Car: 1989 245DL

Strange, I was going to post a "horn doesn't work" post. It was something that I've been meaning to do but never felt a sense of urgency to do it, probably because a non-functional horn wasn't much of an issue. Well, there were some moments when I really needed to honk someone, like to make my presence known to someone who was trying to enter the road and had not seen me yet...things like that. So, when it came to safety, I realized that a working horn was very important.

The horn had not been working since I bought the car. I thought it wasn't much of a big deal. I have checked the fuse and the wires leading to the horn. Everything looked fine, and the wires seem to be connected to the two horns up front. From time to time I would press on the horn while driving to see if it would honk since everything checked out fine. But then today, I decided to press the horn. However, instead of habitually using my right hand to press the horn, I decided to press on the left side. Whoa! The horn honked! I couldn't believe it. Then I pressed on the right side, it honked the horn as well. I was quite surprised that it was pretty loud--not wimpy sounding. I pressed it a few more times, and I think I startled this pedestrian on the sidewalk and probably made a few motorists paranoid. Interesting how my horn started working. Now...I wish my stock radio would come to life. Sucks driving without music. (Just have an idea, I'm going to turn the radio on in the morning!)

I'm glad you brought this horn topic to light. I've been meaning to do the same. You mentioned that your horn is not wimpy. My 93 has the feeblest , wimpy, anemic sounding horn that I've ever heard. Now, I'm wondering if this is normal or if it needs some kind of a transfusion! Are there two horns on your car or only one?

I just looked, and I see 2 horns.

Inside your horn button assemblies (in the steering wheel) there are little metal strips that you flex into contact with one another when you press the horn button faces. I guess they wear/get dirty or both over the years and start operating sporadically. You might try to clean them with a pencil eraser and/or retension the metal areas that flex. You'll need to carefully pry the boxes out of your steering wheel and then VERY carefully pry the button faces off the boxes. You'll see the metal contacts in the bottom of the boxes.

I solved my problem with a new horn button assembly donated by a very generous brickboarder.

I also have on again off again horns on my 1990 240. I was thinking the same thing, poor connections to the contacts.But my car has an air bag and I hesitate on removing it to make the repair. Any ideas?

I wonder why the horn wasn't working for so long, prob. something very simple, huh? Your radio isn't working? Hmmmm, maybe if the fuse on the driver's door in the kickpanel is good, try the fuse behind the radio. You have to take the radio out. Behind the radio in the wires is a big fuse (it's about 1 to 1 1/2" long). I'm not sure, but it may be the problem, I'm not sure. It might be worth checking out, :-) StreetAngel