Anybody know how to clean the horn button contacts? All of a sudden, my 1998 E150 horn will occasionally sound when depressing either side's button area. I'm not sure how to deal with the steering wheel cover with airbag under it.

 

Maybe the gurus in the electrical forum might know. I would be careful around the airbag. I don't know anything about them, but they seem like a problem.
Good luck with it.

You could also try doing a search, maybe that would turn something up.

 

Hay,

If one horn button isn't working well, you might check/clean the button, but if both horn buttons give the same bad result, i should check the horn relais and the socket first.

Rudi

 

Thanks for the input, but, I'm sure it's the contact and need to know the procedure to get at them.

 

Okay in 98 it has an airbag. Is the light flashing? It almost sounds like the clock spring is going bad. I had the same symptoms in a '92 E150. It's contacts are totally enclosed in plastic.

 

No lights are flashing at all. If the contacts are bad, I would need a clock spring?

Thanks for the reply.

 

Hi,Alan,

Does your steeringwheel contain the cruise-control buttons?
If so, are all cc-buttons working well? Yes then your horn problem is not the clockspring, because the 2 horn wire's are also used for the cc-functions.
If it gives problems or you want to be sure, check out next topic, within limits you can repair a clockspring!

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=356199

Rudi

 

No cruise control. I just need to know how to remove the airbag cover and get at the clockspring.

Thanks

 

Well ok, i have no experience with the '98 Econoline, i own an '93, but maybe you can use it as a guideline!

Disconnect the batterie and let the airbag system discharge for several minutes.
Then at the backside of the steeringwheel are 4 retaining nuts, remove them and you can pull the airbag centrepart out of the steeringwheel, disconnect the wire and that's that!

Disconnect the horn connector, remove the steeringwheel retaining bolt, check for an alignmentpoint or make one, and pull the steeringwheel from the shaft, maybe you'll need a steeringwheel puller.

Then you should see the clockspring.

Rudi

 

OK Rudi, I had the steering wheel off and got to the clockspring, all looks well. I buttoned it back up and then decided to check the relays. I know, *** backwards, but, I find that the relay is clicking when both buttons are pressed. I switched relays with the same in the box to no avail, it still clicks and no horn, I now surmise it might be a ground problem at the horns. I will let you know.


Thanks for your help,
Alan

 

Well Rudi, my new found friend, after about 2 1/2 hours of monkeying around, I found that it was just the mounting/ground bolt for the horn bracket that needed to be backed out and cleaned. But, at least I did'nt run out and spend a hundred bucks for a part that would'nt have fixed the problem. The key was what you mentioned about the relay, if it clicks, it's further down towards the horns.

By the way, a year ago, I bought one of those Ford repair CDs on Ebay for just a few dollars, they are worth the money, got some good info from it, mainly how to dismount the airbag (piece of cake). I don't have a repair manual, I guess I should get that too!

Thanks again, the power of the net comes through for me again!

 

Wel, i'm glad for you, but you and so are a lot of people are thinking to difficult at the start.
Sure, buttons and so can go bad, but mostly it are bad or loose connections, and then mainly the parts that are exposed to dirt and water.
If you had checked the relais first with a jumper cable, then you had a pretty good idea where you had to search.

Smart and logic thinking wil help you more than just do and try something.
When you spend some extra time, that's one thing, but buying expensive parts, which you don't need, is another one.

I have a Haynes manual for my self, i got it as a gift from the dealer, because i was asking so much detailed information, that it was probably cheeper to give such a manual.
It's a nice one, but i would like more information.
Point is, over here in The Netherlands, there are not a lot of these trucks, example: when i go to a tyre-shop for alignment, i have to explain how you can adjust it, because they don't know.
I have heard of the cd's you mentioned, i know someone who has them, i go and look if these are usefull for me, if so? i'll buy a set of those too, you can't have enough information!
And for the rest, expierence is very usefull.

The net is a nice tool too, here i'm active on the forum of the Dutch American Van Club, a good hundred members and still rising, i guess about 90% is Chevy/GMC and the rest is Ford and Dodge.
So that's why i'm on FTE, more members, more questions, more expierence, more answers, more solutions.

Wel Alan, good luck with your van, and maybe we can help each other again some day.

De groeten.

Rudi

 

Interesting thread, but I am trying to look for the actual horn for a 1993 Ranger, regular cab 4 cylinder P/U.

Also, how do I post a thread? I've forgot! Sorry.