Electrical Help Needed
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 140
From: Western New York
Electrical Help Needed
'72 without tilt/tele column. I'm trying to figure out why my horn isn't working. At the horn relay under the hood on the left fender I have 12 volts at the red wire going into the relay. Then there's the green wire coming out and down to the horn. Next to the green wire at the relay is a thinner wire (maybe brown) that comes from the interior. When the horn button is depressed, should that wire be energized with 12 volts to activate the horn relay and send 12 v. to the horn? I can't get 12 volts from that brown wire. HELP!
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 9,030
Likes: 4,174
From: US-PNW
I think the first step is to see if the horn is the problem, which would be a very common failure after 50 years. Disconnect the wire at the horn and connect a multimeter's positive lead to the wire and the negative lead to ground. Have someone press the steering wheel horn button to see if the very end of the circuit at the horn is receiving ~12v.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,030
Likes: 363
From: Lubbock Texas
I think the first step is to see if the horn is the problem, which would be a very common failure after 50 years. Disconnect the wire at the horn and connect a multimeter's positive lead to the wire and the negative lead to ground. Have someone press the steering wheel horn button to see if the very end of the circuit at the horn is receiving ~12v.
I had a similar horn problem as the OP awhile back. First thing I did was the test you described. I had 12 volts at the end of the horn wiring so I bought a new horn. Didn't solve the problem. As it turned out, the horn relay was bad but working just well enough to deliver 12 volts to the horn terminals. It wasn't, however, robust enough to deliver that same 12 volts with the load of the horn included in the circuit.
DC
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 140
From: Western New York
I followed the testing procedures provided and found that the horn relay is bad. Ordered one from Corvette Central. Should be here next Tuesday or Wednesday. Thanks, everyone, for all the help. By the way, my Vette and I celebrated birthdays this week. Vette was born on March 21, 1972, and I was born on March 24, 1951, and she's been with me since 1974. Still enjoying her.
Duane
Duane
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Happy Birthday to you and your car Duane! 