Horn stalling car...help!
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Basically every time I use the car horn when the engine is running, it will stall the car very quickly. If I am driving on the road and use the horn the car will kangaroo until I stop pressing the horn-not great lol
The wiring at the horn seems fine and not earthing out but otherwise I’m not sure what to check, any help would be fantastic!
Thanks in advance
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Its a 1987 Cabby Gti, DX engine, K-Jet. Standard engine and electrics. I did find the low tone horn was broken so replaced it but haven’t changed anything else.
Dont know if it’s cutting the spark, it just loses all power until it stalls or I stop pressing the horn. If you just give a quick beep it seems ok but anything over a few seconds will stall it.
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I hate electrics lol
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Local Hero
It relies on a short wire at the bttom of the steering column/rack under the bonnet, check is this is intact.
It also uses a relay due to the current the two horns consume, it could be an issue with the relay/fuse board, esp if its been wet as with many MK1 leaking in water above the wiring/board.
As a test I'd remove the new horn and try it with that disconnected as thats the only recent change.
1983 Mars Red 1.8 Golf GTI
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet
The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet
The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.
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Which relay is it- I might be lucky and have a spare!
Thanks for the help so far guys
Posted
Local Hero
See pic for diagram, loads more I think this may be from the US as it has A/C.
1983 Mars Red 1.8 Golf GTI
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet
The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.
1987 Alpine White 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet
The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished.
Posted
Local Hero
All have the same fuse panel, only the optional things are different, ie: A/C, Seat Heaters, Power hoods….
When replacing the horns you are near to the main frame to engine Ground. If you pulled or pushed it by accident in replacing it, then you could of taken a IFFY wire and made it worse.
Horns have 12V full time on them, the Black/yellow wire.
The Horn relay switches Ground to the horn to engage it or make it honk.
Electrics are funny things a component that has a iffy power or ground wire, will use anything it can to make it back home.
Ground is always looking for a way to return to the Positive side of the battery.
I would do basic checks of your electrics.
Try this.
Take a pair of Battery Jumper Cables (Booster Cables)
Attach the red lead from the Battery negative post to the Strut tower nuts. Take the Black lead attach it to the Battery negative post and run it to the Engine lifting eye.
Start your car and if it is running then honk your horn and see if it stumbles…. if it doesn't then you have a flaky ground wire from the Batter to the frame and or the frame to the engine. If you haven't replaced your main battery to frame and frame to engine grounds then your major Earthing points are over 30 years old and since VW used an unshielded cable it is probably internally corroded so it's best to replace it. you can use 2 off the shelf cables and replace it as battery to frame and frame to engine.
Other ground attachment points probably need a good cleaning as well. Engine to coil bracket, and all other earthing points.
If you have water leaks in to the Cabin, then you may have a corroded Fuse panel and a little corrosion can cause things to be bridged and pass current.
Test 2, is to measure the Voltage from the Battery Positive to Frame, then Battery to engine, if there is more than .5V difference then you have a earthing issue.
If you don't have 13.5-14V on a running engine, then you are looking at a iffy alternator, or battery.
It is really tight under the engine where the horns sit, and you may have crossed wires that have marginal cuts in the shielding and are leaking over to different things.
So you are using the power to the horns to power other things and when you honk the horn the direct path that you have for the horns takes away the leak from powering or earthing the other things.
A good place to start is
Electrical System look for the major grounding points.
If you have ever seen the inside of a fuse panel, they look like this:
A little corrosion or water can cause a lot of things to go wonky.
You could also try the by-passing of your fuel pump relay to rule that being flaky.
Just my thoughts.
What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?
They all start with GOOD Grounds.
Where are my DIY Links?
They all start with GOOD Grounds.
Where are my DIY Links?
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Briano
Try this.Take a pair of Battery Jumper Cables (Booster Cables)Attach the red lead from the Battery negative post to the Strut tower nuts. Take the Black lead attach it to the Battery negative post and run it to the Engine lifting eye.
I tried this assuming you meant putting the black lead on the positive terminal and all I got was a tonne of sparks lol
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Local Hero
Try this.Take a pair of Battery Jumper Cables (Booster Cables)Attach the red lead from the Battery negative post to the Strut tower nuts. Take the Black lead attach it to the Battery negative post and run it to the Engine lifting eye.
No I was specific.
You are substituting your pair of ground cables for the Earth to Battery connection (frame) and the battery to the engine FRAME.
Never did I say place the wire on the POSITIVE battery post.
What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?
They all start with GOOD Grounds.
Where are my DIY Links?
They all start with GOOD Grounds.
Where are my DIY Links?
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Just been out to do it and the car stalls as soon as I press the horn
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Old Timer
I would defo check that next.
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Local Hero
What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?
They all start with GOOD Grounds.
Where are my DIY Links?
They all start with GOOD Grounds.
Where are my DIY Links?
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