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Horn/washer/wiper electrical issue


Guest Anonymous

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Guest Anonymous

My horn stopped working (more accurately,

stopped receiving messages from the steering

wheel, the horn unit still works) It was intermittent,

then gone. Simultaneously, the windshield

washer function failed. Not only the pump-the

wipers stopped coming on when you pull back on

the stalk.

I've replaced the stalk (worked a few times, then no

more), the relay and the fuses. I took the fuse box

off looked for loose connections. I tightened the

ground wires, I think I got the right ones. Any

Ideas?

TIA

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Guest Anonymous

If the fuses are good, don't think the two problems are connected. The horn contact is set into the steering wheel--a little copper thing on a spring like the brush on a DC electric motor. Pull the steering wheel, check the contact brush, and the brass ring that's set into the steering column. If the horn blows when you ground the brass ring to the steel steering column (use a screwdriver or pair of needlenose pliers) the horn and its wiring is OK. Then make sure there's contact between the horn pushes in the steering wheel and the contact button/brush. If not, it's a wiring problem inside the steering wheel. The horn pushes come off with screws on the back side of the wheel.

As for the washer--is the pump OK? They do fail on a pretty regular basis. If the fuse/fuseholder was bad, none of the wiper options would work. If the wipers operate the requisite four or five strokes when you pull the wiper switch, the relay's OK. If the pump is good, then the problem's gotta be in the pump wiring. If you have an early car, it's possible to hook up the pump wires backwards, so it sucks (so to speak) rather than pushing water out the nozzles.

Check this all out, and post what you've found.

Good luck

Mike

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Guest Anonymous

I've done the horn contact test...intermittent results,

But...when it does work, so does the wiper/washer

function! I was so excited (didn't take much)when I

found that the horn connected to the wiper stalk.

Replacing that only last for a few honks and wipes

though. The regular wipers work all the time.

The washer pump, like the horn itself works fine. I

just can't seem to communicate with them.

I'm hoping it isn't "weird".

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Guest Anonymous

car? Wiring is different on most years. If not, drop me an e-mail next week (I'm on vacation--just can't stay away from the board) with the year of your car and I'll look it up. The horn push on a 2002 is a grounding setup, so the horn wire in the steering column is a ground, not a hot lead (if my memory serves me). Sounds like perhaps there's a hot lead mixed up with a ground and that's what's causing the problem. I don't think the wiper hot lead feeds off the horn lead or vice-versa. You said you replaced the wash/wipe stalk...are the wires at the connector exactly the same on the old and new ones?

That's all I can think of right now without any of my references to consult, but it is a weird one...

Good luck and good hunting

Mike

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Guest Anonymous

Mmmm. Vacation. I could work on my car. What

am I thinking. I'm on perm vacation after next week.

sigh.

Anyway. I do have the wiring diagrams... just don't

want to look, I'm not much for electrical

troubleshooting. But your right, it probably has the

answer. Yes, the stalks were the same (and I

threw the old one away when the new one worked,

duh) And I may have mentioned, it worked

consistently then for a day or two. Then nada.

Thanks again

Melinda

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