Horn not working, Started going off on its own and now dead Options

[HCRDAN]

Hi all,

So yesterday, I'm driving to lunch and the horn starts honking on its own, on/off/on/off. I pull over thinking I'm going to pull the fuse for now. Pull out manual to see which fuse it would be, and notice that it also powers wipers and other devices. While I am looking all this up, horn is quiet. So I figure I'll drive it home and see what I can figure out.

When I got home, I pressed the horn pad, no sound... Wipers are working, so the fuse is still intact (I assume). Stock wheel/horn pad on a 73 2.0L.

Any ideas? I'm thinking it is a lose wire at the horn pad (or where else...?), and it came lose and was flapping around and closing the circuit.

I've never removed the horn pad so any tips or guidance?

Thanks

DG

[Rand]

I agree, sounds like the wire came loose under the horn pad. Just twist it counter clockwise and pull it off.

[ericread]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

If the connector has come loose, after a while it can cause a fuse to pop. But usually, it will just continue to be annoying and honk.

Take off the steering wheel cover and let us know what you find.

Eric Read

[HCRDAN]

OK, so took the horn pad off and sure enough, that is where the problem is. But it is not just a lose wire. The male tab on the metal ring that screws onto the pad is broken and stuck in the crimp connector. I can pull the tab out of the female receptacle, but I need to repair/replace the tab.

So... What are my best shots at repairing this? Is the metal ring available?

A quick search on Pelican shows several items (but no pics unfortunately), not sure which one I need, and one is NLA.

(this is the NLA)
914-347-831-00-OEM Horn Contact Pin, 914 1.7/1.8/2.0 (1972-1976), Each
Brand: Genuine Porsche

and

914-347-832-00-OEM Horn Contact Button, 73MM, 914 1.7 (1971), Each
Brand: Genuine Porsche

Anyone have one to sell?

[904svo]

Can you post a picture of it? so we can see what you need.

[r_towle]

remove the retaining ring from the horn button/pad
solder on a new connector.
Put it back in.

Rich

[HCRDAN]

sorry about the poor picture quality. It is all I have at the moment.

[HCRDAN]

Sorry, file was too large. Will have to work on this and post later.

[HCRDAN]

The part I am looking for is the silver ring under the donut and retaining ring. Hoping this photo is clear enough.

Worse case, I'll dig out the soldering iron, but I'm concerned about the longevity of such a repair.

[ericread]

I have gone through this exact same problem...

Auto Atlanta was in the process of stamping new horn rings a few months ago. I finally got tired of waiting and did my own thing.

Things not to do:
1. Soldering a new tab on the ring didn't work for me.
2. Do not drill through the ring into the horn pad base metal. The horn ring is held off the horn pad by non-conducting washers. If you create a short to the horn pad, the horn will sound continually.

My success:
I decided that the tab that held the horn wire to the horn ring could be re-created by cutting a "U" shaped section in the horn ring itself. Bend the "U" shaped tap up slightly. The horn wire, with a proper connector, should slide onto this tab tightly.



The above picture has been borrowed from page 57 of the Auto Atlanta catalog, which is available to download free of charge from Auto Atlanta (no affiliation - Thanks George).

The horn wire comes from item #2. Please note that the outside ring of this item is conducting, and may become damaged with age, causing intermittant horn problems. I suggest you replace this piece.

The Horn Ring is labeled as item #6. You can either order a new one from George, or cut a tab into your existing ring like I did.

Make sure the non-conducting washers are replaced correctly when you re-mount your horn ring, otherwise your horn will not work correctly.

Good luck!

Eric Read

[HCRDAN]

Thanks Eric. I'll get the Dremel out tomorrow and cut a connector tab out of the lip of the ring, near the original connection spot, and connect it that way. Should hold for another 35 years...

If I have problems with that, I guess I'll opt for the AA catalog but a look at that (and thanks for sending the reference) is ~$30 for a used ring, not a NOS or repro. If a quick cut will do, that seems to be the simplest course of action.

DG

[Dave_Darling]

A friend of mine who is good at soldering put a new metal tab on the horn ring in my car with silver solder. That was a decade ago, I think, and it has held up just fine since then.

Cutting a new tab should work well, as long as you don't fatigue the metal. Don't bend it too far, in other words, and don't bend it back and forth.

--DD