horn's not working`!!

98 xj, auto

My horns stopped working out of nowhere. I tested the relay and it still works fine.. I can hear it click when I press the horn.

I also checked the horn relay fuse in the kick panel.

I dont know where to start finding the problem.

Any help would be greatly appreiciated.

You could try unhooking the wiring to the horn itself and sticking either a test light or meter in it and see if your getting 12v there when you push the button. You can also take a jumper wire from the battery + to the terminal on the horn and see if the horn is actually good. I've seen them get water inside and either rust of freeze and stop working.

They relays get 2 different 12v feeds. One is for the control side which is working hence the "click" you hear when you push the horn button.

IF the 98 is anything like the Renix years, the little spring brush right under the part you push on the steering wheel, seems to get an oxide film on the contact that causes the problem. Just use a little abrasive, like scotchbright on the steel plate and the spring brush face and it solved the problem on my horns. Seem that if it is not driven daily, and the steering wheel turned daily, it builds an excessive oxide on the two faces. Driving it daily, the sliding action of steering does a slow self cleaning of the contact as the plate rotates under the brush.

Also, bad grounds on the horn itself can cause the problem.

They are not like Renix, the airbag clock spring handles that now.

Test the horn units, apply 12 volts directly to each. Check the wires and wire plugs for corrosion or damage. Use a volts/ohms multi-meter to test for power and ground at the horns, and at the horn fuse, relay, or both.

Here in rust country we lose horns with some regularity because the connectors corrode and the horns themselves die. Check for voltage at the connector before going much further. It could just be bad horns.

Check for dirt in the connector too, they are pretty well exposed to the elements. On my POS the left horn was full of mud and the passenger horn had a rattle (dead). Had to replace them both.

ehall said:

Check for dirt in the connector too, they are pretty well exposed to the elements. On my POS the left horn was full of mud and the passenger horn had a rattle (dead). Had to replace them both.

Click to expand...

LOL, I sometimes forget you all do unspeakable things to your jeeps, like giving them mud baths! LOL:laugh3: