New horn issue

[AnthonyG]

Hooked up the good horn w battery off. Switched battery on & horn started going off. Switch battery off started checking & found horn button on steering wheel spring must have broke. I know the light switch & horn button come out as an assy w long tub going to light switch at bottom of steering column. Is the spring for the horn at the bottom or can the button pop off at top revealing the spring seat?

[rotorwrench]

The grounding generally happens under the horn button. There could be a problem at the bottom too.

[AnthonyG]

Will button pop off w screw driver like newer vehicles? I’ve got a small plastic pry tool as well.

[nelsb01]

NO.
Try to pry it off and you will be looking for a new one of those also.
The horn button is held on by the chrome ring that has tabs that are bent over. To get the button off you have to remove the horn rod, and that means you have to drop the steering sector (unless you have a convertible) to get the rod all the way out without bending it. Bend it, and you will be looking for a new one of those too.
Sounds like you have a short either in the wiring or the button.

[cas3]

nelsb01 is correct, but to just fix the spring under the button you may be able to just lift the rod up enough to work on the tabs that hold the button down, instead of completely removing the column. as stated above...be careful, dont bend it!

[AnthonyG]

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Pretty sure no short. Harness is newish installed in 2014. Have removed center rod previously, just a PIA. I remember dropping steering column also removed front seat. Was hoping to get to area under button to replace spring w/o removing center rod . I’ll try Cas3’s suggestion.
Thx 4 inputs

[deuce lover]

Are you sure that the spring is shot? Does the button pop back after being depressed?From memory those 4 tabs of that bezel are so stiff and to get to them this way next to impossible and to bend them back again is another hurdle IMO.I have taken several apart and did them on the bench.Good luck.

[koates]

What you need to establish is where the ground is occurring. Is it in the horn rod and button or somewhere else in the wiring. So unclip the wire bail that holds the headlight switch to the steering box and drop the headlight switch down a little. Reconnect the battery and see if the horn is still blowing. If it is not blowing then the grounding is occurring in the horn rod or button. Regards, Kevin.

[AnthonyG]

deuce lover, previously the horn button action was good w good spring action, either coincidentally was time to break or Gremlins, but after I got the one good horn working on the bench and installed in car & switched on battery and it started beeping. Battery has shutoff switch on ground so immediately turned off, went in car and checked the button and it was flat in depressed position w no spring action. Depending on how lazy I feel I might just put a horn button switch under dash next to my oil pressure gauge. We'll see how industrious I feel

[AnthonyG]

Or maybe by the starter switch under dash as I'm right handed

[deuce lover]

Originally Posted by AnthonyG

deuce lover, previously the horn button action was good w good spring action, either coincidentally was time to break or Gremlins, but after I got the one good horn working on the bench and installed in car & switched on battery and it started beeping. Battery has shutoff switch on ground so immediately turned off, went in car and checked the button and it was flat in depressed position w no spring action. Depending on how lazy I feel I might just put a horn button switch under dash next to my oil pressure gauge. We'll see how industrious I feel

Here is a ling to one listed on EBAY with the rod broken off.You can see on the pic of the underside how its fastened (tabs).I might have a spring that I kept from fooling with these that you can have .PM me if you need it.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-V8-ste...n/254548675821

[AnthonyG]

Seeing where shaft / rod is broken @ the rusty ring showing in the center of the light switch lever. does the spring go around the shaft & it holds the shaft connected to the button up about 1 /16-3/32" & when pushed the entire rod is moves up and down & activates horn in the switch body for the lights at bottom of the column? Or is the spring under the tabbed plate between that plate and the button and grounds the horns when button is pushed?

[rotorwrench]

The wire should be insulated from everything but the button above the light switch The ground path is to the steering shaft through the outer casing of the horn rod and also the connection at the spider in the switch body. There should be an insulator for the horn wire contact at the light switch plate on the bottom of the switch rod. If anything is making contact inside there then its got a ground path.

[deuce lover]

Originally Posted by AnthonyG

Seeing where shaft / rod is broken @ the rusty ring showing in the center of the light switch lever. does the spring go around the shaft & it holds the shaft connected to the button up about 1 /16-3/32" & when pushed the entire rod is moves up and down & activates horn in the switch body for the lights at bottom of the column? Or is the spring under the tabbed plate between that plate and the button and grounds the horns when button is pushed?

The spring is under the V8 button.You have to bend the tabs (part of the chrome bezel)straight and the bezel and button can be removed.Yes ,when you push the button it grounds out and the horn beeps.The rod has nothing to do with that function.