weak buzzer

[Dav]

88 ranger 2/9 auto. buzzer/dinger for 'key is in the ignition' is so faint it can only be heard when there is no external noise. same for the horn. what should i start looking at?
this truck is new to me and i am trying to de-bug it before putting the removable hardtop kit on it. odo reads 52k, just dont know which 52. thinking 152 due to overall condition of the truck. but i did half a compression test yesterday (because it is damn near impossible to get at the plugs on the pass side due to the a/c) and got 85, 89, 95

 

[RonD]

2.9l should be above 140psi, above 100psi to even start/run so I would suspect that compression gauge, but the 3 numbers are close enough together to show no bad cylinders

get a jumper wire and connect it to battery +
Then touch other end to the horn to see if its loud and you have a wiring issue, or if horn is shot and you need a replacement.

Can't say where the door chime is in an 1988, under the dash but not sure of location, but it can be replaced, and thats most likely what needs to be done

Video here shows what you are looking for: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AByXlkM8p8

 

[Dav]

i swapped horns with one of my parts trucks, no change. i checked the original horn as you suggested, works fine. drat! i HATE looking for wiring problems
watched that video and will crawl under the dash in a couple of days.
now that it is getting dark, and the rain has let up, i think i'll go check all the lights. (the interior light works great! haven't had one in my dd for 12 years now (95 ranger))

 

[RonD]

Not sure what the horn is bolt to in your year but make sure is has a good Ground, all the metal parts in the truck are painted FIRST, then assembled at the factory so no "good grounds" unless it is wired to a ground.

 

[adsm08]

The dinger on the 1st gens is a little brown box with a speaker grate between the top of the glove box and the bottom of the cubby. The shape of the pug is similar to the diagnostic port under the hood, but smaller.

The horns on the 1st gen are bolted to the rad support. Should be a good ground, but still, RonD's hot wire test is simple and conclusive, so do it.

I would suspect a weak contact at the sliding ring on the back of the steering wheel, as that is the most common place for wear to happen.