Horn is not working
08-16-2017, 12:23 PM
#1
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Horn is not working
Hi Guys,
Maybe someone will help me as I have a problem with my horn
I have Maxima 2004 SL 6th gen.
Issue:
Horn from steering wheel - not working
Horn from panic button on remote key pilot - not working
Comments:
I checked and replaced fuses (near battery and passenger side) and relay (near battery) - everything seems to be ok
I removed cover from the horn relay and when I was squeezing it, horn is working.
I checked steering wheel - disconnected battery, open steering wheel - airbag is there - all cables look fine. Radio buttons on steering wheel are working. No Air-bag error.
Everything else (radio, wipers, etc.) is working fine..
I do not know where is a problem - maybe some cable from relay to steering wheel is broken...?
Do you have any suggestions - what can I check more?
In the worst scenario - I think that I will install some cable with a button from relay to passenger side
or maybe will use some other button (for example seat heating button - I do not like hot seat) and will connect seat heating fuse with horn relay...but do not know if I can...
Any help? any suggestion?
Cheers
Filip
Maybe someone will help me as I have a problem with my horn
I have Maxima 2004 SL 6th gen.Issue:
Horn from steering wheel - not working
Horn from panic button on remote key pilot - not working
Comments:
I checked and replaced fuses (near battery and passenger side) and relay (near battery) - everything seems to be ok
I removed cover from the horn relay and when I was squeezing it, horn is working.
I checked steering wheel - disconnected battery, open steering wheel - airbag is there - all cables look fine. Radio buttons on steering wheel are working. No Air-bag error.
Everything else (radio, wipers, etc.) is working fine..
I do not know where is a problem
- maybe some cable from relay to steering wheel is broken...?Do you have any suggestions - what can I check more?
In the worst scenario - I think that I will install some cable with a button from relay to passenger side
or maybe will use some other button (for example seat heating button - I do not like hot seat) and will connect seat heating fuse with horn relay...but do not know if I can...
Any help? any suggestion?
Cheers
Filip
08-16-2017, 01:26 PM
#2
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Quebec (QC) CANADA
Posts: 27
The first thing is to get the wiring diagram. You can find the service manual by googling.
The horn wiring diagram is on page 31 of the WW Section.
The horn relay has only 3 terminals. When the coil is energized (grounded through the horn switch), the switch part of the relay close and the 12V from the battery goes to the horns.
Remove the horn relay, then
1- check if you have 12V on the terminal 2.
2- apply 12V on the terminal 3. To do that, you can put a jumper between terminal 2 and 3. You should hear your horns.
3- if you have a test light, you can connect one side to the positive side of your battery and the other side on the terminal 1. Then press you horn and see if the test light illuminates.
These checks will reduce the part of the circuit to check.
It could also just be a bad relay. A clicking relay is not a guarantee that it's working properly.
The horn wiring diagram is on page 31 of the WW Section.
The horn relay has only 3 terminals. When the coil is energized (grounded through the horn switch), the switch part of the relay close and the 12V from the battery goes to the horns.
Remove the horn relay, then
1- check if you have 12V on the terminal 2.
2- apply 12V on the terminal 3. To do that, you can put a jumper between terminal 2 and 3. You should hear your horns.
3- if you have a test light, you can connect one side to the positive side of your battery and the other side on the terminal 1. Then press you horn and see if the test light illuminates.
These checks will reduce the part of the circuit to check.
It could also just be a bad relay. A clicking relay is not a guarantee that it's working properly.
08-17-2017, 05:09 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,132
Clearly here you've isolated the problem, now how to fix it. What relay and what do you mean by squeezing it? Are you saying when handling this relay, then pushing on the steering wheel the horn works, or only when you touched the relay was the horn working without touching the wheel? Seems whatever this relay is, replacing it would be a good start.
08-17-2017, 06:30 AM
#4
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,114
08-17-2017, 12:24 PM
#7
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Thanks Guys
Let me explain
thanks for info. I downloaded diagram
I checked no. 1&2 - there is 12v and when I put jumper horn gave a sign (but I think that the same situation was when I squeezed relay, because two pins connected each other)
I cannot check no. 3 as I do not have any tool to check this I can check via om @ multimetr but I will not do this today as I should open once again steering wheel, but due to air bag I need time to disconnect accu.
Any other solution how to check this?
yep, this one - "only when you touched the relay was the horn working without touching the wheel"
I squeeze some plates in relay, so I connected two metal plates (connected two different pins) - so I think that 12V goes after squeeze to horn. I did not use steering wheel, only squeeze and hear horn.
I replaced relay to another earlier and still the same.
I replaced relay earlier and fuse - the same situation (maybe I have two broken relays...?)
Based on the above:
there is 12V on relay pin, so relay have power, so the problem is the cable from steering wheel to relay? Am I thinking correctly?
