I have a 97 Dakota and the horn sometimes works but is very low volume but usually does not work at all. The keyless entry makes no noise when locking or unlocking the doors, and occasionally the "alarm" seems to get set off - the lights & flashers will flash until I reset the alram. I do not have an owners manual or wiring diagram for the horn, but wonder if the two problems are related. Anyone have any info on how the alram system should work (only two button remote - no panic button), or have any info on wiring for the horn?
TY - a montana dakota

 

Yes, it is possible for the two problems to be related. My 02 Dak had the same problem with horn and keyless entry. It would work quietly or not at all. Problem was water in the horns themselves from being washed. Try disconnecting horns completely from truck including mount to make it simple and even try shaking them. Listen for water. If there is, buy new horns, it will take you forever to get all the water out. If you don't hear water check horns direct to battery (connect Neg to Neg, connect Pos on horn and just tuch to Pos on battery.) If they work fine that way, then you either have a short in wiring or your horn button, but I'm bettin on the horns.

 

Thanks for the reply - I will check this out tonight & see what I find. - Appreciate the suggestion, I wouldn't have thought of water in the horns.

 

Did that solve your problem, or at least find it?

 

Defintely a bad horn. Jumper from battery Positive to the horn terminal yielded just more silence. I pulled the cover off the relays & fuses and I can hear the horn relay click when pressing the horn button. Just to be sure I swapped the horn relay with another just like it and it still clicked but no horn. I will grab a cheapo horn somewhere & hook it up - must be the problem though unless I have a bad ground, but don't see that as possible - clean mounting for the existing horn, doesn't look like it has ever been touched.

Thanks much for the help - I should know enough to check the obvious first, but since it worked at first albeit quietly, I figured the problem was more complicated. Duh me.

Thank you.[&o]

 

Any time on the help and I've done dumber things before. Lost fire once, started from plugs and worked back replacing it all one at a time. Got to computer with a month of trouble shooting, replaced it and still no fire. Ended up being a severed wire in the harness by fire wall going to ignition switch. 25 cents to fix with solder and heat shrink. I was pi$$ed and felt real dumb. Sometimes you just don't know. Glad you found the problem and can fix it.

 

I just got a '97 Dakota, and I notice that when I use my keyless entry remote, the horn is very quiet. If I make the alarm go off, it is also quiet, however, when I press the horn from inside the truck, it is at a normal volume. In addition to this, my door locks seem to work randomly. I hear the motors, but only one door at a time will unlock, and niether will lock (when using the remote). Sometimes the driver's door unlocks, and sometimes the passenger will unlock, but never at the same time, and niether lock. I thought maybe this was related?

 

Dont know for sure if horn and lock problem are related. As for door locks unlocking, it sounds like they work fine. Some units are set up so that they only unlock the driver door with one push of the button and all other doors with a second push of the button within like 5 seconds of first press. This may seem really strange to have on a truck with only two doors, but to some people it's a safety thing.

As for the horns, I think your key fob battery may be going dead. A week signal could result a week response by the horn and you say it wont lock your doors. The key fob could be damaged itself. I would try programming a new fob and see if it corrects your problem. You can find even sets of fobs on eBay, just like the factory ones, but a lot cheaper.

This is the factory equipment you are having a problem with not aftermarket keyless correct?

 

Well the locks definately aren't working, I hear the motors working, but, like I said, the doors unlock randomly. (My car is the kind that you have to press the unlock twice to unlock both doors, so I'm familiar with what you are talking about).

On the truck I will press unlock on the fob and one of 3 following scenarios will happen:

1. Nothing. The doors do not unlock, but I hear the actuators working

2. The passenger side will unlock, but NOT the driver's side

3. The driver's side will unlock, but NOT the passenger side

I think that I will probably end up just replacing the actuators - I'm not sure about the horn/alarm volume level though. I'll try putting in a new battery in the fob and see if that makes a difference.

Ahh frustrating! I tried looking this issue up, but I've had no luck. It seems that no one has had this problem (or I just can't find it!)
Thanks for your help, I'll try what you said.

 

Oh and I forgot - the fob is factory, not aftermarket