90CamaroTBI

Ok well my horn does not work and I need it to pass state inspection. I have an airbag wheels so I do not want to just rip it all apart and ruin my wheel. So what I did was go out and buy one of those black horn buttons. Now to wire this, what wires do I need to find under the dash and what else do I need to do besides just mount the button?

Wadebryant

Have you first tried replacing the horn wiring under the air bag? Many times the clear plastic spring assembly contacts crack and the horn wont work.

90CamaroTBI

I thought that if I put a button before that, then it bypasses it and I dont need to rip open the air bag right?

90CamaroTBI

There has to be a wire.

Wadebryant

I'd try to fix it first. This is an easy repair project. Disconnect the batt., remove the four torx screws from the back side of the steering wheel, the air bag will come right out and you have access to the problem prone plastic spring loaded horn wire assembly. The replacement part is less than $20. Have it ready, remove the old unit, reassemble. Shouldnt take more than an hour.

90CamaroTBI

Would my wheel look hideous when I put it back together?

Wadebryant

Not at all! You'd simply be replacing the OE stock horn wire loom, with an OE horn wire loom. No unsitely bulges or anything like that.

Sometimes the plastic around the edges of the air bag get a little warped or curled which makes the black air bag cover look like it's coming off. That's mostly a cosmetic thing but, you can trim the hard white colored plastic if needed and epoxy the cover around the edge. None of this is necessary to the steering wheel horn function unless it's preventing the two wire loom button contacts from completing their function.

Anyway, pull the air bag. You'll find the wireloom that we're discussing. No big deal to replace. Good luck!

Duck

Is there any chance the air bag will deploy accidently, or is just disconnecting the battery enough to render it non-deployable.

Wadebryant

There is always a "remote possibility" that the air bag could deploy as the air bag system is designed to be armed with sufficent stored dc current to activate the air bag should the main battery system be damaged upon impact. In addition to the battery, the air bag system's fuse could be disconnected from the fuse panel if that helps to aleviate one's anxiety about working with the air bag system.

Once the screws are removed from the steering wheel the air bag will still be teathered to the air bag system with the yellow sleeved wiring. It is not necessary to disconnect this wiring to replace the horn wire harness below the air bag. Even so, if the yellow sleeved wiring to the bag is disconnected, chances are that air bag will not deploy as you are not working with the arming sensors themself. I prefer to disconnect the main electrical system,
remove the bag from the wheel, disconnect the yellow sleeved wiring, set the bag outside of the car, replace the steering wheel horn harness, reconnect the bag wiring, install the screws. Reconnect the main electrical system, get into the vehicle on the passenger side, start the car and check the dash light to make sure that the air bag system light goes through it's test cycle then check the horn function.

The first time I did this proceedure, I wore a full face helment.

Good luck

SMKNTRS

You have a part # or anything for the replacement? I have the same problem with mine.

Wadebryant

Just to make sure, what model and year are you needing help with?

SMKNTRS

1992 all models should be the same. I got an airbag in my wheel. Someone told me my button wiring was fine and that it was something behind my steering wheel

Wadebryant

Not to get nasty but, maybe you should ask that "someone" to help you fix it.

Classic Industries, Specialists in GM muscle car restoration and performance parts. sells the steering wheel horn switch under part # G7349 for about $23. You can also purchase the part from your GM dealer or get it cheap from most salvage yards.

Firebird1991

Ok I got the same problem horn doesnt work and inspection is runing out. So being a noobie I took my 1991 Firbird to Midas thinking they would fix it... BAD IDEA!!! $76 thrown in wind. Right before the problem I had the whole wiring harness replaced because my ground wire burned and my ac didnt work. After I got that fixed the horn went out. The guy at Midas tried something and he got the horn working by hooking up a switch to it... but that was only for testing purposes. He said that the buttons in my steering wheel where burned?... and said taht theres no replace ment parts unless you get a whole new Air bag assembly... Is that true? Because the estimate for a whole Airbag assembly replacement was about $900 I have less then a week until my inspection is out. I am trying to find a good machenic that wount suggest replacing my Airbag assembly and suck as much money out of me as he can... please someone hekp me.

86TpiTransAm

I know I'm bringing back a year old post but I just had to reply to this because I am just so amazed at what repair shops will tell people to get money out of them. Plus I'm bored.

First, to answer Firebird1991s question. NO, it is absolutely not true that you have to replace the entire airbag assembly to fix the horn buttons. They are actually two completely separate assemblies. I don't have the part # here, it's at work, but the horn assembly is around $26 from GM and consists of two horn buttons with two black ground wires coming off them and two red wires coming off them going to a single plastic spring loaded connector that just slides into a hole in the steering wheel. Very very simple replacement.

