Horn does not work, why!?

[StrangerXLT]

When i bought my truck a month ago i knew the horn didnt work, but i have no idea why and i would really like to get it working since i have already found myself slamming the horn with no sound trying to avoid disaster. can anyone help me narrow down what it could be?

 

[GBranger04]

check your fusses? one of them could be blown. otherwise i would guess wiring. but i really don't know much

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

blown fuse, bad horn, bad clock spring, bad wiring.

id check in that order.

 

[snake]

Quickest way to eliminate the horn as a problem is to run 12V from the battery down to the horn. It should be grounded through the mounting, and then have a spade connector. Run from the hot on the battery to the spade connector. If the horn blows you know it is good, and has good ground. If it doesn't, run a test light from the + terminal on the battery to the horn and see if the light lights up. If it does, you know you have good ground. If the horn doesn't blow with the 12V hotwire, put the testlight into the connector and have someone mash on the horn button. If the test light lights up, bad horn. Cheap and simple to replace. If no power to the connector, start checking the above mentioned stuff, relay, fuse, clockspring, etc.

Edit- if it has cruise and it doesn't work either, thats evidence the clockspring might be the culprit.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

check the fuse as mentioned above, and if that looks good loosen the screws on the underside of the steering wheel and pull the cover off. if your truck has air bags make sure to pull that fuse out first so you dont go bang! once the cover is off you can see how the horn switch works and see if everything is connected and wires arent broken off from their connectors. if everything looks good, then youll probably have to look at the horn itself as mentioned above.

 

[Mark_88]

Most problems I've had with horns were dut to the connector wires getting corroded...they usually just clip onto the connectors so pulling them off and checking that the connection is clean is the first thing I'd try (next to the fuse, of course)...but fuses usually have two or three devices running off them...like tail or backup lights...or lighter...so without even pulling the fuse you can check the user manual to see what else is supposed to run off that fuse and test them...if they work, then it is not a fuse...

 

[pimtool]

Ive had 2 or 3 of them that werent getting to ground. The bracket that holds them get rusty.

 

[cr_the_machinist]

Most problems I've had with horns were dut to the connector wires getting corroded...they usually just clip onto the connectors so pulling them off and checking that the connection is clean is the first thing I'd try (next to the fuse, of course)...but fuses usually have two or three devices running off them...like tail or backup lights...or lighter...so without even pulling the fuse you can check the user manual to see what else is supposed to run off that fuse and test them...if they work, then it is not a fuse...

That happened to mine when I got sick of my airhorns. I popped the positive back on the the tab on the horn and nothing. It pulled it on and off a half dozen time to clean the contact and presto! Look at the simple things first.

 

[spaz1879]

check the fuse as mentioned above, and if that looks good loosen the screws on the underside of the steering wheel and pull the cover off. if your truck has air bags make sure to pull that fuse out first so you dont go bang!

to avoid the airbag deploying while you are removing the airbag unhook the battery and wait 2 mins

 

[Southern3.0]

I had to replace the horn relay on my '96, to test it just swap the horn relay with another relay in the under hood fuse box and see if takes care of it.