posted the thread I looked at the photos and said . Could use a little cleaning. I had to clean the cigarette lighter with 1500 sand paper so that the lighter worked. No lighter. No Cell phone. No tow truck, YIKES!!!!
Thank you
 
No horn on 1991 ?

I tested the security and the horns do work, but neither of the two buttons on the wheel work. Any ideas on how to fix, probably a bad contact point but I do not know how to remove depressors. I saw the post on a later model that has the button on the middle of the wheel, but mine has the two pads, one on each side. Any help appreciated.
 
I tested the security and the horns do work, but neither of the two buttons on the wheel work. Any ideas on how to fix, probably a bad contact point but I do not know how to remove depressors. I saw the post on a later model that has the button on the middle of the wheel, but mine has the two pads, one on each side. Any help appreciated.

There are two ways the horns can be enabled.
1) By the steering wheel horn buttons. (Which do go bad/crumble on a 91).
2) The Central Control Module which controls the factory alarm.

When the factory alarm goes off, you should hear the horn relay clicking/pulsing even if the horns don't sound.
You should also hear the horn relay click each time you press the horn button even if the horns don't sound.

If you don't hear the horn relay click you need to swap the horn relay out.
The horn relay control side gets power from the LCD fuse and the load side gets 12 volts from the Theft fuse to power the horns.

If you do hear the horn relay click you need to unplug the single spade lug connector on each
horn and verify there is 12 volts on that wire when the horn is activated.

You can remove the horns and apply 12 volts to them to verify they work.

The horns are mounted on the front of the frame rails and exposed to road salt and water.
They usually rot out.


Here's a picture of the horn relay location on a 90. I'm not 100% positive but I think a 91 should be the same.
The relays are located under the front edge of the passenger side under the dash.

All of the relays are the same so you can swap them around.
 
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There are two ways the horns can be enabled.
1) By the steering wheel horn buttons. (Which do go bad/crumble on a 91).
2) The Central Control Module which controls the factory alarm.

When the factory alarm goes off, you should hear the horn relay clicking/pulsing even if the horns don't sound.
You should also hear the horn relay click each time you press the horn button even if the horns don't sound.

If you don't hear the horn relay click you need to verify the horn fuse is good and if it is swap the horn relay out.

If you do hear the horn relay click you need to unplug the single spade lug connector on each
horn and verify there is 12 volts on that wire when the horn is activated.

You can remove the horns and apply 12 volts to them to verify they work.

The horns are mounted on the front of the frame rails and exposed to road salt and water.
They usually rot out.


Here's a picture of the horn relay location on a 90. I'm not 100% positive but I think a 91 should be the same.
The relays are located under the front edge of the passenger side under the dash.

All of the relays are the same so you can swap them around.
Dave looks like these guys have got you covered good luck
 
If the steering wheel horn switches don't work you need to remove the air bag.

Disconnect the negative battery cable and wait about 30 minutes.

Use a 30mm torx bit and remove the two torx screws on the back of the steering wheel.
The screws will stay in place. Pull the air bag off. You can leave the one wire going to the air bag
connected and work around the air bag or disconnect the wire from the air bag. If you remove the air bag store the air bag facing upwards.

Look at the two horn button switches. They are wired in parallel.
Each switch has a wire that goes to ground.
The other wire goes to the horn relay control side.
If you ground the wire that goes to the horn relay control side, the horn should sound.
Most likely the horn switches have crumbled.
 
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Thx ecss, thats what I needed to know, since I already eliminated the horns themselves with a alarm test, which I stated in my first post they did work, It has to be the steering wheel switches and I will take that on next week. thx again to all of your guys help. I am learning something new every day !
 
Thx ecss, thats what I needed to know, since I already eliminated the horns themselves with a alarm test, which I stated in my first post they did work, It has to be the steering wheel switches and I will take that on next week. thx again to all of your guys help. I am learning something new every day !

I dont' know what the difference is between 90-96 horn switches but Corvettecentral.com lists horn switches for 94-96 for the bargain price of $69.95 plus shipping. Not sure if that is for one or two switches. :mad

 
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Uh OOhh, I cant seem to find the horn switch available for my 91 at CC or Ekerts. :(:hb

Well it appears 90 to at least 93 the contacts were part of the button.
In 94-96 they used separate button and switches.

Reproduction buttons are on E-bay.

Here's a link showing the guy pried the button off with out removing the air bag. The horn signal I believe passes thru the air bag clock spring. Hopefully Bubba hasn't been in there.

Scroll down to post 8.

Horn switch not working on my 90' - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion
 
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Ok, so I got both buttons off without any trouble. Everything inside, plastic pushers, copper contacts not deformed, nice curve in them and nipples underneath look intact. I also pushed them down with a plastic stick and made contact with the plate underneath. None of them produced a sound. Since I know the horns are working because of the alarm test that proved it, then would your opinion be that the only thing left is the center hub post that both sides connect to right ? ( I have also already checked the aux fuse under the glove box, Ok) so this center post thingy is only accessible by removing the air bag I understand. Would this sound right ?
 
I had a similar issue with mine. Took me a while to figure it out. I ended up removing the steering wheel. Off of the back of the steering wheel is a spring that makes contact inside for the horn. Mine needed some cleaning and all was good.
Hope this helps.
Mike
 

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