My horn isn't working.
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Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 152
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Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: 4 Speed Automatic
My horn isn't working.
I have a 1991 Camaro RS,and my horn isn't working.
I checked the fuse and it's fine. I tried jumping the horn on its own (not sure if what I did would've worked or not) by taking a set of jumper cables,connection them to my battery,and then putting the positive cable on the horn connection. I had no sound from either one.
I took a voltmeter and put up to the horns' power feed wires. I had the key on,a buddy pressing the horn,and grounded the negetive wire in several different areas to be sure. I got no volt readings.
My guess would be there's gotta be something in the circuit that's wrong because according the fuse box diagram,there's the horn relay,cabin lights,and cigarette lighter all running through that 20 amp fuse,and my cabin lights don't work,or my cigarette lighter,and obviously not my horn.
The only other thing I think it could possibly be is the horns themselves. Remember I didn't get them to work on the battery unless I didn't do it right. And last fall when I started getting the car running I HAD to hose the bay out. The car sat for so long that everything was covered in sand,and I couldn't tell one thing from another. There's the possibility that I could have gotten the horns wet and ruined them. The horns worked fine before I hosed that out,but it was so long after before I tried using them. I find this unlikely though cause the openings for the horns are pointed down,and unless the horns aren't sealed well,I don't see how water could get in.
As you could probably tell,I'm not smart when it comes to electronic stuff. I'm afraid that if I plug a probe into the wrong thing I'll ruin something. Could somebody give me some insight on all this? What should I try next?
I checked the fuse and it's fine. I tried jumping the horn on its own (not sure if what I did would've worked or not) by taking a set of jumper cables,connection them to my battery,and then putting the positive cable on the horn connection. I had no sound from either one.
I took a voltmeter and put up to the horns' power feed wires. I had the key on,a buddy pressing the horn,and grounded the negetive wire in several different areas to be sure. I got no volt readings.
My guess would be there's gotta be something in the circuit that's wrong because according the fuse box diagram,there's the horn relay,cabin lights,and cigarette lighter all running through that 20 amp fuse,and my cabin lights don't work,or my cigarette lighter,and obviously not my horn.
The only other thing I think it could possibly be is the horns themselves. Remember I didn't get them to work on the battery unless I didn't do it right. And last fall when I started getting the car running I HAD to hose the bay out. The car sat for so long that everything was covered in sand,and I couldn't tell one thing from another. There's the possibility that I could have gotten the horns wet and ruined them. The horns worked fine before I hosed that out,but it was so long after before I tried using them. I find this unlikely though cause the openings for the horns are pointed down,and unless the horns aren't sealed well,I don't see how water could get in.
As you could probably tell,I'm not smart when it comes to electronic stuff. I'm afraid that if I plug a probe into the wrong thing I'll ruin something. Could somebody give me some insight on all this? What should I try next?
Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 116
Likes: 1
From: UT
Car: 89 IROC
Engine: l98 350 TPI
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 373s
Re: My horn isn't working.
Sounds like what I would have checked, straight from the batt. Not much of a horn expert, so long as you made a positive connection, and a good ground, sounds like horn went. But why I'm posting is my horn connection (when you take off the small piece on the steering wheel) was rusted, lightly sanded it, put some dilectrics on it, now a small tap will blat the horn.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 706
Likes: 5
From: Tennessee
Car: 1983 Z28
Engine: Carbed 305
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: My horn isn't working.
With the connector disconnected from the horn in the engine bay, depress the horn button on the steering wheel. You should hear a "CLICK" coming from under the dash. If you don't, then you need to replace your horn relay. Its located in the convenience center under the dash.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 152
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Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: 4 Speed Automatic
Re: My horn isn't working.
With the connector disconnected from the horn in the engine bay, depress the horn button on the steering wheel. You should hear a "CLICK" coming from under the dash. If you don't, then you need to replace your horn relay. Its located in the convenience center under the dash.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 706
Likes: 5
From: Tennessee
Car: 1983 Z28
Engine: Carbed 305
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: My horn isn't working.
It doesnt HAVE to be unplugged. It's just that the last time I gave this advice the guy swore he heard the clicking coming from the horn itself. The click will come from under the dash. The convenience center is to the right of the steering column under the dash. You will have to remove the plastic panel to see it. There should be a few different relays there. They will be labeled
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 706
Likes: 5
From: Tennessee
Car: 1983 Z28
Engine: Carbed 305
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: My horn isn't working.
No need to hunt for it if you hear it click. That means its working if it does. No click, replace the relay. Hope this helps
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 706
Likes: 5
From: Tennessee
Car: 1983 Z28
Engine: Carbed 305
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: My horn isn't working.
I should also say that the covenience center is separate from the fuse panel. Fuse panel is to the left of steering column, and convenience center is to the right. You will most likely have to remove the entire under dash panel to get to it.
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Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 152
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Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: 4 Speed Automatic
Re: My horn isn't working.
Ahh I see. Thanks for the clarity. I definitely don't hear a click. I'll be taking that panel off anyway to replace my gas pedal. Thanks again!
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 14
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From: Bay Area
Car: 1986 iROCz
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700r4
Re: My horn isn't working.
I had the same thing happen to me on my 86 iroc and I couldn't find the horn relay because it wasn't even there lol i put new one in and it worked after that
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 41
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From: Benton , Arkansas
Car: 89 Z28
Engine: tbi 305
Re: My horn isn't working.
Hi '91rs. I bet it is the clock spring behind the airbag. Horn not working is a classic symptom of the clock spring failure even if the airbag light is not on.
al
al
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 706
Likes: 5
From: Tennessee
Car: 1983 Z28
Engine: Carbed 305
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: My horn isn't working.
He's definately right. Even though I have never owned one with the airbag wheel, I remember them being an issue.
Supreme Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,482
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From: Northern, CA
Car: 1989 Iroc-Z Camaro
Engine: TBI,5.0
Transmission: Automatic 700R4
Axle/Gears: Eaton Posi,3.42,LPW Ultimate Cover
Re: My horn isn't working.
If you still can not fix it or you want to try this first before throwing parts at it than you can always use the proses of elimination starting with the horn. Use a multimeter or test light.
Disconnecting the wires from the horn and test each one for 12v power when you push on the horn button.
If you get 12v power on either wire then hook that wire back up.
So that tells us its either the horn or the ground wire that connects to the other post.
Now test the remaining post for power when you push on the horn button.
If you don't get any reading its the horn.
If you do get 12v when you try it than its the ground wire. You can either put back the original wire and run it to a good ground, or better yet replace it with a new wire to a good ground. Done
Disconnecting the wires from the horn and test each one for 12v power when you push on the horn button.
If you get 12v power on either wire then hook that wire back up.
So that tells us its either the horn or the ground wire that connects to the other post.
Now test the remaining post for power when you push on the horn button.
If you don't get any reading its the horn.
If you do get 12v when you try it than its the ground wire. You can either put back the original wire and run it to a good ground, or better yet replace it with a new wire to a good ground. Done
Last edited by Ron U.S.M.C.; Mar 11, 2016 at 01:19 AM.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 152
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Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: 4 Speed Automatic
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2025
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Enid Oklahoma
Car: 1991 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: 700R4
Re: My horn isn't working.
My cars been having a weird issue too that hopefully someone here will be able to help with, so I replace the horn buttons in my 91 Camaro because they were absolutely shot, and when I press them I can hear the horn relay click but nothing from the actual horns? We took a jumper wire and jumped one of the horns and it went off the other didn't, anyone know why this could be?
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