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Another question from the newbie on my deVille

Started by TJ Simonson, December 18, 2006, 07:43:26 PM

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TJ Simonson

Hi All!

Long time no post! Ive been super busy with school, work and chores around the house etc.  (and, of course tinkering with the baby! LOL)

Newest issue to drive me nutso...

When I press the horn pad, nothing from the horns, but the engine temp light comes on!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I almost got creamed the other day on the highway by a moving truck and no horn! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!


Any ideas????


I hope you all have a wonderful, safe holiday season!!!

TJ

Michael Stamps 19507

I had a short in my 70 horn button that did similar.

Stampie

Rusty Shepherd CLC 6397

I wonder if the horn will honk when the engine overheats.

TJ Simonson

Hi Stampie!
Were you able to track the short down?

TJ Simonson


Michael Stamps 19507

Having to think back but I think the wire on the left pad was the problem.  But its been a few years.  Just ask Pooter.

Stampie

denise 20352


  I dont have my book in front of me, but here is some information about how some of these cars are configured that might help.

  The horn relay has the key-in buzzer built into it.  Strange, but true.  Attached to the key-in buzzer is also the metal temp light, so that the buzzer sounds when the car overheats and the temp light comes on.  To me, the connection between the two systems might be at the horn relay/buzzer.  I would pop it apart and see if the little rivets holding the contacts together has loosed up and it was shorting out...or just replace the relay.  This is very common with the old-style metal case relays.  If it isnt that simple, then its time to get the meter out and start chasing it down.

-denise

TJ Simonson

Funny you should say that, since my key in ignition and fasten seat belt buzzers also do not work.  I certainly like the silence, but I want a working horn so I dont get creamed like corn!

Ill get my shop manual out and see what I can locate!

Thanks for the tip Denise!!!!

TJ

TJ H 20664

If you are dealing with an early 70s car you will be shocked (not literally I hope) when you look in the manual at that circut.  I think it also gets mixxed up with the dome light/door switches.  You have a bad ground somewhere or a shorted relay like denise thought.  The reason it isnt more obvious is that there are so many systems tied together there that they can sort of bleed together and ground through one another.  I would make several copies of the electrical drawings from the manual and get some highlighter markers or colored pencils and use a differnt color for each system then look for the common links between them like relays or ground points.  That should save you some time standing on your head with your feet over the seats hunting around under the dash (unless you have an eldorado with the flat floor!).

Good Luck!

TJ H
Clc #20664
StPaul/Mpls MN USA
73 Eldo convert(s)
78 CDV

Rhino 21150

What Denise says about that relay makes a LOT of sense. I had a seat belt buzzer in an Olds that failed and the horn quit too. I found out they were the same part when I replaced the "horn relay" and the seat belt buzzer started working again.

TJ Simonson

Am I really going nuts?  I have been through my shop manual AND the body manual for my car and I cant find anything about the relay mentioned above!!!!  

Can someone give me any ideas as to where this relay would be located? what does it look like?  why cant I find anything about it my manuals???

Hope all you Cadillac folks are having a great 2007!!!

Thank a lot as always for all of your help!!


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

TJ

denise 20352


  On my 76, it is under the dash, actually under the edge of the carpet, near the pedals.  I think it had two connectors, one with three wires and one with two.

-d

TJ H 20664

What year car we talking about here?

I just got a 78 suppliment manual and the horn relay is one 5 on the relay center block that is located to the left of the fuse box under the dash.

Horn relay (3 pins)
Key buzzer (2 pin)
Seat belt/timer buzzer (4 pins)
AC blower relay (4 pins) (the orignal factory one has a metal case and is the left of the vertical metal ones)
Power antenna (5 pins)

There may also be a relay for the Air Ride that would be 3 pins. The air ride section says it there but the main drawing dont show it for the deville.

TJ H
20664
StPaul/Mpls MN USA

TJ Simonson

Hi TJH!

This is for a 71 deVille.  I cant find anything in either my shop or body manuals about relays.  I have no clue if Im looking for a fuse type thing or what. GRRRRRRRRRR

TJ H 20664

Oldest manual I have is a 73 so I dont know if it will help any but  it says "the horn relay is mounted inside the car on the dash insulator to the upper left of the brake pedal"  I found that paragraph on the electrical instruments secton of the shop manual.  On the chassis circut diagram they call it "horn relay and warning buzzer"   Find the horns on the drawing and follow the wire back to the relay that way you can see what color wires you are looking for.  On a 71 I would expect the relays to have a silver metal case maybe 1/2"x1"x1 1/2".   Like I said thats for a 73 and I have no idea if a 71 is the same.

When I have time I have to figure out the same thing on my 78.  I cant even find the horns on the 78, they must be tucked under something somewhere.

Good Luck!

TJ H
20664
StPaul/Mpls MN USA
73 Eldos
78 CDV

Geoff Newcombe #4719

quote ..."I cant even find the horns on the 78, they must be tucked under something somewhere."

Open the hood and put your head down in the engine compartment near the front of the car, have a helper blow the horn, youll find em.  :-)

TJ H 20664

Good thought Geoff but at the moment the horns dont work at all.  Based on how the rest of the connections looked under the hood Im thinking it most likeley bad ground or other connection problem.

TJ H
#20664

Craig Chally

Not to jack the thread, but on a 78, the horns are located just under the radiator support, forward of the fan (you can see the bolts holding them in place from the top).  You can see the horns if you look through the grille and look up.  Standard is two horns, mounted on the drivers side.  Trumpet horns will have four units, with two mounted on each side.

Now about that horn relay....best o luck.  If I were going to the junk yard in the near future, Id research the problem.

Craig

TJ H 20664

Thanks for the response Craig, I did find them when I set out find them, they are tucked up there you wont see em unless you are looking, even when you know they are there you still have to look close.  The relay is a squarish black 3 pin one in the relay bank next to the fuse block, I got a new one from Napa and the relay now clicks, found the wire (or a wire the same color as the horns) worn through from rubbing on the brake booster and repaired it but still no horns, ran out of time to dig any futher, next step is to pull that plastic thing and see if they even work with a jumper wire.

TJ H
20664