Horn Membrane Fix!!
7th Gear
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
One other member posted the same problem.
Do be sure to disconnect the battery before messing about with the airbag.
http://deadspin.com/5622999/airbag-p...hrough-ceiling
The air bag is monitored to ensure it is in circuit. If your air bag light is staying on it likely means you didn't get the connector back together properly.
My mechanic in San Francisco did my horn and followed the video from Corvette Centeral.
Do be sure to disconnect the battery before messing about with the airbag.
http://deadspin.com/5622999/airbag-p...hrough-ceiling
The air bag is monitored to ensure it is in circuit. If your air bag light is staying on it likely means you didn't get the connector back together properly.
My mechanic in San Francisco did my horn and followed the video from Corvette Centeral.
You are 100 percent correct, the plug was not put all the way in the airbag connecter.
I am all fixed, thank you everyone for your help and saving me some bucks.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,704
Likes: 239
From: Redondo Beach CA
I want to put one of these ( http://www.hornblasters.com/ ) in mine so bad.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 72
From: Seminole, FL
I did mine YAY
Bless you guys!!!
I did this in my car.
Printed out the write up and everything went excellent $$$$$
I keep telling people in the Corvette groups on FB about this place.
Now all I've gotta do is find out about Engine Gasket Set for complete Engine disassembly and reassembly.
2000 LS-1 for my 99 coupe.
I did this in my car.
Printed out the write up and everything went excellent $$$$$
I keep telling people in the Corvette groups on FB about this place.
Now all I've gotta do is find out about Engine Gasket Set for complete Engine disassembly and reassembly.
2000 LS-1 for my 99 coupe.
7th Gear
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Update
Ok, fast forward my horn started blasting again over the weekend. I am assuming that the part I purchased failed. Has this happen to anyone else and any recommendations on where to get a replacement part. Thanks
Yes, Fuse 11 is out again
Yes, Fuse 11 is out again
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 72
From: Seminole, FL
I notice your post in in JUNE.
The problem described in this thread is usually a COLD WEATHER problem.
The membrane contracts and shorts out.
With your post being in June, I might suspect another source.
Did you test the continuity of the membrane?
Open, no finger on it.
Closed when you press it.
If that checks out, I'd be looking at the horn relay or wiring in the circuit.
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Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
My solution was to wire in 2 stainless momentary switches and toss that stupid plastic goo bag in the trash.
http://vid714.photobucket.com/albums...pspzegujgw.mp4
http://vid714.photobucket.com/albums...pspzegujgw.mp4
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
Great fix pics. Thanks. I am working on 3 years ownership of my 04 and never beeped the horn. In fact, I do not remember the last time I ever beeped my horn in any of my cars. When my children started driving 30 years ago, I told them that the horn was not to irritate other drivers. Do not use it was the command. The road rage issues we now have reinforces not using it.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 266
Likes: 59
From: Williston Florida
For you guys who have tried the method of fixing the horn membrane switch, I tried it too, but I was not aggressive enough. I opened the wire side of the membrane and insulated the shorted area at one edge. It worked fine until the first cold night in the 40Fs, then shorted again in the middle of the night. I pulled the fuse to wait until I had to go into the dash to attempt another repair.
This time, when I removed the membrane to fix it, I separated both sides and applied electrical tape to the whole switch, leaving 1/4 inch strips of the switch exposed. I reassembled it and tested it with an ohm meter, it shorted again so I installed a piece of 4" by 3" 1/32 hard plywood between the switch and its plastic base to prevent the airbag from applying too much pressure and closing the switch. This seems to work but I can only blow the horn by pressing the left side of the molded C5 emblem. This works for me, I can blow the horn when I want to and the horn beeps when I lock the car with the key fob. I stored the horn-airbag assembly in the freezer for several hours and got no shorts. Then I left it out in the florida sun until it was too hot to touch and still got no shorts.
It is back in the car now and works fine. Thanks for the idea.
This time, when I removed the membrane to fix it, I separated both sides and applied electrical tape to the whole switch, leaving 1/4 inch strips of the switch exposed. I reassembled it and tested it with an ohm meter, it shorted again so I installed a piece of 4" by 3" 1/32 hard plywood between the switch and its plastic base to prevent the airbag from applying too much pressure and closing the switch. This seems to work but I can only blow the horn by pressing the left side of the molded C5 emblem. This works for me, I can blow the horn when I want to and the horn beeps when I lock the car with the key fob. I stored the horn-airbag assembly in the freezer for several hours and got no shorts. Then I left it out in the florida sun until it was too hot to touch and still got no shorts.
