Horn not working

[Guest]

Ever since I bought this car back a few years ago, the horn has only worked sporadically (meaning I would have to press it several times over and over). Now the horn does not work at all. When I press the horn button all I hear is a clicking sound when I press it and release it. What could cause this??

Thank you in advance,

Owner from Idaho

[ajb999]

sorry i can't tell you what the problem is but mine used to do that a couple of years ago but stopped. i think it might just be a bad connection but can't say for sure. really sucked because it seemed like the only time i wanted to use the horn it wouldn't work. all i know is shortly after it happened one of my relays(?) in the engine compartment on the drivers side went bad.(2 electrical connectors w/ piece of copper wire in between. there's three of them.) ever since then it's worked. probably just chance though. just a thought.
adam

[Phatbowler]

relay

I will try that and get back to you, thanks.

[Phatbowler]

where do I find something like that, the copper wire that connects the two relays? Does Schucks or AutoZone carry something like that? I also found the switch that makes the clicking noise, but it is probably suppose to do that anyway. Could it be that object switch that is causing the problem?

[mechanicaldj]

read this:http://www.fordfestiva.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3590

then give me the info i seek
and i will give you a reply

[Phatbowler]

forgive me, I forgot to mention some things (thank you)

1992 Ford Festiva L
2 door
Manual
A/C

If there is anything else I can provide, let me know.

[mechanicaldj]

sounds like you have a weak horn or a bad ground(mounting bracket) at the horn

has the Festy ever been in a front end collision?

the horn (1) is located on the passenger side front, under the headlight , behind the bumper

if you want to check if there is power to the horn,
remove the passenger side marker and headlight,
you will see one wire going down behind the bumper and the connector is behind the core support at the air cleaner box,
probe the connector with a test light and press the horn button,
lights = bad horn or ground
no light = bad relay or any of the wire to that point , including the power supply to the relay

[Phatbowler]

you are right about the front end collision. When I bought the car, the hood had been replaced, it seemed like the lady who had it ran into a RV. I will check what you said and see if it is a bad ground connection. I looked at the horn and it seemed fine, but I did not understand what the screw on the top of the horn was for.

This is so confusing to me. But I will work with it until it is right. If anything else, maybe I will go to a junkyard and get a horn and try that.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Horns

The horns (the actual round pieces that make noise) corrode and freeze up ever few years on my daily drivers. You can buy new ones for something like $10 at Napa and install them in no time at all from under the bumper.

[packrat427]

Install a air horn :lol:
little car,BIG HORN
The wife says it is way too embarrasing ? what I said .
The little cars need someway to get attention :lol:

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

air horn

Right on. I plan on installing an air horn when I figure out what to buy. I'm getting sick and tired of $50K SUVs pulling two feet in front of me, which has become an almost daily event here in WA.

For those who have the courtesy to signal their intention to cut me off, I want them scare them at that point into thinking they just saved themselves from being impaled onto the grill of an 18-wheeler. For the rest, I want to make them need upholstery cleaning services.

I'd even be willing to sacrifice my AC compressor if I need that spot to mount and drive an appropriate air compressor, plus all the space behind the rear seat for an air tank.

I used to drive an Amphicar. When somebody tailgated me too closely, I'd wait until they got right behind me at a traffic light, then click on a bilge bump and shoot a 3/4" diameter stream of saved-up Lake Washington water into their grill and watch the steam cloud rise. It was amazing how many people would pull over to the shoulder afterward, probably thinking they needed a new radiator (and probably a lot of shops who willingly sold them one).

[packrat427]

This is the horn you want

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3862&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

[WmWatt]

Had the same symptoms. I'd check for a rusted horn or ground. Remove horn and try connected directly to battery terminals. I had put my first horn in a plastic bag in the original spot behind the bumper. Might have helped it last longer by keeping some spray off it. Eventually replaced it with one mounted inside the engine compartment. Found an unused threaded hole on the fender to screw it into. Pulled the wire up from behind the bumper, connected it, and works fine.

Also looked into replacement of horn relay. Original part no longer available here but was advised by someone on rec.autos.tech newsgroup the generic Bosch horn relay can be substituted. handy to know but I did not need to replace so can't confirm.

[Phatbowler]

Had the same symptoms. I'd check for a rusted horn or ground. Remove horn and try connected directly to battery terminals. I had put my first horn in a plastic bag in the original spot behind the bumper. Might have helped it last longer by keeping some spray off it. Eventually replaced it with one mounted inside the engine compartment. Found an unused threaded hole on the fender to screw it into. Pulled the wire up from behind the bumper, connected it, and works fine.

Also looked into replacement of horn relay. Original part no longer available here but was advised by someone on rec.autos.tech newsgroup the generic Bosch horn relay can be substituted. handy to know but I did not need to replace so can't confirm.

The horn is fixed, but I did have to move it to a different place. The new horn was too big to go in the original engine compartment spot where the old horn was. Oh well, I did not want to mess with it so I installed it behind the bumper.

Thank you everyone for your help,

Ryan