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Horn problem

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Old Oct 5, 2025 | 10:47 AM
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Default Horn problem

My horns on my 95 sound like dead ducks yelling for help. Can these be adjusted or tuned. The older cars had a screw to make them louder or quieter. I think I had the alarm going off in my garage for a day because I came home to a dead battery. Also noticed that my doors seem to lock and unlock by themselves intermittently. I'd like to eliminate the security system altogether but dont know how. If the horns aren't repairable will some other horns work. I need to have horns for the safety inspection.
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Old Oct 5, 2025 | 11:30 AM
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I had to replace the drivers side horn on my 95 because it just decided to retire, but being over 30 years old i didn't blame it. Off the top of my head I don't remember the vendor I bought a used replacement from but will try going through my paperwork to get that information and post.

Your door locks issue could be an issue with the Passive Keyless Entry System somehow being triggered. Can that happen because of a internal wiring issue, I don't know.
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Old Oct 5, 2025 | 02:29 PM
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Of the three C4s I've owned (two 93's and a 94) I had to replace both horns in two of them. I'd replace them and be done with it. As for the pke, can't help you there.
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Old Oct 6, 2025 | 10:25 AM
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Had to replace my 1996 passenger side A horn. Bought a replacement from World Parts Direct.
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Old Oct 6, 2025 | 03:34 PM
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About 15 years ago I needed horns to pass a safety inspection. I bought a cheap temporary set for under $10 from harbor freight. They sounded better and louder than the originals. I had to bend the mounting brackets and change the wire connectors. They sounded so good I made them permanent, and I am still using them.
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Old Oct 7, 2025 | 07:44 AM
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It could be worse! I have two sets of horns (four horns total) in my 84. I don't even know, can't begin to explain... but there's four of them there... and none of them work.

It'll get fixed eventually...
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Old Oct 7, 2025 | 04:29 PM
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OEMs are expensive these days. I actually took one apart (grind off rivets) cleaned contacts and reassembled with machine screws. Had to use the adjustment screw to tune the sound. I ground off the excess bolt threads and painted it black and you really have to look close to see it.
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Old Oct 8, 2025 | 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by dburgjohn
OEMs are expensive these days. I actually took one apart (grind off rivets) cleaned contacts and reassembled with machine screws. Had to use the adjustment screw to tune the sound. I ground off the excess bolt threads and painted it black and you really have to look close to see it.
I kept the OEM horn and if I get bored this winter I may try taking it apart as you suggested to see if I can get it working. The replacement horn works well but does not look OEM at all. My goal was to get a working horn and not have to cut/splice any wires and the replacement from World Parts Direct worked perfectly.
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Old Oct 8, 2025 | 02:01 PM
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Originally Posted by mpaquette
Had to replace my 1996 passenger side A horn. Bought a replacement from World Parts Direct.
I saw 8 listed.
This one looks like the closest, although mine is a single horn and this is dual.
Does show factory mounting bracket (I see the tab to align the mount) and connection.

Looking at Mirrock I see they have two horns listed - C and F notes. Yet, it also mentions left (driver's) side. The horn on my 96 is on the passenger side. I have a plug on the driver's side. I wonder if I am supposed to have two?

Horn

Last edited by puterami; Oct 8, 2025 at 03:21 PM.
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Old Oct 8, 2025 | 02:14 PM
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Thanks for all the info on the horns. I'll be buying some new ones. I'll have to look into disarming the automatic alarm totally so the doors and horns quit beeping and unlocking/locking for no reason.
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Old Oct 8, 2025 | 03:18 PM
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Originally Posted by puterami
I saw 8 listed.
This one looks like the closest, although mine is a single horn and this is dual.
Does show factory mounting bracket (I see the tab to align the mount) and connection.

Looking at Mirrock I see they have two horns listed - C and F notes. Yet, it also mentions left (driver's) side. The horn on my 96 is on the passenger side.

Horn
Here is the one I bought from WPD - A Horn
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Old Dec 10, 2025 | 10:40 AM
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94 coupe. Very frustrated. Horns didn't work when I bought the car. Got a "new" pair off eBay. Hooked one up---did not work. Hocked one directly to the battery did not work? am I missing something or jut a bad set?
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Old Dec 10, 2025 | 11:02 AM
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Pke fix = pull the fuse
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Old Dec 10, 2025 | 12:44 PM
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Originally Posted by rtp3
94 coupe. Very frustrated. Horns didn't work when I bought the car. Got a "new" pair off eBay. Hooked one up---did not work. Hocked one directly to the battery did not work? am I missing something or jut a bad set?
If you're testing the horn directly off battery power, as in, you connect leads to both the negative and positive and test it directly on the battery and it doesn't work... then for sure, the horn is bad, or the battery is dead. I noticed you put "new" in quotes... does that mean they're new to you but not actually new? A lot of people repackage things on eBay that are used and recondition them, and well... you get the gist.

Hooking either horn directly up to the battery will 100% test the horn properly. Sucks, but seems like it might be a bad horn.

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Old Dec 10, 2025 | 01:30 PM
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Yeah I think you are right... Thanks
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