Horn switch worn out

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labsy
Posts: 289
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2014 9:26 am

Horn switch worn out

Postby labsy » Wed Jan 05, 2022 10:37 am

Hi,

I bought 2011 Pathfinder and found out, that horn switch in center of steering wheel nedds to be pressed very hard to honk. This was probably a consequence of bad horn contacts under the hood, so horns did not have contact, and previous owner was probably trying to press center of steeering wheel very hard to get at least some sound from horns. Doing this all the time (instead of cleanig up horn contacts in front) lead to horn switch to become almost unresponsive. I reall need to push it like crazy to honk now.

My question:
As horn switch is a complete assembly with driver's airbag, is there any option to open it and try to repair? Or is it expensive replacement, re-coding within official Nissan service only?

NOTE: Clock spring is toast! I need to replace it, because none of steering wheel commands work. Maybe related? Should I first replace closckspring and see, if this fixes horn, too?


TooMuchControl
Posts: 335
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2020 4:41 pm

Re: Horn switch worn out

Postby TooMuchControl » Wed Jan 05, 2022 5:19 pm

Just a question and it may sound weird...

When you lock your truck with the wireless remote, on repeat, the horn works every time?
Or does it take a few tries with it, to get it to work as well?

Hot tip.
Turn the steering wheel, right and left, and see if it honks properly. Then you know it's the clockspring and not the contact on the air bag?

Who turns the wheel and honks. Right?

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VStar650CL
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Re: Horn switch worn out

Postby VStar650CL » Wed Jan 05, 2022 6:56 pm

Dollars to donuts says it's the clockspring causing the issue and not the horn contacts. The "contacts" actually use the metal body of the airbag mount as conductors to complete a simple ground circuit, and there's usually one at each corner. For all four of them to crud-up simultaneously would be almost unheard of.

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labsy
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Re: Horn switch worn out

Postby labsy » Sat Jan 08, 2022 7:12 pm

VStar650CL, I hope you are right. I know horn contact it a songle wire on cable shoe, connected to "massive" housing of airbag assembly. I just need to figure out, if by pressing the center I move whole airbag assembly, or rather just a part inside airbag. Good idea you gave me...I go figure it out.

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smj999smj
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Re: Horn switch worn out

Postby smj999smj » Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:18 am

All of the horn issues on the R51/D40/R50 Nissans have been due to bad clockspings. You do NOT want to cut open the air bag module! If it's the contacts in the module, I would highly recommend replacing the air bag module. Hopefully, that's not your problem!


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