Let me explain
The first thing is to get the wiring diagram. You can find the service manual by googling.
The horn wiring diagram is on page 31 of the WW Section.
The horn relay has only 3 terminals. When the coil is energized (grounded through the horn switch), the switch part of the relay close and the 12V from the battery goes to the horns.
Remove the horn relay, then
1- check if you have 12V on the terminal 2.
2- apply 12V on the terminal 3. To do that, you can put a jumper between terminal 2 and 3. You should hear your horns.
3- if you have a test light, you can connect one side to the positive side of your battery and the other side on the terminal 1. Then press you horn and see if the test light illuminates.
These checks will reduce the part of the circuit to check.
It could also just be a bad relay. A clicking relay is not a guarantee that it's working properly.
The horn wiring diagram is on page 31 of the WW Section.
The horn relay has only 3 terminals. When the coil is energized (grounded through the horn switch), the switch part of the relay close and the 12V from the battery goes to the horns.
Remove the horn relay, then
1- check if you have 12V on the terminal 2.
2- apply 12V on the terminal 3. To do that, you can put a jumper between terminal 2 and 3. You should hear your horns.
3- if you have a test light, you can connect one side to the positive side of your battery and the other side on the terminal 1. Then press you horn and see if the test light illuminates.
These checks will reduce the part of the circuit to check.
It could also just be a bad relay. A clicking relay is not a guarantee that it's working properly.
I checked no. 1&2 - there is 12v and when I put jumper horn gave a sign (but I think that the same situation was when I squeezed relay, because two pins connected each other)
I cannot check no. 3 as I do not have any tool to check this
I can check via om @ multimetr but I will not do this today as I should open once again steering wheel, but due to air bag I need time to disconnect accu.Any other solution how to check this?
Clearly here you've isolated the problem, now how to fix it. What relay and what do you mean by squeezing it? Are you saying when handling this relay, then pushing on the steering wheel the horn works, or only when you touched the relay was the horn working without touching the wheel? Seems whatever this relay is, replacing it would be a good start.
I squeeze some plates in relay, so I connected two metal plates (connected two different pins) - so I think that 12V goes after squeeze to horn. I did not use steering wheel, only squeeze and hear horn.
I replaced relay to another earlier and still the same.
Based on the above:
there is 12V on relay pin, so relay have power, so the problem is the cable from steering wheel to relay? Am I thinking correctly?
08-17-2017, 12:48 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Quebec (QC) CANADA
Posts: 27
thanks for info. I downloaded diagram
I checked no. 1&2 - there is 12v and when I put jumper horn gave a sign (but I think that the same situation was when I squeezed relay, because two pins connected each other)
I cannot check no. 3 as I do not have any tool to check this I can check via om @ multimetr but I will not do this today as I should open once again steering wheel, but due to air bag I need time to disconnect accu.
Any other solution how to check this?
I checked no. 1&2 - there is 12v and when I put jumper horn gave a sign (but I think that the same situation was when I squeezed relay, because two pins connected each other)
I cannot check no. 3 as I do not have any tool to check this I can check via om @ multimetr but I will not do this today as I should open once again steering wheel, but due to air bag I need time to disconnect accu.
Any other solution how to check this?
If you jump terminal 2 & 3 (see diagram for the numbers), you are supposed to hear the horns all the time.
I just want to clarify you "i put jumper horn gave a sign".
If you open your steering wheel you can check the wire integrity with an ohmmeter from the horn switch to the terminal 1 of the relay.
After that you will have to check if the horn switch is working, and also if it's connected to ground in one side.
The advantage of what I suggested in 3 is you could have check all that from the relay box without opening the steering wheel. A test light is not expansive and a really usefull tool.
08-17-2017, 01:26 PM
#9
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,114
Hang on, you are getting 12V on the pin, switched by the relay to the horn, or are you getting 12V on the relay coil pin? If you are getting 12V to the relay switch, but not getting 12V to the relay coil, the problem is between the steering wheel and the relay.
If you jump the relay coil from the battery, does the horn blow? Does the relay coil other pin have almost 0 Ohm to the ground?
If you jump the relay coil from the battery, does the horn blow? Does the relay coil other pin have almost 0 Ohm to the ground?
08-17-2017, 03:23 PM
#10
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Posts: 6
Did you invert terminal 1 & 3 in your message ?
If you jump terminal 2 & 3 (see diagram for the numbers), you are supposed to hear the horns all the time.
I just want to clarify you "i put jumper horn gave a sign".
If you open your steering wheel you can check the wire integrity with an ohmmeter from the horn switch to the terminal 1 of the relay.
After that you will have to check if the horn switch is working, and also if it's connected to ground in one side.
The advantage of what I suggested in 3 is you could have check all that from the relay box without opening the steering wheel. A test light is not expansive and a really usefull tool.
