Problems With My Horn!

[The-Acre]

Bearing in mind that we're all adults, and this is not the script form a Carry On film! Some days my horn works fine, some days nothing at all. I've checked under the bonnet and all is secure. Any ideas?

MOT is due soon so I need to get this sorted.

Any advice appreciated.

[stevet]

See a doctor :)

[steve2006]

Had horn pad problems on a 1997 LS400.

If the set up is the same on the 430 there is a permenant + 12V supply to the horns so check this using a multimeter, the horn circuit is completed by earthing via the horn pad on the steering wheel.

On the one I had the earth wire had broken behind the pad so the horn failed to work.

You will need to remove the airbag to access the contacts behind.

Other than that fit a seperate switch.

[The-Acre]

Had horn pad problems on a 1997 LS400.

If the set up is the same on the 430 there is a permenant + 12V supply to the horns so check this using a multimeter, the horn circuit is completed by earthing via the horn pad on the steering wheel.

On the one I had the earth wire had broken behind the pad so the horn failed to work.

You will need to remove the airbag to access the contacts behind.

Other than that fit a seperate switch.

Thanks Steve, do you know the procedure for removing the air bag?

And to the other Steve, I've asked my doctor and he said it's just an age thing!

[Beejay55]

As a newbie, I may be wrong . . . .

My reading indicates that the SC430 and LS430 are close cousins, sharing may components. I found the following for the removal of the airbag on the SC430, and wondered if it would be the same for the LS430?

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-430/604899-sc430-driver-s-airbag-change-diy.html

[The-Acre]

As a newbie, I may be wrong . . . .

My reading indicates that the SC430 and LS430 are close cousins, sharing may components. I found the following for the removal of the airbag on the SC430, and wondered if it would be the same for the LS430?

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-430/604899-sc430-driver-s-airbag-change-diy.html

Thanks Brendan, I'll print that off and see how it goes. I'm sure it must be similar at least.

[The-Acre]

Well I had a good look at this today, but no joy. I checked all the connections that I could access, including the fuse. Thanks to Brendans post I got the horn pad/air bag off very easily, but all seems fine. Does anyone have any ideas?

It's going in for an MOT next week and if I can't sort this out, it'll mean taking it somewhere and no doubt paying through the nose. Very occasionally the horn will work very briefly, although it hasn't made a squeak for the past week.

Thanks.

[The-Acre]

The clock spring or squib ring appears to be the culprit. I can't imagine what Lexus would charge for one of these! Fortunately I've sourced one from Germany via eBay for £43 including delivery.

It won't even be worth doing a tutorial on this as it must be so rare for it to fail. I've never had one fail in 43 years of motoring.