Horn question

Eric,

What column and what steering wheel?

Making a horn work perfectly isn't hard. Just let me know what style column and steering wheel.

OK...well you have a later model steering column. Pop the horn button off. There should be a brown wire attached to the button. Find the brown wire that exits the column and attach it to a horn that has two contacts (a ground and a positive). The other contact on the horn should go to a fused positive source.

If your horn has only 1 terminal than it pulls the ground from its mounting point and we will need to add a relay.

Check it out first before I cramp my fingers up describing the relay.

Just remember...many of the VW systems use a ground signal to activate the horn. If your column is not grounded (and in some cases it shouldn't be based on the year you are using) then its not going to follow the standard VW diagnostic procedures.

Just trying to find out how to attach photos. Click the image to enlarge.

Greg

I put the steering wheel on and the button has never been hooked up. It has two terminals on it and one is marked for a ground. I put the airhorns in and they have + to the fuse block and the ground is (was) run to a horn switch. I want to put it in the steering wheel again. The only existing wire is the one that is hooked to the rag joint. The main question I have is. How do I get a wire from the horn to the button?

The tail lights are early Honda prelude-- nice because you can get rid of the trailer adapter in the wiring harness, and you also get back up lights and separate brake/turn and tail lights.

The pop up sunroofs are knock offs from the rv window industry. I bought them several years ago from J. C. Whitney. They were made several years ago to replace the 40 percent pop out side door glass on a Chevy/GMC 60-40 percent van. You may still be able to source metal framed originals from GM or salvage yards. They are NOT easy to fit to the Bradley and require fiber glas and paint work. See photos--click to enlarge. You even have to fabricate new hinges.

Nice work on the sun roofs.
I see you have a few more project in the 2nd picture.
I'm pretty sure I could do the fiberglass work!

Here are pics of what I have wire wise.

Button

I think the yellow wire wire should be on the long bolt (which should be short) so it goes to ground, then to the button plug on the right in the picture.
You need to run a new wire from the center on the horn ground & Batt. pos should be at the horn.
The horn is HOT all the time.

Most Horn buttons (one wire only needed)are grounded to the column, then the center wire would go to the button down to the horn.
A ground wire would be on the long bolt to make the column Ground.

Try this, take the yellow wire to the horn, add the ground jumper on the metal side of the rubber (long bolt).
Ground the right button wire to one of the wheel bolt. then yellow wire to the center.

1. Yes that is correct. The red wires are the current horn wires that go to a separate switch.
2. I think so as I have no idea where else it would go.
3. No.

Geez Eric...something is messed up...
The red wires must go somewhere else than just the horn. I assume, given the gauge and color, that they are the power wires that bring power to the key switch and then out to the fuse block 9sometimes via the headlight switch).

Here is what I think should be happening...
1. Horn should have full time + power
2. Connect wire that comes up steering shaft to center tab on horn button
3. Brown wire should go to - terminal on horn.

Now first I would test it. Do you have a test light on continuity tester?

If you have a continuity tester then do the following:
1. Attach one probe to a good ground
2. Take probe and check for continuity with center wire. You should have it.
3. Touch steering column and support to check for continuity. You should NOT have any.
4. Attach center wire to center tab on horn button. Press horn button (disconnected from steering wheel). Check for continuity on the small snap ring that holds horn onto steering wheel. With button pressed you should have continuity. If you do not try switching tabs on the horn button. Re-test.
5. Install horn button and press. Probe the brown wire. Do you get continuity with the button pressed and no continuity with no button pressed?
6. If so attach brown wire to - on horn.

If you have a test light:
1. Attach clip to good + source.
2. Probe center wire on steering shaft. You should get a light.
3. Attach center wire to horn button with button off of steering wheel. Press button and touch probe to clip that holds button onto steering wheel. If no light then switch tabs on button. Light should illuminate when button is pushed and probes touches mounting clip.
4. Reinstall horn button
5. Press horn button and probe brown wire. Lamp should light when button is pushed.
6. Attach brown wire to - on horn.

A lot of this is guesses since wiring is done by pure hacks.