Car horn sound weak situation and its causes, along with appropriate fixes, are all explained in this guide. Defective components such as wires, switches, or cones can be the reason for weak horns.
These problems can be fixed by replacing the worn parts, drying the horn, or buying a new horn.This article provides all the possible causes along with repairing methods so you can diagnose and fix the horn at home.
Contents
Why Does My Car’s Horn Sound Weak?
Your car’s horn sounds weak because of the aging, defective relay, and low pressure in the compressor. Other reasons include faults in the clock spring, speakers, and wiring. Moreover, sometimes the fuse blows or moisture enters the horn, making it sound weak.
– Aging Horn
Like other car parts, the horn also gets defective with time. It usually lasts six to eight years. After this period, it gets weaker day by day. So if the horn on your car is older than this, there is a chance it has worn out.
Some practices make the horn sound weaker, and its aging gets faster. For example, if you do not clean the horn with soap and water often. Moreover, when you do not blow away the dirt from the horn, it weakens.
Horns age fast if you do not clean the accumulated salt. Salt corrodes the horn and other components, so if you skip regular cleaning, the horn might stop working. But even if you take extensive care, the horn has a limited life and gets weak afterward.
Also, if the car horn sounds weak, battery might have bad terminals due to corrosion. It is a common problem because most people neglect the maintenance of batteries.
– Defective Horn Relay
A relay connects with the horn button. It completes the circuit so electricity can flow. A problem with the relay disrupts or stops the electric current, so a bad relay can be a reason for weak car horns.
You can detect a bad horn switch by using a multimeter. The device will check whether there is current in the circuit around the relay. But before everything, detach the battery to prevent any accidents.
After that, you can find the relay. If you have not fixed it before, you can check the manual, then check the current flow by using the multimeter. You can confirm a defective horn relay if there is no continuity.
– Broken Clock Spring
A spring is present in the car that links the steering wheel with the airbag. The purpose of the spring is to bridge the electrical link between the two components, but a broken spring would interfere with the horn and pause it.
– Blown Fuse
If you have come this far looking for “Why does my car horn sound weak,” you should also check the fuse. A fuse is present in almost every circuit for safety purposes. The fuse blows when there is a chance of a short circuit.
But when it blows, the circuit breaks and halts the flow of electricity. You can detect it visually, but first, you must find the fuse box.
– Damaged Speaker Cones
The cones of a speaker are delicate as they are made of paper. Thus, the cones are often guilty when the horn seems weak. The speakers get damaged and affect the proper functioning of the horn.
– Air Pressure Needs Adjustment
If you are wondering, “Why does my car horn sound muffled?” do not forget about shifts in the air pressure. Sometimes the air pressure changes in the compressor due to different reasons. You can detect that by checking the reading on the pressure gauge. If the reading has declined, adjusting it back would be enough.
You can also check for signs of leakage in the compressor and air conditioner. Moreover, if the car horn sounds weird, you should check if it has air bubbles. Bleeding the horn would help you remove them and would restore the horn sound.
– Broken Wiring or Ground Connection
The most common reason for a faulty horn is a defect in the wires. Wires wear out with time and restrict the horn. You can easily detect it by observing the wiring. If you can see frayed wires, they are the reason.
Furthermore, the ground wire can also be the culprit. Make sure that it connects with the metallic part of your car, otherwise, get it fixed.
– Rain or Moisture
If your car horn sounds weak after rain, the horn is either wet or has lost power. Rainwater can seep in and enter the horn, so when you press the horn switch, it makes a muffled sound. If you are thinking, “Why does my horn sound weird” it might be the moisture in the horn. It is not a big problem, drying the horn will fix it.
How To Fix Car Horn in Steering Wheel if It Sounds Weak?
To fix the car horn in the steering wheel if it sounds weak, you can start by detecting the worn-out parts and replacing them. It includes broken relays, switches, wires, and springs. You can also replace the blown-out fuse with a new one.
If nothing works, you will have to replace the car horn.
– Fix the Broken Relay
If you have diagnosed a poor relay after checking with the multimeter, fix it. First, you can test it by replacing it with a new relay. If the horn still has a weak sound, you might have multiple problems, but if the new relay solves the issue, connect it to the circuit.
You can buy a new relay for under $25, and you can further save money by installing it at home.
– Replace the Blown Horn Fuse
To replace the fuse, find a new one that suits your car and has the amperage of the old fuse. Replacing the fuse is easy. You only have to remove the old fuse from the fuse box and fix the new one in its place.
Then you can see if the horn works. Ideally, the sound should get louder after replacing the fuse. You can buy the fuse for less than $15, but if you are not comfortable changing it, you can pay a mechanic to fix it.
– Get a New Horn
You should replace an old horn after it has served you for six to eight years. Get a multimeter and if it does not show continuity, you should change the horn.
Select the horn according to your car model because there are different types of vehicle horns out there. It can cost around $80 if you replace it on your own, but if you do not have prior experience, you can hire a mechanic for an extra $60 to $80.
The car alarm is present close to the horn and airbag, in the steering wheel. The alarm often gets damaged due to various reasons, which include weak batteries or moisture. But the alarm can also go off if you are not careful while fixing the horn, so if you have recently fixed the horn and you are thinking, “Why does my car alarm sound weak?” you have the answer.
– Repair Wires, Switch, and Clock Spring
If you are thinking, “why does my car horn sound weak?” diagnosing frayed wires is easy. So as soon as you find a problem, you should replace them with new wires. It is not difficult, but if you are not skilled enough, you can ask someone who is trained.
A worn-out horn switch is not as simple as it seems. Both the switch and the airbag are a part of the steering wheel. Any problem with the switch can result in an accident due to the unexpected airbag release, so you should not delay and get it fixed.
But if the car horn sounds weak when locking car, you need to fix the spiral spring. To replace the broken spring, you have to detach the steering wheel. If it is difficult for you, hire a professional repairman. This way, the total cost would be somewhere around $400.
Conclusion
Now you must be capable to answer “why does my car horn sound weak”.
Let us look at the most important findings:
- If the horn is six or more years old, replacing it would be the best option.
- Broken wires, relays, switches, and speakers may cut off the horn sound.
- Rain and blown-out fuse also muffle the sound of the horn.
- You can increase the sound of the horn by replacing worn-out parts or the horn itself.
You can hire a mechanic or mend the horn and other components yourself, so grab your tools and start fixing it today!
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