Porsche 911UK Forum

Welcome to the @Porsche911UK website. Register a free account today to become a member! Sign up is quick and easy, then you can view, participate in topics and posts across the site that covers all things Porsche.

Already registered and looking to recovery your account, select 'login in' and then the 'forget your password' option.

How to test horns?

thesmithsUK

Well-known member
Joined
7 Dec 2014
Messages
372
Is there an easy way to test whether a horn is working?

Just liberated these from the car this afternoon.

The spade connections all seemed OK (at the wheel hub and the horns themselves). And the fuse is intact.

One of them occasionally works. But only occasionally.

1xBGE9Q.jpg
 
jump leads on your battery and the other ends on the spades. Makes sure you do + to +
 
As said put earth and 12v through them and that will test if they work or not.

I had an issue with one (low tone) on my 996, thought it had broke so bought a new one, bumper off and fitted it to find it also didn't work, traced it to the connector having a bad connection.
 
When mine have seized up or sounded like a throttled cat, I've just sprayed a load of wd40 down the spout and let it soak for 10 minutes. Always brought back to life.
 
Protect your ears before testing....
 
Armed myself with a digital multimeter...

Switch at steering wheel - fine. Fuse - fine.

One of the tones is dead (no continuity, no sound when wired direct to battery). The other one is intermittent. Cleaned up the connectors, tested (positively) for continuity, also worked when connected direct to battery. So, connected it back up - and it worked. Twice. Then nothing.

Disconnected it. No continuity. Took it apart. Reassembled it. Tested (positive) for continuity. Back in situ. Worked. Once!

Though I guess I could get my soldering iron out and try this: http://p-car.com/diy/hornrepair/

I'm minded just to order two new tones!
 
Yep - that's what happens when you don't squirt some wd40 down the spout to free up the farty bit inside.
 
Also helps if you adjust the tone screw whilst testing but you need to leave the horn blasting whilst you do it. Shove a rag down the spout so not to annoy the wife or neighbours.
 
alex yates said:
Yep - that's what happens when you don't squirt some wd40 down the spout to free up the farty bit inside.

Will give that a try now...before I spend £140!
 
That sound expensive. Dearer than 997 horns.
 
thesmithsUK said:
alex yates said:
Yep - that's what happens when you don't squirt some wd40 down the spout to free up the farty bit inside.

Will give that a try now...before I spend £140!

Have taken the trumpet off and opened the unit up. Might actually give this a try before ordering new: https://p-car.com/diy/hornrepair/
 
Magic919 said:
That sound expensive. Dearer than 997 horns.

Bet they're not Porsche specific, anyone know what other cars share the same horns? Is there a part number on them?
 
Hmmm...half the price. Tempting. But what would the purists say?! At least they'd hear me coming.
 
There are cheaper still on ebay if you want to experiment.
 

New Threads

Forum statistics

Threads
124,350
Messages
1,439,405
Members
48,705
Latest member
Scratch
Back
Top