Horn BEEPS every time I turn Left!

[Greg74]

Hello:
Just got done installing a new steering coupler, steering gearbox, steering dampener, and gas tank. While installing a new rubber coupler, I replaced the broken wire that bridged across it to complete the horn ground.
The horn worked as soon as I started the car and pushed down on the wheel. When I backed out of the driveway and turned the steering wheel to the left, the horn went on. As soon as I straighten the wheel it goes off. The horn beeps every time I make a left- it's crazy. Is something touching the gas tank? I sure don't feel it when I turn left. Could it be a bolt on the flange that connects the steering box to the coupler? Or is part of the steering column touching the gas tank? I looked underneath for scratchmarks but couldn't spot any.
Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks again- the advice here is invaluable.

[mondshine]

Greg-
The problem is between the steering wheel and the horn contact which is part of the wiper/turn signal switch assembly.
Sometimes the contact on the wiper switch gets A.F.U., sometimes it's the contact ring on the steering wheel.
Once you've removed the steering wheel, you'll see the contact.
Here's a photo from the gallery which shows a similar one that's been repaired:

Avoid driving in any NASCAR races 'til you fix it.

Good luck, Mondshine

[GI Joe]

It's certainly a grounding issue! You need to have a helper turn the wheel while you're under there and watching the rotation of the steering gear. if you didn't touch anything on the top end of the steering shaft, then it almost Has to be at the bottom end....


Unless the horn didn't work before(you mentioned broken wire).
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[andk5591]

STOP - take a look at your wires at the coupler. Had the wire that jumped across too close to the one bolt and as soon as there was a little stress by turing one direction on the coupler, the horn sounded.....
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[NOVA Airhead]

Look for insulation that has worn away from the ground wire at the coupler. Turning left makes contact sounding the horn.
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[Greg74]

Thank you all for the advice!

The horn was not working; closer inspection showed the old brown/tan wire across the coupler had broken away from its connector. I also got to see what appeared to be the original steering coupler with 3 big cracks in it!

Made the repairs, but looks like I have to go back and take a look this weekend. I don't think the problem lies in the steering wheel turn switch/ horn contact ring because that worked fine before and currently works fine when I press down. It's just that the horn now announces all my left turns.

Can't thank you guys enough for giving me the confidence to go in there and take care of things myself. Wish I had done this more so on my old bug... but still so glad I now own a THING- nothing like it.

[sixty9fasty]

Well, then Stop turning Left

[Semper_Dad]

Link

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[mondshine]

The "jumper wire" at the steering coupler connects the upper part of the steering column to chassis ground. The horn button connects the brown wire from the horn to the upper part of the steering column (which is grounded through the "jumper wire").

The horn receives +12V whenever the ignition is switched on.
Despite what has been posted, intermittent contact between the "jumper wire" and the chassis could never cause the horn to sound (unless the brown wire from the horn is grounded someplace else); the "jumper wire" is meant to be permanently connected to ground.

If the brown wire from the horn is unintentionally grounded while steering, the fault has to be where the contact ring on the steering wheel rubs against the strip which is part of the wiper switch.

Take another look at this photo from the gallery.
The blob of solder at 10 o'clock is where the brown wire from the horn is connected. If you were to touch the copper contact to the steering column, the horn should sound. That is the connection made by the horn button.

Remove the steering wheel, and take a look at the contact ring on the steering wheel, and the contact strip on the wiper switch.

When you remove and install the steering wheel, make sure the turn signal is in its "neutral" position. Before you pull off the steering wheel, make a small "witness mark" so you can easily re-install the steering wheel in the same orientation as it was.

Good luck, Mondshine

[Greg74]

Mondshine-
I finally got around (after the storm) to removing the steering wheel and checking out the contact ring and turn signal swith assembly. I cleaned contact points and bent the copper tab (my switch on the column only has a copper contact tab/arm on the top) out a little- towards the steering wheel. I must have done something wrong as now the horn beeps when I turn LEFT AND RIGHT! Can you tell me anything from the photos of my turn signal switch on the steering column and contact ring on the steering wheel? Thank you- Greg

[/img]

[mondshine]

I assume that if you were to temporarily connect the copper contact with the steering shaft, (with the ignition switched on) the horn will sound. That is what happens when you press the horn button.
So somehow, the brown wire is being grounded during movement of the steering wheel. It is possible that somewhere along the length of the brown wire, the insulation of the brown wire has been damaged so that the wire is making intermittent contact with ground.
With the ignition switched off, you should read infinite ohms with your VOM leads connected between the copper contact and a good known ground. Check it while turning the steering shaft. You might need to replace the brown wire.
Hope that helps, Mondshine

[Riffster]

My first thought was that the copper contact strip on your cancelling ring was broken -- that it SHOULD have an upper and lower part, in which case turning the wheel might cause the remaining part to rotate about the rivet and make contact with something like the mounting screw inside the cut-out. On closer inspection, it looks like there's a plastic tab that's meant to keep that from happening. Still, is it possible that there's been enough wear that the copper contact strip IS swiveling around the rivet?

If you try to wiggle it and it doesn't move, then it's something else. Of course, if it DOES wiggle, there's no guarantee that's the problem either, just something else to fix and try.

Another thought - is it possible that the copper ring on the steering wheel (and the plastic piece inside it) have worn down enough that the contact strip can make contact with the mounting screws you can see inside the steering wheel hub? Or is the honking not that intermittent?

-Larry

[Greg74]

I finally got around to getting the horn to work as it should. With the steering wheel removed, I made sure all of the four screws that held the turn signal switch assembly down onto the column were fastened tightly- one was sticking up and needed tightened. Then- and I think this was my big mistake- I made sure there was a gap of about 3mm between the steering column and the wheel (fastened wheel down, then loosened 2 bolts under dash to adjust column away from wheel). Problem solved!

[Vw1600dellortoGR]

Hi, i have kind of the same problem, it looks like i have a horn relay, and the car beeps when steering but not all the way it beeps and if you steer more it stops i replaced the bearing in the tube because it could go up and down but this didn't solve the problem if i disconnect the brown wire from the ring it still beeps, if i remove completely the brown wire still beeps what can it be?

[Vw1600dellortoGR]

Hi, i have kind of the same problem, it looks like i have a horn relay, and the car beeps when steering but not all the way it beeps and if you steer more it stops i replaced the bearing in the tube because it could go up and down but this didn't solve the problem if i disconnect the brown wire from the ring it still beeps, if i remove completely the brown wire still beeps what can it be?

[andk5591]

Did you read this entire thread?
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[wewantphil]

FWIW I was having a similar issue with my T25 and this post helped me. the threads on the aluminum mount assembly that the mounting screw nearest the turn signal assembly contact tab needs to screw into was mostly stripped so the turn signal assembly would not mount firmly. There was an extra pin on the wiring pins that also served as a washer at the screw hole, but that pin was not used anyway so removed it effectively removing the extra washer spacing, making enough room for the screw to reach past the stripped area and take hold into the aluminum threads and hold the turn signal assembly firmly in place. Now the vehicle only beeps when I tell it to

[wbailey2112]

I have kind of the opposite issue...my horn only seems work when I turn the wheel to the right. Any advice for this particular horn symptom?

Thanks...