Troubleshooting Horn 95 Stratus - Details Inside
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Troubleshooting Horn 95 Stratus - Details Inside
I'm working on a 95 dodge stratus that has what I believe to be a two fold problem with the horn.
The first problem is a short. Whenever the horn is triggered - it pops the appropriate fuse in the end of the dash. The horn does sound - but only until the fuse is blown. So I disconnected the horn and triggered it and it blew the fuse again. I tested for continuity between the horn connection at the horn and the engine block it it did give me continuity so I believe that somewhere between the horn relay and the horn the horn wire has shorted out on something. I have found the appropriate wire running out of the fuse block and was going to run a complete new run - but haven't found a good way to get the wire through the firewall and am looking for suggestions especially in that reguard.
The second problem I believe to be in the switch. With the airbag removed from the steering wheel - I found the horn wire (which i measured to be always hot) is connected to the fame that the airbag bolts to. There are 4 bolts holding that frame up and are spring loaded with nylon washers behind the springs. The top two bolts have rubber washers on them further insulating the setup electrically. The wierd part is that there are no washers on the bottom two bolts. (I intended on taking a picture to show this better than i am describing but forgot before I got everything put back together so my girlfriend could use the car) There was what almost looked like bits of rubber left over on the bottom two bolts - as if there were washers there. I could not find where the horn switch was supposed to ground to activate the relay
Right before the horn died - it was going off while the steering wheel was being turned. I know this could be the spring switch (i think thats what its called - its the part that allows the electrical connections for the horn, cruise and airbag to spin while the wheel is being turned). But I am wondering if the lower two bolts are supposed to be insulated and that is what was causing it.
If it does sound like the spring switch - SHould it be replaced if it is suspect as it runs the airbag? I'd hate for the airbag not to deploy if there are connection problems in that apparatus.
For now I have cut the wire to the horn switch so that the radio amp and cigarette lighter can function until I have some more time to run a wire through the firewall.
Please let me know if you think I'm going in the wrong direction with this as this is my first venture into troubleshooting automotive electronics - though I do have a decent background in household wiring and electronics theory.
Sorry for the long post but i wanted to provide all of what I found.
The first problem is a short. Whenever the horn is triggered - it pops the appropriate fuse in the end of the dash. The horn does sound - but only until the fuse is blown. So I disconnected the horn and triggered it and it blew the fuse again. I tested for continuity between the horn connection at the horn and the engine block it it did give me continuity so I believe that somewhere between the horn relay and the horn the horn wire has shorted out on something. I have found the appropriate wire running out of the fuse block and was going to run a complete new run - but haven't found a good way to get the wire through the firewall and am looking for suggestions especially in that reguard.
The second problem I believe to be in the switch. With the airbag removed from the steering wheel - I found the horn wire (which i measured to be always hot) is connected to the fame that the airbag bolts to. There are 4 bolts holding that frame up and are spring loaded with nylon washers behind the springs. The top two bolts have rubber washers on them further insulating the setup electrically. The wierd part is that there are no washers on the bottom two bolts. (I intended on taking a picture to show this better than i am describing but forgot before I got everything put back together so my girlfriend could use the car) There was what almost looked like bits of rubber left over on the bottom two bolts - as if there were washers there. I could not find where the horn switch was supposed to ground to activate the relay
Right before the horn died - it was going off while the steering wheel was being turned. I know this could be the spring switch (i think thats what its called - its the part that allows the electrical connections for the horn, cruise and airbag to spin while the wheel is being turned). But I am wondering if the lower two bolts are supposed to be insulated and that is what was causing it.
If it does sound like the spring switch - SHould it be replaced if it is suspect as it runs the airbag? I'd hate for the airbag not to deploy if there are connection problems in that apparatus.
For now I have cut the wire to the horn switch so that the radio amp and cigarette lighter can function until I have some more time to run a wire through the firewall.
Please let me know if you think I'm going in the wrong direction with this as this is my first venture into troubleshooting automotive electronics - though I do have a decent background in household wiring and electronics theory.
Sorry for the long post but i wanted to provide all of what I found.