Just fixed my horn today and it turned out to be something that no forum had posted. Horn was intermittent. Sometimes it worked when I turned the wheel.
I tried every solution I could find on every forum.
1) fuse
2)Relay
2a) Connections to both horns
3)Removed airbag, cleaned spring connector hole, replaced the horn switch.
4) Replaced the clock spring.
Horn was still the same after all that. I'm a mechanical engineer and pretty good shade tree mechanic. I was really frustrated after having spent all the time and money on parts. I have always been able to find info on the web to fix almost anything. I hope I can help someone else with what I found.
Some people think that the horn switch goes through the clock spring wiring on my 03 Sierra. TURNS OUT IT DOES NOT. The clock spring wiring carries the airbag and all of the steering mounted accessory controls.
There is a spring loaded contact pin on the turn signal. It contacts a ring on
the steering shaft and carries the horn circuit to the fuse/relay just like the old cars worked. SEE PIC.
You will need to remove the column trim. I cleaned the contact pin and all around the contact ring with electronic spray cleaner and qtips. It was better but the horn still would not work in certain positions while turning. I sanded the ring lightly with 800 grit sandpaper while the engine was running and turning the wheel back and forth. Then cleaned again with e-spray.
Still it was not 100% fixed. I removed the turn signal to see what kind of travel and spring pressure I had. The contact pin seemed to be worn and I suspected it was not contacting the entire circumference of the contact ring.
That turned out to be the problem. The contact ring had a few thousandths of runout while turning the steering wheel and there was not enough travel left. I took out the four screws to open up the turn signal housing but then decided I had a better idea. Plus I didn't want to chance having parts spring out when I opened it up. I needed to use my truck in a couple hours.
Instead I reinstalled it loosely and put two #10 washers under the bottom torx screw to bring it slightly closer to the contact ring, then tightened the screws and road tested it. SUCCESS!! Afterward I spread a very light film of dielectric grease on the contact ring with a q tip so it would last a while before I need to fix or replace the turn signal.
Hope that helps someone else.
I am trying to attach a picture for the first time so hopefully it works.
Mark
I tried every solution I could find on every forum.
1) fuse
2)Relay
2a) Connections to both horns
3)Removed airbag, cleaned spring connector hole, replaced the horn switch.
4) Replaced the clock spring.
Horn was still the same after all that. I'm a mechanical engineer and pretty good shade tree mechanic. I was really frustrated after having spent all the time and money on parts. I have always been able to find info on the web to fix almost anything. I hope I can help someone else with what I found.
Some people think that the horn switch goes through the clock spring wiring on my 03 Sierra. TURNS OUT IT DOES NOT. The clock spring wiring carries the airbag and all of the steering mounted accessory controls.
There is a spring loaded contact pin on the turn signal. It contacts a ring on
the steering shaft and carries the horn circuit to the fuse/relay just like the old cars worked. SEE PIC.
You will need to remove the column trim. I cleaned the contact pin and all around the contact ring with electronic spray cleaner and qtips. It was better but the horn still would not work in certain positions while turning. I sanded the ring lightly with 800 grit sandpaper while the engine was running and turning the wheel back and forth. Then cleaned again with e-spray.
Still it was not 100% fixed. I removed the turn signal to see what kind of travel and spring pressure I had. The contact pin seemed to be worn and I suspected it was not contacting the entire circumference of the contact ring.
That turned out to be the problem. The contact ring had a few thousandths of runout while turning the steering wheel and there was not enough travel left. I took out the four screws to open up the turn signal housing but then decided I had a better idea. Plus I didn't want to chance having parts spring out when I opened it up. I needed to use my truck in a couple hours.
Instead I reinstalled it loosely and put two #10 washers under the bottom torx screw to bring it slightly closer to the contact ring, then tightened the screws and road tested it. SUCCESS!! Afterward I spread a very light film of dielectric grease on the contact ring with a q tip so it would last a while before I need to fix or replace the turn signal.
Hope that helps someone else.
I am trying to attach a picture for the first time so hopefully it works.
Mark
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