It is back in the car now and works fine. Thanks for the idea.
Cruising
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 14
Likes: 1
From: Austin TX
Slight Variation to Solution
Like others, my horn began going off due to the horn membrane in the steering wheel. When I disassembled the horn and put an ohm meter on it to test it I learned something that allowed me to come up with a slight variation that fixed my horn problem, and others may find that this helps them, and is less work.
After removing my horn membrane from behind the airbag I noticed that my thin horn membrane had small permanent dents in it from the back of the steering wheel horn cover. I surmised that these dents were causing the horn to sound but, in my case, I was slightly off.
With the ohm meter on the leads leaving the horn membrane I was able to determine that my horn membrane took far more pressure pushing on it with my soft fingertip than my finger nail to get it to go off. This caused me to draw the conclusion that the reason the small nubs were manufactured on the inside of the steering wheel horn cover was that it allowed the horn to be honked with far less pressure than if the inside of the steering wheel horn cover were simply smooth. I surmised that if I could insert something between the steering wheel horn cover nubs and the horn membrane that had the correct combination of thinness, flexibility, and rigidity it would lessen the effects of the small nubs on the back of the steering wheel horn cover and put an end to the horn improperly going off.
I cut out two thin pieces of plastic to cover the two halves of the left and right side horn membrane and inserted them between the back of the of the steering wheel horn cover nubs and the horn membrane.After a bit of trial and error while the ohm meter measured the results on different thicknesses and flexibilities I found the following items worked for me that you can find around your house or readily at many stores.
1)The lid or bottom cut from a grocery store container holding a pound of strawberries.
2)The plastic windows used in packaging of toys and other products so you can see through the package to see details of what you are purchasing.
3)A flat wall of a milk jug cut out (this was less flexible than the above two and made it so more pressure had to be applied to the horn to get it to honk.).
These three materials solved the unwanted horn going off problem when I tested them and I ended up choosing the strawberry container as the best solution for my situation. I’m sure you can think of other thin flexible items around your house that will distribute the force of the steering wheel horn cover nubs so that they don’t set off your horn on their own. I would venture to guess that there is a point in which the nubs may have permanently dented your horn membrane too significantly for this fix to work for you. My Corvette: 2002 with ~78,000 miles and the horn is used at least once every time I take it for a ride.
After removing my horn membrane from behind the airbag I noticed that my thin horn membrane had small permanent dents in it from the back of the steering wheel horn cover. I surmised that these dents were causing the horn to sound but, in my case, I was slightly off.
With the ohm meter on the leads leaving the horn membrane I was able to determine that my horn membrane took far more pressure pushing on it with my soft fingertip than my finger nail to get it to go off. This caused me to draw the conclusion that the reason the small nubs were manufactured on the inside of the steering wheel horn cover was that it allowed the horn to be honked with far less pressure than if the inside of the steering wheel horn cover were simply smooth. I surmised that if I could insert something between the steering wheel horn cover nubs and the horn membrane that had the correct combination of thinness, flexibility, and rigidity it would lessen the effects of the small nubs on the back of the steering wheel horn cover and put an end to the horn improperly going off.
I cut out two thin pieces of plastic to cover the two halves of the left and right side horn membrane and inserted them between the back of the of the steering wheel horn cover nubs and the horn membrane.After a bit of trial and error while the ohm meter measured the results on different thicknesses and flexibilities I found the following items worked for me that you can find around your house or readily at many stores.
1)The lid or bottom cut from a grocery store container holding a pound of strawberries.
2)The plastic windows used in packaging of toys and other products so you can see through the package to see details of what you are purchasing.
3)A flat wall of a milk jug cut out (this was less flexible than the above two and made it so more pressure had to be applied to the horn to get it to honk.).
These three materials solved the unwanted horn going off problem when I tested them and I ended up choosing the strawberry container as the best solution for my situation. I’m sure you can think of other thin flexible items around your house that will distribute the force of the steering wheel horn cover nubs so that they don’t set off your horn on their own. I would venture to guess that there is a point in which the nubs may have permanently dented your horn membrane too significantly for this fix to work for you. My Corvette: 2002 with ~78,000 miles and the horn is used at least once every time I take it for a ride.
