It was a little on the cold side this morning, with the windows all nicely frosted. I started the car, which was a little hestitant at first but then got going okay. I poured water over the windscreen to clear it up and turned the heater on full ball as well. So far, so good.

I reversed out of the driveway, then stopped the car to close the gate. I got back in and started to back on to the road, and suddenly the horn started blaring, and would not stop. I pulled over and turned the engine off, and then turned the ignition to ON, and straight away the horn started up again. Turn it off, the horn goes off, turn it on, the horn goes on! I tried locating the fuse under the bonnet, but there is no fuse at all where it is indicated on the cover diagram. Obviously that's only a very short term "fix", but I was already late for work as it was.

In the end, I left the car by the side of the road and ran back home (only 100m) to get my motorbike and took that instead. I'll have a look at the car when I get home this afternoon, but if anyone has any ideas what actually caused this problem, and what I should be looking for, I would greatly appreciate your advice. TIA.

i think theres a fuse in the kick panel on the drivers side for the horn. Did you touch the horn at all when you were reversing

mm a friend of mine had the same problem i think, if you don't find an answer by then i'll ask him what he did asap
only difference was i think it was on his 1980 rolla or his silvia, not sure.

Mate of mine just copped this problem in his 300ZX on Sunday, he just yanked the fuse and I don't think he's bothered to fix it yet.

I had this problem with my air horns on my last car, but I was sitting in traffic when they went off!!!!!!!

It ended up being the metal bands that sit on the steering column and allow you to turn the wheel around without twisting any wires. It is a little bit hard to describe but if you have ever had your steering wheel off, it is the metal contacts in there...... maybe someone can elaborate

I had this problem with my air horns on my last car, but I was sitting in traffic when they went off!!!!!!!

It ended up being the metal bands that sit on the steering column and allow you to turn the wheel around without twisting any wires. It is a little bit hard to describe but if you have ever had your steering wheel off, it is the metal contacts in there...... maybe someone can elaborate

You mean the clock springs.... That could be the problem. The problem could also be that
the horn is short-circuiting caused by moisture due to OP pouring water. Should try again
this arvo when it has dried up.

I had this problem with my air horns on my last car, but I was sitting in traffic when they went off!!!!!!!

It ended up being the metal bands that sit on the steering column and allow you to turn the wheel around without twisting any wires. It is a little bit hard to describe but if you have ever had your steering wheel off, it is the metal contacts in there...... maybe someone can elaborate
"Horn ring"

You mean the clock springs.... That could be the problem. The problem could also be that
the horn is short-circuiting caused by moisture due to OP pouring water. Should try again
this arvo when it has dried up.
Don't the clock springs control indicator stalk termination?

You mean the clock springs.... That could be the problem. The problem could also be that
the horn is short-circuiting caused by moisture due to OP pouring water. Should try again
this arvo when it has dried up.

That's what I'm hoping for! I'll try it again when I get home, and hopefully it will be back to normal again.

Of course, the question then becomes where is it shorting, and how it can be fixed to prevent a recurrence. I certainly don't think I can go through this every time the windscreen frosts up! I might have to just put a blanket over it, perhaps.

Thanks guys, MUCH appreciated.

horn relay may have jammed, one of my relays did that the other day, and so did dads patrol, the big spotties were on, and wouldnt turn off at all! had to pull the fuse and replace the relay
only like $5 max to replace

Don't the clock springs control indicator stalk termination?
They control that, the proper operation of the air bag, and part of the operation of the horn. If thats not balanced you risk damaging wiring when turning full lock (did you turn to full lock reversing out the drive?) which could trigger the horn, or more dangerously set off the air bag.

If you want to reset that yourself you'll have to pull the steering wheel off, then turn it all the way I believe to lock one way, then back 2 and a half turns. If you want to give it a whirl its in the service manual the specific instructions. Probably want to check for damaged wiring first though before resetting. I'll check the manual if you don't have access to it.

Horn is the 3rd or 4th fuse from the left side on the top row in the drivers footwell I think. Marked with an air horn logo. That'll allow you to move the car quietly enough temporarily.

Well, all good so far...

I came home, and it started up no problems at all, no more blaring horn.

So that would tend to reinforce the 'water in the electrics' diagnosis, but I'll keep a close eye on it all the same.

Doesn't sound unrealistic.... I have had that problem before

Another common problem with horns (those with factory alarms) is that the boot sensor
can get sticky at times, and the horn alarm will go off as the system thinks the boot is not
closed.

Another common problem with horns (those with factory alarms) is that the boot sensor
can get sticky at times, and the horn alarm will go off as the system thinks the boot is not
closed.

Worst annoyance is a faulty drivers door sensor, when getting in/out at night your interior lights will be on/off/on/off/on, although I agree, having your alarm go off randomly is pretty damn annoying not to mention promotes paranoia!

lol i thought i was embarrased enough today when i didnt notice the lights i was sitting at turn green, all the cars in the other lane went and i was just sitting there, took me a good 15 secs to realise, lucky no one was behind me, i love day dreaming.
My face would be redder then ripe tomatoes if i couldn't turn my horn off, then again my horn doesn't even work:bowrofl:

It gets stranger...

I came out this morning, after the heaviest frost we've had so far this winter, and started the car. It was a bit sluggish, but started up okay after a couple of seconds...and then the horn went off again.

The car hadn't even moved, the steering wheel hadn't been touched, and it had been perfectly okay yesterday afternoon when I tried it after the first problems in the morning. I didn't use any water on the windscreen either.

Odd. I pulled the fuse this time so I could still take the car to work, but I'll be having a closer look this afternoon. I've never heard of cold weather setting off a horn before! :-) Might just be a dodgy switch that is falling victim to the cold.

Well I'm guessing its probably a moisture problem then.

When you crank the engine it cuts off your accessories doesn't it? Which would explain why your horn came on after you started.

Did it come on when you flicked past 'ON' when you were turning it on?

Well I'm guessing its probably a moisture problem then.

When you crank the engine it cuts off your accessories doesn't it? Which would explain why your horn came on after you started.

Did it come on when you flicked past 'ON' when you were turning it on?

The horn didn't come on until after the engine had already started.

Hmmmmm :doubt:

Strange

Easy fix...

Your car hates winter...
and is protesting every time you wake it up on cold mornings....
Do you like getting up on cold mornings???


try wrapping a big doonah over it when tucking it into bed of the night!!!

:P

Hehehehe

Actually this is the first time I've heard this happening.......

That's so bizarre :confused:

Can you park it under a carport of some sort that'll stop frost from building up on it overnight one night? See if it still does the same thing?

horn relay may have jammed, one of my relays did that the other day, and so did dads patrol, the big spotties were on, and wouldnt turn off at all! had to pull the fuse and replace the relay
only like $5 max to replace

In that case, it may be a good idea to get some solid state relays. Expensive, but atleast they won't freeze over :) Its been getting below 0 here lately, painful.