Strangely enough, I just got my car back from the body shop but now my horn doesn't work. I had the airbag replaced if that would help. However I didn't think that would be the problem and checked elsewhere. I found that there was a wire that had popped where the actual horn is and I soldered that but still no luck. I checked all of the fuses and the horn relay but I haven't found any problems there seeing that I even changed them to be on the safe side because I didn't have a test light handy. I'm thinking now that the horn my have mysteriously went bad but I'm not sure.

Also, strangely to mention, my alarm is acting funny.....I don't remember what is is.....a prestige AS...something. It seems to be working because when it goes off my lights flash as they should but of course I won't hear anything since the horn won't work. Here's where it gets really strange: when I deactivate the alarm, the back driver's side window decides to go down on it's own about a quarter of the way each time I press disarm (wouldn't be much help seeing that it would be opening the car for theives). I'm ALMOST certain that the alarm tech the did the job for me ran the alarm to my windows as a part of the alarm sensors. 3 of my windows started acting funny a few months after the alarm install (one won't even go down any more). My dad says alarm systems generally mess up the window motors if they're connected to them but I wouldn't know. Also, there's this weird clicking noise that the alarm's module box (or whatever it is) makes when the alarm goes off which I've never heard before. I'm not thinking that maybe the alarm got messed up and MAYBE is causing a problem with my horn since it's connected to that. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Unless your alarm has a window up/down feature, the "tech" who installed it would have no reason to be messing with window motors.

Also, the clicking is a relay, which is normal.

 

Some thoughts:

1) If you know or can figure out how the alarm was wired into your system, it might be informative to disconnect the alarm to test whether horn function is restored and whether the mysterious window issue ceases.

2) Connect 12V power directly to horn to verify that it functions.

3) Double check that fuse #52 (15A) in under-hood fuse/relay box is not blown.

4) **Provide more details about the broken wire that you soldered. Is the wire shown in the picture?

[IMG]local://upfiles/25538/3F0C251755B543D189E07BC3E9E42751.jpg[/IMG]

 

It's the 2P connector as shown in the picture RonJ. There's two wires coming out of the tube with that connector which plugs in to the horn. According to the picture angle the bottom wire is the one that I soldered (it was blue as I recall). I just noticed last night when I went to check on the car that the window not only comes down when it's disarmed, but also when I turn the car off....at least that's when it happened. I found the wire from the alarm module and disconnected it that is automatically winding down the window when I disarm it. Since that's disconnected I think when the alarm is triggered and turns off on it's own (you know, how alarms just sorta quit going off after a suitable amount of time) it still winds down. I also noticed that there's a 40A fuse missing from the fusebox under the hood which is labeled POWERWINDOW but I don't know if it's related seeing as the windows seem to get power (though not much at the rear). I almost couldn't get them back up last night. Also, I noticed that the SRS light is on which wasn't before my airbag was replaced. Could that possibly be causing a problem with both the horn and the alarm? Thanks. And thanks for your responses recon and ron.

By the way recon: the alarm doesn't have that feature so I think maybe the alarm was connected to the windows in case someone broke them. Never actually saw him mess around with the motors themselves so I'm guessing it's a relay or something it's connected to. I found and disconnected the part of the alarm for the window as I mentioned above though the glass sensors for the alarm still work ( I armed the alarm and gave the glass a slight knock and the alarm went off).

All in all, I've never heard the clicking noise from the module before so I just found it a little strange. Thanks again for your help guys.

 

1) You can test whether the Horn is receiving power by disconnecting the 2P connector, touching probes of a test light on each of the metal contacts of the horn switch-side connector, and having your dad push the horn switch on the steering wheel. If the test light turns ON when the horn switch is pushed, then your probably need a new horn. If it doesn't turn ON, then recheck those wires of the 2P connector.

2) The pictures here and in the next post show the under-hood and -dash fuse/relay boxes for 96-98 Civics. They might help you figure out if components of the alarm system are rewired into previously empty slots.

[IMG]local://upfiles/25538/2921A7ED94D24E038A6F6ACF4A97F6DE.jpg[/IMG]

 

last picture

[IMG]local://upfiles/25538/9684CCCCC1374EDA9BCE222C5E1AFB2A.jpg[/IMG]

 

Thanks for your help. I will get right on it first thing Saturday....or Sunday, Which ever time permits. I'll be sure to post update.

 

Checked horn with test light and everything between yesterday and today....still nothing. The only other thing left before assuming that the horn is bad is to remove the airbag and make sure the wires are connected from there. I know for sure that it's connected from the airbag though.

 

You might also consider directly hooking the horn to 12V power and verify that it doesn't sound.

 

Thanks, I will try that as soon as I get off from work today. Also, I wasn't sure if I could post here so I made another post relating to this problem (I think).

https://www.hondacivicforum.com/fb.asp?m=515364