No Horn
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 362
Likes: 11
From: MARSHALLVILLE OHIO
No Horn
Tried to blow the horn last night, nothing but quiet. I thought maybe bad horns but realized the horn did work with the security system. You can hear the relay click when you push the button. Whats the opinion as to where to start looking?
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,355
Likes: 2,633
From: Draper Utah
What year? If the relay is clicking it's probably a bad horn, which is cheap and easy to fix. The security system has it's own horn, at least on some years. The following paper had my horn working in short order.
HORN OPERATION DIAGNOSIS - ALL C3 CORVETTES 1969 THROUGH 1982
http://www.hunt4cleanair.net/Article..._Diagnosis.pdf
HORN OPERATION DIAGNOSIS - ALL C3 CORVETTES 1969 THROUGH 1982
http://www.hunt4cleanair.net/Article..._Diagnosis.pdf
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 362
Likes: 11
From: MARSHALLVILLE OHIO
What year? If the relay is clicking it's probably a bad horn, which is cheap and easy to fix. The security system has it's own horn, at least on some years. The following paper had my horn working in short order.
HORN OPERATION DIAGNOSIS - ALL C3 CORVETTES 1969 THROUGH 1982
http://www.hunt4cleanair.net/Article..._Diagnosis.pdf
HORN OPERATION DIAGNOSIS - ALL C3 CORVETTES 1969 THROUGH 1982
http://www.hunt4cleanair.net/Article..._Diagnosis.pdf
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,355
Likes: 2,633
From: Draper Utah
The older Corvette's had a separate horn for the alarm system located under the drivers rear quarter panel, I don't know if 1979 is the same or not.
But the horn is easy to check, just run a wire from the + side of the battery and touch it to where the wire plugs into the horn. If you get nothing you have a bad horn. Because you hear the relay click I'm guessing your problem is the horn or wires between relay and horn.
But the horn is easy to check, just run a wire from the + side of the battery and touch it to where the wire plugs into the horn. If you get nothing you have a bad horn. Because you hear the relay click I'm guessing your problem is the horn or wires between relay and horn.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 480
Likes: 42
From: Los Angeles CA
The older Corvette's had a separate horn for the alarm system located under the drivers rear quarter panel, I don't know if 1979 is the same or not.
But the horn is easy to check, just run a wire from the + side of the battery and touch it to where the wire plugs into the horn. If you get nothing you have a bad horn. Because you hear the relay click I'm guessing your problem is the horn or wires between relay and horn.
But the horn is easy to check, just run a wire from the + side of the battery and touch it to where the wire plugs into the horn. If you get nothing you have a bad horn. Because you hear the relay click I'm guessing your problem is the horn or wires between relay and horn.
A friend of my who owns a Corvette shop taught me this trick. He call this the special Corvette tool. Yes, you might have guessed it. It is a hammer. Since the horn is not working you have nothing to lose. Take the horn out, bench check it. ground the frame and plus 12V to the terminal. It the horn works it was the ground. Clean it on the horn and car and reinstall. It it does not, while it is hook up, hit it with the hammer. Give it a few decent hits. It should start working. Weak at first. Another hit once or twice until it sounds strong. Reinstall and happy motoring. It it does not work it is time to buy a new one. Nothing lost. OK. For those who try this method. Let us know your results. Fair enough?
Pro
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 692
Likes: 2
From: Seguin TX
OK, you are going to think this is crazy, but? A friend of my who owns a Corvette shop taught me this trick. He call this the special Corvette tool. Yes, you might have guessed it. It is a hammer. Since the horn is not working you have nothing to lose. Take the horn out, bench check it. ground the frame and plus 12V to the terminal. It the horn works it was the ground. Clean it on the horn and car and reinstall. It it does not, while it is hook up, hit it with the hammer. Give it a few decent hits. It should start working. Weak at first. Another hit once or twice until it sounds strong. Reinstall and happy motoring. It it does not work it is time to buy a new one. Nothing lost.
OK. For those who try this method. Let us know your results. Fair enough?
A friend of my who owns a Corvette shop taught me this trick. He call this the special Corvette tool. Yes, you might have guessed it. It is a hammer. Since the horn is not working you have nothing to lose. Take the horn out, bench check it. ground the frame and plus 12V to the terminal. It the horn works it was the ground. Clean it on the horn and car and reinstall. It it does not, while it is hook up, hit it with the hammer. Give it a few decent hits. It should start working. Weak at first. Another hit once or twice until it sounds strong. Reinstall and happy motoring. It it does not work it is time to buy a new one. Nothing lost. OK. For those who try this method. Let us know your results. Fair enough?
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Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 45
Likes: 3
From: Cedar Rapids Iowa
no horn
I have a 1980 and had the same problem, bought all new under the horn button still wouldn't work. Replaced horn relay works great.
The alarm on mine is in the drivers front fender area
The alarm on mine is in the drivers front fender area