Second, for those concerned about accidental airbag deployment the proper procedure is as follows. Step 1, remove the SIR fuse from the fuse panel. Step 2, remove the lower panel under the steering column and locate the yellow connector with the wires labeled SIR and disconnect the connector. Step 3, loosen the 4 bolts behind the steering wheel which will allow the airbag assembly to come out. Step 4, disconnect the wire from the airbag wiring harness. Step 5, make repairs as needed. Step 6, reconnect airbag wiring harness. Step 7, reinstall airbag and tighten screws behind steering wheel. Step 8, reconnect yellow SIR connector and reinstall lower panel under steering column. Step 9, reinstall SIR fuse. Step 10, start car and make sure the airbag dash light flashes 6 or 7 times to indicate everything is working properly.

handeyman

tpitransam do you know the part number?

NINÅ

MarionCobretti

For those that have asked about the GM Part No, it's 17989608. This part is for all 90-92 Camaros and Firebirds (any third gen with an airbag). It's now $29.14 from the dealer, although I just bought one on ebay from seller "chevypartsguys" for $27 shipped. None of the dealers around here had it in stock anyway, so I would have had to wait a couple days regardless of where I bought it.

It looks like it should be a relatively easy fix, and not having a horn is a a safety issue, so if your horn isn't working, this is definitely a worthwhile thing to do.

EDIT: Oops. Now I see that the post immediately above mine has the part number. With the centered and oddly colored text, I thought it was an ad and skipped right over it. Sorry.

whowasat

I'm replying to this old post because the part number in question, 17989608, horn switch assembly, is no longer available from GM or any dealer source or GM part source I can find. Classic Industries is also out of it and has no suggestions. The plastic housings of this horn switch assembly just crumble with age, so junkyard parts are likely not a good option. Does anyone have a suggestion?

NINÅ

whowasat

Thanks for the suggestion, but it turns out that GM-PartsCenter.com is one of several such sources that have listed the part but don't actually have any. They checked their national parts locators and came up empty.

This horn switch assembly was discontinued several years ago. Many 90-92 F-body owners are going to be stuck unless someone can come up with a solution.

NINÅ

Yenipenny

Here's a pair:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/90-92-Camaro...691016&vxp=mtr

A couple of months ago I got a new pair off Ebay for about the same price, but the shipping was less.

whowasat

Thank you both for the suggestions. I ordered the used switch assembly from the eBay link but the back up plan is also useful.

Z28/ZR1

This might help. You would need a momentary switch.

http://www.radioshack.com/family/ind...rigkw=switches

bridgemanjr

Finally got around to putting on the correct leather steering wheel for my 1991 vert and both buttons for the horn were completely demolished. I found this thread, and as I got to the bottom of it my heart sunk. I have had ZERO luck in locating a replacement. I don't want to go the route of duct tape/crazy glue modification of buttons to have something look and work haphazardly for a horn. Has anyone had any luck in locating a replacement, or have an extra part # 17989608 around? I have MS and it is hard for me to skulk around in junkyards to locate a suitable replacement. Thanks gang !

Yenipenny

A few months ago I swapped out my horn buttons. If I remember correctly, I got them from Hawk's Third Gen. My old ones may still be usable. I'll check and see. If so, you can have them.

bridgemanjr

Thanks my friend, no luck with any of the local car dealers or junk yards.

Yenipenny

These appear to be quite useable. Plastic is solid and not brittle. As insurance, the contacts should probably be bent down just a bit so that you wouldn't have to press so hard to make the contact.

If you still want them, provide me your mailing address and I'll send them to you...no charge.

These came out of a 92 Camaro.

Yenipenny

Sorry. You snooze, you lose. They now have a home.

bridgemanjr

Damn, I was going to pay you for them!!! I can't get access to the page at work. (

Yenipenny

I offered them for free, but you didn't accept in a timely manner. I wouldn't have accepted pay for them anyway. Good luck in your search.

erictheviking

You can just see mine under the light switch. Mine in the steering wheel was broken, didn't want to mess with it

bridgemanjr

Still looking....if anyone has any clue about where to find a replacement part I would appreciate it. [I don't want to install a horn button.] Please contact me by e-mail as I work I do not have immediate access to the internet at work. My email is bridgemanjr@yahoo.com. Thanks....as always!

Rocksalt

I know this is WAY late, but may help someone else.. GM part #21044209 for the Saturn has the same plungers, but different connectors. The buttons themselves are the same and cane be taken and spliced into our Camaro wiring. That part is still sold and is on Amazon. That is how I worked around my issue. Best of luck!
Rock

Gilaad

This is a tired old thread, but the issue with the part persists. Any leads on where to buy a new horn switch? Like a few of these guys, inspection failed due to faulty horn switches. Anyone?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Find any momentary contact push button switch that you can mount under the tabs of the airbag. The OE switch isn't much more than a couple brass contacts and a spring.

vinny R

Looks like you can still get them from Classic Industries.... Product #: G7349

haps

iTrader: (4)

Gonna weigh in here. Classic Industries no longer sells them. Can't seem to find anyone that has a set. May need to do the modification route.