Moncayoman Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Evening all ! Anyone got a suggestion for fault finding for my ducato horn (on a 2004 chassis). Not a sound - no matter how hard I push !! Fuse is okay, but don't know about the relay, and someone frightened me and said it could be the contacts behind the steering wheel (that happens to be behind an airbag so no home fix there). Is the horn itself accessible or is it tucked up somewhere only the gremlins can get to ? Any help, as ever would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 We had the same problem! its tucked behind the left headlight if I remember right O.H had a hell of a job reaching it! he gave it a good clean and it worked the test machanic said to periodically give it a good toot when driving in the countryside it gets seized up with lack of use. Just been told you have to put your hand up the wheel arch there is a small opening and you can just see the horn you have to take it out to clean and adjust it! he had to cut a spanner in half about a 3" stub just enough to turn it on the nut. You can get at it behind the headlight but it means hard work either way he thought it would be less bother to do it from underneath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moncayoman Posted April 1, 2008 Author Share Posted April 1, 2008 Thanks maggyd, I will get a safety harness on and climb up under the thing...if you don't hear from me again I got stuck in there ! Seriously thanks for that...as I wasn't even sure where it was located. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 It was well known with pre-air-bag SEVEL-based motorhomes for problems with the contacts beneath the steering wheel to prevent the horn operating. My own experience of motor-vehicle horns is that good ones work forever, while bad ones will be forever unreliable. I've managed to resurrect 'dead' horns by fiddling with the adjustment-screw, but they've always packed up again later. Most commercial vehicles seem to have tooty little cheap horns in any case, so, if you are having to remove the Fiat oroginal to fiddle with it, you might consider replacing it with a more effective horn and re-locating it more accessibly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Moncayoman There's a letter in the last issue of MMM from someone with the same problem - the mechanic who fixed it whacked it with a hammer shaft and it worked again! Something to do with the sticking contacts but impact technology did the trick!! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowley Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 As Derek said, move it to a position where you will be able to reach it better. My horn was only used at MOT time and I always had to fiddle with it to get it going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 As a check you should hear the relay click when you press the horn button (ignition on but do not start the engine) and this will confirm whether it's a dud horn or not. If you can hear the relay click I suggest you buy a set of cheap air horns (£12.00) from say Halfords and fit them up in the engine compartment. The existing wiring from the dud horn can be used but you will need to extend it to reach the air horns compressor. There is no need to fit the relay which comes with the kit because a relay is already fitted to the Fiat horn circuit. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 I've had this happen on two Boxers and in both cases it was nothing more than a bad contact on the horn button and very easy to cure. I personally would not take apart a steering wheel fitted with an air bag because I don't know enough to be sure of what I am about, but an ordinary un air bagged wheel is simple enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leisurepower Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Had the same problem ended up replacing horn.bought one at Halfords. You need to remove front bumper, two large bolts on front plus under wing fittings. Not to bad a job will need two people to lift bumper down without damage. Good luck Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 You can get your hand up inside the wheel arch to undo and refix the horn but space is very tight and you will lose some skin unless you have very small hands. Best let the wife do it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 JohnP - 2008-04-02 10:00 AM If you can hear the relay click I suggest you buy a set of cheap air horns (£12.00) from say Halfords and fit them up in the engine compartment. The existing wiring from the dud horn can be used but you will need to extend it to reach the air horns compressor. There is no need to fit the relay which comes with the kit because a relay is already fitted to the Fiat horn circuit. Hope this helps. Mr Newall could correct me here, but I think the draw on the current for an air horn compressor is fairly high ( I seem to rember a 20 or 30 amp fuse recommended on my old ones) Using the Fiat relay may not be a wise thing. but willing to be corrected. You could always try http://www.airhorns.co.uk/products.asp?deptid=290&u=IIHLGHLNLDFJEAKCJJGKLCIK for that "Move over " sound Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancer Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Hi Y'all.Most vehicle relays in my experience are of the order of 25 amp. This should be adequate.I fitted the relay from the kit anyway, easy enough to do, also on the Ducato the air horns fit very nicely in the right wing aperture under the bonnet and behind the battery, so easy to run a good cable for the main power source to the relay.Hapy tootling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knaus Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 we had the same problem. All it was was a dirty horn so we cleaned it up and put a plastic bag over it. Has worked ever since a couple of years now. Probably will have to check the bag this year to see if it needs replacing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moncayoman Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 Thank you all my forum chums. Had a go a fixing it yesterday....nearly skinned my arm...then the snow came !! I am going to opt for the bumper off method and I will let you all know how it goes. If anyone has a tattoo on their forearms that they don't want..then getting the horn off a ducato may be the cheaper alternative to laser surgery !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjphillips Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 sounds like the problem I had on my Ducatto.I levered off the horn cover from the steering wheel & the problem was simply that the 2 spade connections were loose so a quick sqeeze with the pliers to push them back on tighter was the answer,of cause the result of a suggestion from this forum!!! (lol) (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Fiat/Peugeot/Citroen horns on these vehicles are notoriously unreliable and there are two separate causes as have been discussed already. No 1 is the steering wheel contacts on pre airbag models but more common is the horn unit itself seizing up through lack of use. Yes it is a bugger to get at but a solid "tap" with a stout stick can often yield results. As for the relay, well it should be capable of handling the current for an air horn compressor (and the names NewEll not NewAll Tony :D ) for the normal short toot that is required. Its only likely to be an issue of you want to give a long blast of 30 seconds or more. Who amongst us has had cause to give a horn blast of that duration? More importantly who amongst us, who has suffered horn failure (:-S ) on a Ducato/Boxer/Relay (usually caused by lack of use :-S ) has felt the need for an extended horn blast? D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moncayoman Posted April 13, 2008 Author Share Posted April 13, 2008 Update on duff horn. eventually got the horn off via a mixture of patience, short 10 mm spanner and from the front nearside wheel arch and through the grill. Unit was duff..exact replacement £13.99 from Halfords but bought a cheapy from a local motor factors for £8.00. A bit puny but now I have sound !!! Thanks to all of you. take care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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