Horn button repair

[Mazdax605]

Hello all,

On my 89 Delica Starwagon the horn has always been a hair trigger. Look at it cross, and the horn would sing the song of its people. Well just last week while driving I hit the horn to get a friends attention, and the dang thing stuck on. I was able to get it to shut off temporarily but squeezing the horn button to mushroom it up a bit. For the rest of the trip whenever I hit a large bump with the van(often, due to the terrible Massachusetts roads) the horn would sound. The following day it didn't sound at all, but reared its ugly head again the day after that. To repair this temporarily I removed the 15 amp fuse for the horn. All was well aside from last night when I realized that not only was the fuse for the horn, but also the dash, and tail lights. We drove home from getting ice cream without tail lights, or dash lights. Not what I wanted to do, but I got us home. I got home and decided to remove the horn button to remove the wire. It wasn't as tough when I found the phillips head screw under the steering wheel.

I removed the wire for the horn button ground, and found the problem with the button in the process. I replaced the fuse, and have working tail, and dash lights again, but still no horn. Much safer, but not perfect.

What I found was the button is a sandwich of a steel plate with dimples, and a thin brass or copper plate with foam glued to it. The foam has holes that line up with the dimples on the sheet metal plate. The problem is the foam is all broken down, and has no spring back to it. That caused the hair trigger, and ultimately the stuck horn. I am thinking I may be able to repair it, but was wondering if anyone has run into this problem, or has this part that they could sell me?

Pics can be seen here.

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w51 ... u3t59p.jpg

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w51 ... fkzvaq.jpg

[lrp374]

If you do a search I think you'll find some people have fixed the problem with a popscicle stick. I'm not sure how they did it hopefully you can find the instructions or someone who has used the trick can explain it.

[TardisDeli]

Stir Sticks for coffee are best, the flattened plastic tube type, dark brown. I searched the word 'stir' and up popped the original posts.
heres-how-to-fix-a-stuck-horn-6762.html
Essentially you are just putting gap between the metal plate and the contact. The gap used to be filled with foam, which has now aged and crumbled into dust. Cheers Christine.

[FalcoColumbarius]

I used two of those plastic coffee stir sticks, one across the top quarter and one across the bottom quarter. Great fit, they're pliable and the plastic does not conduct.That foam stuff just disintegrates over time.

Falco.

[nxski]

I put a new steering wheel on and taped the wires in place - worked great!

[Mazdax605]

I found some thin foam at work yesterday and cut it to size. I decided I didn't really need all the Swiss cheese holes in it like the factory foam. I just cut a slot in the centre and the horn works just fine. Of course it only works when pressed in the middle but I'm okay with that. I will post pictures of it later or tomorrow.

[Mazdax605]

Fixed it with some foam found at work. Crude, but it works.

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w51 ... pvd3i9.jpg

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w51 ... midaat.jpg

[righthandman]

Any tips on how to get the horn back on the steering wheel? I did the fix with the straws (thanks!) but now I can't seem to get it to mount back on. I see there is a little flat retainer metal piece attached to the screw that comes up from under the steering wheel, that might be bent out of shape. I see there are also some metal hooks at the top of the horn, but not sure where those go. Any thoughts appreciated!

[Lapprentis]

I may not be as specific I you whish I could be: I too had some difficulties putting it back together

Just make sure the outer rubberized finish is covering the horn mechanical assembly then try to put it back in place upper (or lower) side first until it is at the right place (you do not have to apply force). Then put back the crew, you have to take it off again for the next 20 years hopefully

Lapprentis

[righthandman]

Thanks Lapprentis. Looks like I may have broken off a metal tab in the inside that hooks on when the screw tightens. May have to fashion a replacement!

[EllyStu]

Hello : ) I chuckled while reading about what other folks have gone through when a Delica's horn gets stuck. I was awakened by the police last night, Mitsi's horn apparently having been sounding for an hour -- and me for once sleeping blissfully. Natch, it couldn't have happened during one of my periods of insomnia. It wasn't fun. In my befuddled state I grabbed and yanked the horn up until it stopped and then, with two policemen looking over my shoulder, one holding the flashlight, I got down and removed the fuse.
Today I was all excited and inspired by these posts, but darn, I cannot fix mine! I got it off and see two plates, but they look quite different from the other pix shown here, and if there ever was foam in there, I don't know where. The 15 amp blue fuse was still out. I put some straws in between the plates and managed, with great difficulty, to get it all put together and the Phillips screw back in. But when I inserted the fuse, the horn went off again. Can someone please look at the pic and help me along?
I've had great help here before, and hope you guys come through again. Thanks! http://s1091.photobucket.com/user/Elly ... 4.jpg.html

[Mazdax605]

You need to separate the rubber portion on the piece on the left of your picture from the assembly. It is just hooked on to the plastic /steel assembly. You will see where the wire attaches and where the foam is supposed to be. If you put the coffee stirrer between the two pieces in your picture then you did it wrong.

[EllyStu]

Chris, thank you very much. That did it. I learned a lot from this little exercise but have to wonder when I will get the chance to use the knowledge : )

[Mazdax605]

No problem.