Originally Posted by BarryJB

While I do not recommend this procedure due to the requirement to mess with the airbag unit, I was not ready to fork over $700 or $300 for the relevant parts so after pulling the airbag from the vehicle (I used Haynes re how & safe procedures with the airbag - mainly I waited 30 minutes after removing both battery negative connections, instead of the Haynes-recommended two minutes, before working on it), I removed the two torx screws on the bottom and peeled back the faceplate (releasing the four wedge locks as I did) so I could remove and inspect the membrane switch.

The reinserted emblem tangs had dimpled the outer membrane layer such that it was permanently shorted - but in my case, only when it got cold which in SoCal meant the horn went off and stayed off until I beat the horn-push area (two occasions) or pulled the fuse (third) at 1-2am on three different nights (my neighbors must love me).

The bottom layer (hindsight after I did what I am about to describe) has many tiny silicon dots on it to keep the two copper-clad inner surfaces of the two layers from making contact unless pressed - or dimpled by the "Ford" tangs - by the rows of little plastic fins on the underside of the horn-push area. Note this central area, where the emblem is, is NOT used at all for making contact (no fins to push on it), so its unnecessary presence creates this problem!

BTW I have an 03 F250 but same part nos. as previous posts, and I created my problem the exact same way. After I'd removed the membrane switch as above, I carefully cut out (repeated scoring with an exacto) a small central rectangular area of just the upper (outer) layer where it was damaged (dimpled) by the tangs on the Ford emblem, then sliding a small piece of thin mylar, slightly bigger than the cut hole, between the two membranes to prevent the new edge (of the hole I'd cut) from shorting out onto the bottom layer. I used toothpicks to keep them apart to make insertion and adjustment easier.

Note the two layers are not bonded or attached at least in this central area. I'd also cut a hole in the mylar slightly smaller than the hole I cut in the membrane, so when I placed a piece of harness tape (high quality vinyl tape, 1-in wide, just over 1 mil thick) cut just big enough to overlap the hole cut in the upper membrane, it secured the upper & lower membrane layers and the mylar all together. I could have removed less of the upper layer of the membrane, i.e., just the damaged area with visible dimples, but I like to be vaguely symmetrical... plus that area isn't used to effect contact anyway.

I bench tested (thought it unwise to check when back in airbag unit) it for shorts and operation (light finger push adequate) and reinstalled it - I forgot to properly engage the wedge locks at the sides the first try, so had to take out the torx screws a second time to correct that)
Et voilą!

BTW if I do have to revisit this, I found the repair kit mentioned in previous posts for $213 plus change & shipping at <www.directfordparts.com>.

As I say, I'm not recommending this, it's a personal decision re airbag work, but it's what I did to fix mine, all good so far. In hindsight, after pulling out the emblem and straightening it (it had been dimpled in the middle and annoying me for two years) I would have cut off the tangs and glued the darn thing in with a blob of Goop or something. Now? I tossed the emblem - I like the ugly hole better.