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Problem with horn & headlights


lancec

Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
9
Vehicle Year
2004
Transmission
Automatic
Hi Folks, I'm really stumped here and I'm hoping you folks can steer me in the right direction.

A bit of background, I have a 04 Ranger 4x4 XLT.

With the headlights off, I can operate the horn normally.

When I have the headlights in the on (the knob all the way over), after anywhere from 20-5 minutes, the horn will just start blaring by its self, even if I'm just idling. If I turn the headlights off, the horn will stop. If I turn the lights on, and hit the horn (before it does it by its self), it will stay on.

So right now I'm running with the horn fuse out, but not having interior lights (same circuit) is really annoying!

Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone has seen this before, or has any idea what could be causing it. I really can't tell how the horn and headlights are related, since they are on seperate circuits. :icon_confused:

Thanks for any help!
Lance
 
loose wire or short in the column? as the bright/dim switch is there could be the culprit... idk

I thought of that, like the clockspring in there, but it doesn't seem to matter if I'm running on reg beams or high beams. I also checked to see if it was the fog lamps, but the same problem happens on or off.

Any suggestion on how to diagnose that, or than tearing apart the wheel and removing the airbag?
 
Thanks for the luck, I think I'll need it!

Now I have a new symptom. I pulled the fuse for the horn, and today now my park lights (not the headlamps, just the little ones) stay on even with the headlights turned off and the key out.

I removed the negative terminal off the battery for the time being as I don't want to find my truck on fire in the driveway.... Boy I hope someone has some ideas!
 
Problem solved. After getting my paws on the service manual for the ranger, it ended up being corrosion (LOTS of corrosion) on one of the main connectors into the fuse panel on the passenger side floor.

Whew!
 

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