Hi guys, first time poster,

I own a series 1 380, build date is 11/05. Currently it has just under 110,000km on it.
The problem I have run into is the horn jams on, the only way to stop it is to pop the bonnet and pull the fuse. Luckily this first happened 3 weeks before the warranty ran out. At that stage the replaced the upper part of the steering colum as the wire to the horn was earthing out. 2 months later its doing the same the thing so I was on the phone to the dealer this morning and he reckons it'll need a whole new steering colum which he thinks is about $1800NZD.....hoping the warranty still can cover it!!!

Mainly just want to know if anyone has had this before? Cause it would be a manufacturing fault right? didn't think the wiring would be that prone to chaffing or what ever is happening

I have 3 cars of different makes that have the same problem...except that luckily the horn doesnt work at all.

Has been diagnosed as "slip ring" failure.

i dont want to spend that much money, so no horn for me....

I had the same problem with my first car, a 1983 Ford Laser about 20 years ago when I fitted an aftermarket steering wheel. It affected the horn contact with the ring plate thing... and the horn kept sticking when I did a full turn. There was a pin or spring (20 years is a long time...) which needed to be bent slightly, and that fixed it.
Dunno if that's the same problem you're having. My 380 hasn't done this.

did you guys only get a 4 year warranty in NZ? how often do you use the horn?

I had an issue when I used to rage in an old ford I used to have

I now just WOOOSAAAAAAA it up

I hurt my hand hammering the horn with my wedding ring on so no more LOL

Thanks blackstar, assuming its a slip ring failure...will quiz the mechanic about it tho cause he reckoned it was earthing out on the side of the column or something...can't complain, its the first fault I've had in 7years and 150,000km of driving mitsi's

Stormie..over here they only got a 3 year warranty but the deal I got for mine was cause I brought it as an ex lease was a 2 year warranty which ran in conjuction with the original warranty and ran out 10mths after the manufacturers warranty so luckily I'm sorta covered. Part of a package which was 0% interest etc etc so had to take it. Don't use the horn often but in NZ the cars here have to pass a warrant of fitness every 12mths upto 6years of age and then every 6mths after that and one requirement is that the horn works, so no horn = no warrant = $400 fine plus no insurance so....gotta fix it basically.