If you jump terminal 2 & 3 (see diagram for the numbers), you are supposed to hear the horns all the time.
I just want to clarify you "i put jumper horn gave a sign".
If you open your steering wheel you can check the wire integrity with an ohmmeter from the horn switch to the terminal 1 of the relay.
After that you will have to check if the horn switch is working, and also if it's connected to ground in one side.
The advantage of what I suggested in 3 is you could have check all that from the relay box without opening the steering wheel. A test light is not expansive and a really usefull tool.
"
1- check if you have 12V on the terminal 2.
2- apply 12V on the terminal 3. To do that, you can put a jumper between terminal 2 and 3. You should hear your horns.
"
I have 12v on terminal 2
I put jumper between terminal 2 and 3 and as you wrote - "hear the horns all the time."
yep, you are right about test light - as I see test light is not expensive. I will buy it most probably (based on the answer for my last question) as I prefer to not open steering wheel again - I'm afraid about my nose/face (air-bag explosion is very nasty
). Better spent some money then buy new face and new air-bag.Hang on, you are getting 12V on the pin, switched by the relay to the horn, or are you getting 12V on the relay coil pin? If you are getting 12V to the relay switch, but not getting 12V to the relay coil, the problem is between the steering wheel and the relay.
If you jump the relay coil from the battery, does the horn blow? Does the relay coil other pin have almost 0 Ohm to the ground?
If you jump the relay coil from the battery, does the horn blow? Does the relay coil other pin have almost 0 Ohm to the ground?
hxxps://carmanuals2.com/get/nissan-maxima-2004-wiper-washer-section-ww-48173
I'm getting 12V on terminal 2 (from battery).
Relay coil is on terminal 1.
terminal 3 goes to horn.
I put jumper between terminal 2 and 3 (without relay) and hear horn
I squeezed pin 2 and 3 on mounted relay (without plastic cover) and hear horn
I will check tomorrow or day after what you suggested:
will connect 12V from battery to relay coil and will let know if I hear horn
I do not understand what you mean by 'Does the relay coil other pin have almost 0 Ohm to the ground'?
Could you explain which pin I should check with the ground?
Could anybody let me know about the following because I'm little confused:
terminal 2 from battery must have 12V - this is clear for me
Pin 3 (to horn) does not have 12V but will receive 12V from pin 2 (once coil on pin 1 receive 12V from steering wheel and magnet relay start working)
Is my thinking correct? So can my friend push steering wheel and I will check if there is 12V on terminal 1? If there will be 12V = relay is broken. If there will not be 12V = problem is between the steering wheel and the relay.
Or maybe it is not so easy?
08-17-2017, 04:34 PM
#11
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Quebec (QC) CANADA
Posts: 27
Thanks for the clarification !
You don't have to connect 12V from battery to "relay coil" because you hear the horns when you jumper terminal 2 & 3, which by the way was a safer way to check because there is a fuse before.
I missed something earlier. You can still check the control side of the relay (terminal 1).
Put your ohmmeter between the terminal 1 and a good ground (battery negative to be sure). When you press on your horn, you should read about 0 Ohms.
If you do and I hope you will, it's a bad relay.
If you do not read about 0 Ohms, that means you don't receive a ground to terminal 1, so the problem is somewhere between the terminal 1 and the ground connection of the horn switch.
I could be an open, a bad horn switch, a broken spiral cable, a bad ground (the one connected to the horn switch).
How it works:
Terminal 1 & 2 = coil of the relay
Terminal 2 = Constant 12V from battery
Terminal 1 = control side of the relay = receive a ground when you press on your horn.
So when you press you horn, the coil is energized and the switch is closed which allows 12V to get from terminal 2 to terminal 3.
You don't have to connect 12V from battery to "relay coil" because you hear the horns when you jumper terminal 2 & 3, which by the way was a safer way to check because there is a fuse before.
I missed something earlier. You can still check the control side of the relay (terminal 1).
Put your ohmmeter between the terminal 1 and a good ground (battery negative to be sure). When you press on your horn, you should read about 0 Ohms.
If you do and I hope you will, it's a bad relay.
If you do not read about 0 Ohms, that means you don't receive a ground to terminal 1, so the problem is somewhere between the terminal 1 and the ground connection of the horn switch.
I could be an open, a bad horn switch, a broken spiral cable, a bad ground (the one connected to the horn switch).
How it works:
Terminal 1 & 2 = coil of the relay
Terminal 2 = Constant 12V from battery
Terminal 1 = control side of the relay = receive a ground when you press on your horn.
So when you press you horn, the coil is energized and the switch is closed which allows 12V to get from terminal 2 to terminal 3.
