Horn Stopped working...Help Please

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'01T4R

New member
Just for attention :girl:

Hey y'all...01 4runner question...the other day, went to honk the horn and it didn't work. A few hours later I decided to hit it and it worked a couple times, but then stopped working again and currently does not work. I understand this will most likely be a wiring issue but can anyone tell me exactly where and what wires i need to test for continuity? The fuse is good, when I push the steering wheel horn i hear a click noise, cruise control works, no airbag light on (which i think eliminates my clock spring as being the issue), I wired the horn directly to the battery and it honked so I know the horn is not the problem either. Thanks guys...and if anyone has pics, that would be great...I HATE electrical stuff.

SOLUTION=GROUND wasn't ground
 
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It would be nice if either of you gave the year of your truck if you want specific advice. On '99+, the horn relay is built into the Body ECU on the back of the fuse panel by driver's knee. If I were troubleshooting this, I'd use a simple test light and trace the circuit from the horn back to see where the fault is. Here is the EWD--about as simple as it gets:

http://tacoma.site40.net/4Runner_96-02_Repair&Wiring/techinfo.toyota.com/ileaf/ewdtmc2/ewdtmpdf/ewdsourc/2002/024runne/systemci/046hs.pdf

First, see if the fuse is live (don't just look at it, use the test light at both ends), and then see if green-red wire to Pin 1 of Plug B16 at the Body ECU gives ground when the button is pressed. If they do, then see if you get 12V+ out the black wire at Pin 8 of Plug 1E. If you don't, time to go dumpster diving for a new Body ECU or wire in a new, external relay because they cost a pantload new. If you do get 12V+ on the black wire, then it's the horn, the way they are grounded, or the black wire between the horns and the Body ECU.
 
TheDurk said:
It would be nice if either of you gave the year of your truck if you want specific advice. On '99+, the horn relay is built into the Body ECU on the back of the fuse panel by driver's knee. If I were troubleshooting this, I'd use a simple test light and trace the circuit from the horn back to see where the fault is. Here is the EWD--about as simple as it gets:

http://tacoma.site40.net/4Runner_96-02_Repair&Wiring/techinfo.toyota.com/ileaf/ewdtmc2/ewdtmpdf/ewdsourc/2002/024runne/systemci/046hs.pdf

First, see if the fuse is live (don't just look at it, use the test light at both ends), and then see if green-red wire to Pin 1 of Plug B16 at the Body ECU gives ground when the button is pressed. If they do, then see if you get 12V+ out the black wire at Pin 8 of Plug 1E. If you don't, time to go dumpster diving for a new Body ECU or wire in a new, external relay because they cost a pantload new. If you do get 12V+ on the black wire, then it's the horn, the way they are grounded, or the black wire between the horns and the Body ECU.
Click to expand...


Thanks for that! Gives me a starting point when I get a second free
 
When you push on the steering wheel, do you hear the relay clicking?

Are the connectors at the horn itself clean and tight, and the proper polarity? My friend's horn died recently, and instead of listening to me, she took it to a shop, who proceeded to charge her $100 to reattach one of the power connectors on her horn that had shaken loose.
 
BoomSticks said:
When you push on the steering wheel, do you hear the relay clicking?

Are the connectors at the horn itself clean and tight, and the proper polarity? My friend's horn died recently, and instead of listening to me, she took it to a shop, who proceeded to charge her $100 to reattach one of the power connectors on her horn that had shaken loose.
Click to expand...

I DO hear the relay clicking. All connections are good at the horn...had an aftermarket one in, but when it stopped working first thing I did was wire that horn directly to the battery to confirm it worked, then replaced that with the stock horn. I haven't done any work to the truck between the last known use of the horn and now which is why I'm so confused.
 
'01T4R said:
I DO hear the relay clicking. All connections are good at the horn...had an aftermarket one in, but when it stopped working first thing I did was wire that horn directly to the battery to confirm it worked, then replaced that with the stock horn. I haven't done any work to the truck between the last known use of the horn and now which is why I'm so confused.
Click to expand...

Then it sounds like you need a new horn, unless I missed something.

Get one from an auto parts store, hook the wires up, see if it works.

Or hook up a volt meter to the horn connectors and make sure it's passing voltage when you press the steering wheel.
 
BoomSticks said:
Then it sounds like you need a new horn, unless I missed something.

Get one from an auto parts store, hook the wires up, see if it works.

Or hook up a volt meter to the horn connectors and make sure it's passing voltage when you press the steering wheel.
Click to expand...

Sorry if I wasn't clear, both the aftermarket and the stock horns work when directly wired to the battery so I know the horns themselves work
 
'01T4R said:
Sorry if I wasn't clear, both the aftermarket and the stock horns work when directly wired to the battery so I know the horns themselves work
Click to expand...

You're sure the polarity is right when you hook them up?

Try swapping the wires.

If still no, then just keep moving back along the system.

You said the relay is clicking, but no sound out of a known good horn. That means a wire problem between the relay and horn?

Put a meter on the horn connectors. Is the hot wire hot? Is the ground wire grounded?
 
BoomSticks said:
You're sure the polarity is right when you hook them up?

Try swapping the wires.

If still no, then just keep moving back along the system.

You said the relay is clicking, but no sound out of a known good horn. That means a wire problem between the relay and horn?

Put a meter on the horn connectors. Is the hot wire hot? Is the ground wire grounded?
Click to expand...


No swapping of wires to be done...factory plug onlyhas hot wire...horn grounds to body
 
Just remember, a clicking relay is not always a good relay. It does tend to rule out the horn switch/clockspring, though. I prefer a test light to a meter for this work. Meters can read an apparent voltage through a bad connection that disappears when a multi-amp current is required.
 
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TheDurk said:
Just remember, a clicking relay is not always a good relay. It does tend to rule out the horn switch/clockspring, though. I prefer a test light to a meter for this work. Meters can read an apparent voltage through a bad connection that disappears when a multi-amp current is required.
Click to expand...

Since I'm very unfamiliar with electrical...what should I see on my meter when I check the ground at the ECU like you said in your earlier post....ZEROS?
 
'01T4R said:
Since I'm very unfamiliar with electrical...what should I see on my meter when I check the ground at the ECU like you said in your earlier post....ZEROS?
Click to expand...

To check a ground, you put one probe on battery positive and the other on the ground you are checking. If ground is good, it will read battery voltage (or close to it.)
 
TheDurk said:
To check a ground, you put one probe on battery positive and the other on the ground you are checking. If ground is good, it will read battery voltage (or close to it.)
Click to expand...




I second the grounding issue...

I painted my horns to look like "hella" horns and when I was Done I installed them back and NO HORN!!!!!!

Ahhhh

The hole where you attach them was cover in paint and I had to scratch that away to get a good ground again.

Remove and reattach making sure there is a solid ground
 
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