Hi guys, I went to work on my 72 again today. This time I needed to replace the ignition cylinder. I pressed the horn button once, it worked! I pressed it a second time and all I heard was a click from somewhere in the engine bay. I tried it several more times and all I get is a click each time I press the horn. Why would it work once and then not again? Is the clicking coming from the horn relay or somewhere else?
Thanks in advance,
Joe from NH

 

You can unplug the horn easy up in between the headlights and try the button again, that will tell you if the click is from the relay or not.
You can test the horn by using a jumper wire that would reach from the positive on the alternator to the connector tab (that you unplugged) on the horn
Start there and at least narrow down the search
M

 

I had this exact problem. It ended up being the contacts in the horn relay were bad. I removed the cover, filed the contacts and everything works perfectly. This was all after a restoration with new wiring. Do the tests as previously mentioned, but don’t rule out the relay itself.


Bill

 

Same for me, I had to clean the connection between the relay and the horn, the connection got a little rusty and went bad, filed it and it worked again. I wish I would have seen this post first because I spent way too long trying to clean up the fuse box and relays under the dash which was hard to get to. Cleaning the connection took 5 min and done....

 

I'm back trying to get the horn to work again on my 72 Corvette. This time, I removed the horn itself and thoroughly cleaned all the contacts, etc. I tested the horn using a 12Volt battery and it works just fine. I then ordered a new NOS Horn Relay because the black plastic trim piece on the original HR broke off! Bummer! I may try superglue if I need to try and use it again. The 2 mounting holes on the original 1972 HR are on a small piece of black plastic. So I installed the new NOS HR iin the car. Even though it was touted as NOS, it's not the same exact design as the original HR. I have the new 70-72 NCRS Technical Infromation Manual & Judging Guide and the original HR for a 72 has a black plastic tab where the mounting holes are located. The new one I got is made of all metal! Go figure. Anyways, I installed the new HR. Then I pressed the horn button on my steering wheel and it sounded off!! GREAT!!! I pressed it a second time, and wham, just like the first time, the HR started clicking again!! Darn!! So I reinstalled my original HR and nothing changed, the HR just clicks. So one last effort here: I am sanding down the contacts on my original HR. I cannot get the cover off the new one I ordered. the result is: no change!!! the HR just clicks. ANY OTHER IDEAS?

One Last thing: any idea what this item is used for? I pulled it off the connectors that lay between the Speedo and the Tachometer.

 

Was that with a pink/black wire and the other orange? If so then it's the key warning buzzer
M

 

Have you made sure the connections at the horn relay are clean. On my 73 the relay has other “ring connectors” attached that are for other systems. I like to use emery cloth to clean the very old metal, then clean/wipe off with paint thinner. The relay clicking is normal. Try running a temporary wire from the relay (connect to the correct terminal) to the horn. That wire may be your problem.

 

Yes! I have five other ring connectors that are attached to the horn relay. I will try what you suggest and clean and file every ring connector to bare metal then reattach. Sounds like you’re definitely onto something here thank you so much!! I’m away for a couple days but will check back in when I get home. My daughter is giving birth to our third grand child any day now!! Can’t wait to see little Aubrey Emma Elise!!!!

 

No horn yet. Just the HR clicking after I filed down both sides of the 5 ring connectors attached to the HR.
I also ran a direct wire from the HR to the horn bypassing the green wire in my engine harness, but that didn’t work either. Still no horn. ?? HELP ?? Any other ideas?

 

Did you run a temp wire from the positive terminal on the alternator to the plastic connector (positive) wire going to the horn? Unplug the plastic connect at the horn and wrap the temporary wire from the alternator around the “spade terminal.” The horn should sound.

 

Since you were in the column replacing the ignition cylinder is it possible that something didn’t go together exactly the it should? I would start there……that little horn contact/spring/retainer can be tricky. At least it was for me.

 

Hi, I haven't yet taken apart the steering column. I do have a new key cylinder to install but haven't yet begun that procedure. Eli, I ran a temp wire from the positive connection on the alternator directly to the spade connector on the horn. Keep in mind that I cannot start the car yet. So I just tried to push the horn button on the steering wheel, and nothing happened except the Horn Relay clicked again. Maybe I didn't do your alternator procedure correctly? Are you saying to run a wire from the positive terminal of the alternator to the horn relay connection where the green wire connector snaps into the bottom of the HR?

 

Sorry, I have a terrible habit of being long winded. Wrap the stripped wire around the terminal/spade connector on the horn. Then take the other end of the wire and TOUCH to alternator terminal ( Positive) under the rubber boot (looks like a spark plug boot). The horn should SOUND immediately. If the horn doesn’t sound, then the horn is bad. Let us know if the horn sounds. Good Luck

 

Test the horn as above to make sure it's working.

On the horn relay, in the plug NOT on the post. The dark green wire is the positive that goes to the horn when it's active and there's a black wire that works it's way right back to the horn button and it's grounded when you press the button

If the relay "clicks" hook your test light to a ground and then probe where the dark green wire would hook to the horn to see if there's a break in that wire somewhere.

If there's nothing coming from that dk green wire but the relay clicks, you'll need to check the relay contacts by unplugging the relay and using a jumper to ground the relay spade where the black wire went and use you test light from a ground to the spade where the dk green wire came out. Be careful not to accidentally touch those two spades together.
M

 

I believe the horn is bad because I ran a wire connected to the spade connector on the horn and touched the other end of the wire to the positive connection on my alternator and the horn didn’t sound. I don’t need the car running to do this test do I ?
I have found another 9000032 horn on eBay that should be here on Monday. Hopefully this will fix my horn problem. Thanks everyone. I’ll let you know when I get the new used horn in hand. It’s supposed to work ok.

 

You are correct that the horn should have sounded without the ignition switch on. Save your old horn as there are some articles on how to repair them. Glad we could help out.

 

Finally I received the 1 K 3 dated replacement 900032 horn today. It tested ok so I installed it and now everything functions as it should! Problem solved!! I do want to give kudos to everyone who helped me on this forum! I couldn’t have done it without your help! Thank you!