08-18-2017, 06:41 AM
#12
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,114
For the relay to work, it has to get 12V to one pin of its coil, that's clear. But the other pin has to be grounded for the current to flow through. Find out if that is the case by measuring resistance between the other pin and the grounding points. You need to read fractions of an Ohm, like 0.5 tops (provided that you get no more than that when you connect multimeter leads together).
08-20-2017, 09:33 AM
#13
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Thanks for explanation 
all is clear now
I checked if there is ground from steering wheel (turned on engine and pushed steering wheel) to terminal and not
If there is a possibility that there is no ground in steering wheel? I can open steering wheel once again and connect some ground directly from battery and will check this.
Or this is not possible that there is no ground in steering wheel and only solution is new cable from cabine to terminal?
Cheers
all is clear nowI checked if there is ground from steering wheel (turned on engine and pushed steering wheel) to terminal and not
If there is a possibility that there is no ground in steering wheel? I can open steering wheel once again and connect some ground directly from battery and will check this.
Or this is not possible that there is no ground in steering wheel and only solution is new cable from cabine to terminal?
Cheers
08-20-2017, 09:50 AM
#14
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Quebec (QC) CANADA
Posts: 27
As I told you
It's one of the 4 things.
I never opened my steering wheel so it's hard to know what will be the easiest 1st thing to check.
What I will do:
Test 1: does the horn switch is grounded on one side as it should ?
One side is supposed to be connected all the time to the ground. Check if that's the case (continuity to the ground with an ohmmeter).
Test 2: does the horn switch working ?
If one terminal of the horn switch is grounded as it should. Check if the other terminal "receives" a ground when you press on the switch.
Test 3: Is there an open wire somewhere ?
Check the continuity between relay terminal 1 and after the spiral cable (terminal 25 of M30 connector, green & white cable).
It looks like there is also a green wire going to the horn switch to the spiral cable. Check also if there is continuity between these 2 points.
If you do not read about 0 Ohms, that means you don't receive a ground to terminal 1, so the problem is somewhere between the terminal 1 and the ground connection of the horn switch.
I could be an open, a bad horn switch, a broken spiral cable, a bad ground (the one connected to the horn switch).
I could be an open, a bad horn switch, a broken spiral cable, a bad ground (the one connected to the horn switch).
I never opened my steering wheel so it's hard to know what will be the easiest 1st thing to check.
What I will do:
Test 1: does the horn switch is grounded on one side as it should ?
One side is supposed to be connected all the time to the ground. Check if that's the case (continuity to the ground with an ohmmeter).
Test 2: does the horn switch working ?
If one terminal of the horn switch is grounded as it should. Check if the other terminal "receives" a ground when you press on the switch.
Test 3: Is there an open wire somewhere ?
Check the continuity between relay terminal 1 and after the spiral cable (terminal 25 of M30 connector, green & white cable).
It looks like there is also a green wire going to the horn switch to the spiral cable. Check also if there is continuity between these 2 points.
08-31-2017, 02:12 PM
#15
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Doc Plus - Thanks very much for your help
Sorry for delay, but I have some other problem with my car - my car is in limb mode, sometimes there is everything ok, but sometimes car is in limb mode. Sometimes I cannot change gear and i must use shift lock...my mechanic said that this is some electronic problem - I want to check voltage when my car is on and off (alternator), because I must wait for some free electronic guy (every car electronic guy whose I called is occupied for the next many days/weeks )
I will describe my situation on Saturday (I checked and tested many things without positive result ) - maybe somebody will help me or let me know what else I can check...
I will back to horn problem (and will describe some chosen solution) once I will fix worse problem with often limb mode.
Thanks
Cheers
Sorry for delay, but I have some other problem with my car - my car is in limb mode, sometimes there is everything ok, but sometimes car is in limb mode. Sometimes I cannot change gear and i must use shift lock...my mechanic said that this is some electronic problem - I want to check voltage when my car is on and off (alternator), because I must wait for some free electronic guy (every car electronic guy whose I called is occupied for the next many days/weeks
)I will describe my situation on Saturday (I checked and tested many things without positive result
) - maybe somebody will help me or let me know what else I can check...I will back to horn problem (and will describe some chosen solution) once I will fix worse problem with often limb mode.
Thanks
Cheers
09-19-2017, 12:39 PM
#16
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I introduced quick temporary solution ca. 15 minutes for everything and I have horn button:
When I will find some more time, I will check 'ground' in steering wheel and spiral cable.
PS. Abut other problem (with not working AT and low rpm) - I found out that it was ABS sensor...I temporary disabled it and i'm waiting for new one to replace.
ca. 15 minutes for everything and I have horn button:When I will find some more time, I will check 'ground' in steering wheel and spiral cable.
PS. Abut other problem (with not working AT and low rpm) - I found out that it was ABS sensor...I temporary disabled it and i'm waiting for new one to replace.