'72 Ghia

[kdnguyen61]

Dear Members,

I am trying to get my horn working again. It was working before and the original steering wheel was took off few times to paint the dash.

There is no noise what so ever.

I did the following:

1) Change out the horn relay because it was so old. Make sure I hooked four wires to the horn relay by the diagram.

2) There is power at nos 30 and 86 at the horn relay when the key is on. Also the fuse for the horn has power too when key is on.

3) make sure the brown wire bottom of steering wheel is still connect. Don't know how I can check inside when push the horn ring, there is power going thru the brown wire according to diagram?

4) Should I run hot wire to positive side of the horn from battery and negative the same to make sure both horns are sounding? Of course, both horns should still connected inside the front.

5) I connected the horn wire to the steering wheel. However, previous owner install a wire that running from one horn mounting screw to another. I don't know why. Is this my problem?

Appreciate any feedback you may have. Thank you.

[John Moxon]

Some reading of the Horn section of the "How To"Stickies will probably help:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=566567
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4819237
_________________
John.
Judson Supercharger Information on The Samba
My 1958 Shorrock Supercharged Karmann Ghia
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[kdnguyen61]

Hi John,

Thank you for both links. The first one I think is the best for me to chase after. I have seen the second link before. Appreciate your time to share the knowledge.

[kdnguyen61]

Hi John,

I followed the post from Sputnick60. I was able to find out one of my horns is not working. I also tested my new relay to make sure it is ok.

Now I hooked up the brown wire from terminal 85 to ground and turn on the key then the horn sounds. So that mean I have a problem between the relay and steering wheel.

Looks like you have a Ghia too. Where do you think the brown wire from relay (terminal 85) is going to? Mine running inside the tube so it would be difficult to chase. Also do you have the original steering wheel? Mine has the horn wire which connect easily. But previous owner also had a wire under one of the four horn mounting screws. Should I connect this wire from one horn mounting screws to another? i don't remember this in the past as a requirement.

I bought a new style steering wheel from Forever Sharp steering wheel and their horn button has two connections: 1) for the original horn wire and 2) for grounding. I am not sure should I run a wire from this new connection and some how run thru the steering column then ground some where near there. Any idea?

Thank you in advance.

[sputnick60]

This diagram shows the electricity flow from the fusebox , through the relay where it splits to a) the steering column in the low current path, and b) the high current path to the horns themselves

So you have the high current path sorted out because the horns sound with a grounded “85”.
But you’ve just told us you have a non standard steering wheel. Good luck with that. You’ll have to adapt and learn about switching earths.
Check the column is properly insulated from the car. The four points are the column clamp, the buffer in the panel above your knees, the grommet though the firewall and the rag joint at the bottom of the shaft.
Look carefully at the diagram and try wiring up without the steering wheel in place. The brown wire though the shaft centre connecting to the steering box over the rag joint should sound when you touch the column tube. Your after market steering wheel has to do the same thing.

Nicholas
_________________
'66 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet...
'65 Porsche 356C Coupe...
2005 Mecedes Benz C180 Kompressor Estate
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[kdnguyen61]

Hi Nicholas,

Thank you for your further comments.

I read your reply and don't see my ground wire at all to the steering box. I have a 1972 Ghia. When I reviewed the diagram below, I verified the two brown wires coming out from the steering column. Right finger wire goes to the horn relay terminal 85. The left finger wire goes to ground near the hood hinge. I cleaned the ground male connector to make sure a good grounding. I cleaned all the contacts in steering wheel associated with the horn.

I checked the four points you recommended: 1) the steering column clamps are bolted to the body but there is no rubber materials between the clamp and body. Should there be one? But the two bolts would ground the column clamp anyway to the body? 2) I am not sure what is the buffer in the panel above my knees. I did replace the under dash knee pads and bolted them up like normal I don't recall of any wire connect to these bolts. 3) The grommet thru the firewall is still intact and tight with steering column in center position. 4) I don't see any rag joint at the bottom of steering shaft. I think in order for me to see the coupler before the steering box, I have to remove the gas tank to see and repair as needed. Could it be Ghia has only one ground wire for the horn is in my picture below with left finger?

How is other Ghia's owners see their steering box with the shaft and brown wire coming out of the column?

[kdnguyen61]

Members,

I checked the grounding at the steering column and had no reading (negative to the shaft and positive to the signal copper arm off of the steering). Then I took off my left front tire and tested the four coupler bolts and no reading.

Sputnick60 shared a diagram on previous post but I don't know where the brown wire starting from then bolt to one of four coupler bolts. I tested the brown wire from steering shaft bottom connectors to the hood hinge and I have about 1 ohm.

Below is my coupler area. I guess I need to take off one at a time each coupler bolt and clean them up good? Where should a new wire starting from then to one of the four coupler bolts?

[kdnguyen61]

My horn wire connect to the horn ring and the wire connects to the bottom of the steering wheel. Therefore I don't think I run this wire all the way to the steering coupler. Or do I splice a new wire to the tab connection of the signal at the bottom and still leave the original brown wire connect to the hood hinge area?

[sputnick60]

[kdnguyen61]

Since I bought a Forever Sharp steering wheel with horn and ground connections at the horn button, I hooked up the original horn wire to the FS steering wheel and run a ground wire from the horn button thru the shaft to the steering box and grounded it there. The horn still don't work. I can't think of anything else to try.

Any idea, Members?

[sputnick60]

The steering wheel is a distraction for now. Get the rest of it going.
The bottom of the column is where the wire from the relay connects. Do you have it like this picture? You said the relay worked by earthing '85' earthing this should do the same thing.

What happens if you put an earth here?

To Beep or not to beep: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them??
Nicholas Shakespeare
_________________
'66 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet...
'65 Porsche 356C Coupe...
2005 Mecedes Benz C180 Kompressor Estate
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[kdnguyen61]

Hi Nicholas,

Again I want to thank you for continue helping me. I don't know what previous owners may do to my car and it seems that the sceneries look normal.

Below picture is the bottom of shaft under the gas tank. There is no wire connect to it like yours from no. 85 of the relay.

Below picture is inside the cabin of the shaft. Looks like the ring insulator is ok and tight.

To follow up with your picture that your brown wire connects from 85 of relay to the bottom part of the steering shaft. My shaft area looks clean and I don't think there is any existing connection there. The brown wire from my 85 relay runs straight to main tabs under the steering (see pic below). From my previous post with a picture from diagram and my fingers were pointing to it, I believe my brown wire matches with the right finger and the left finger shows a brown stripe wire that grounded to the hood hinge area. I checked continuity here and the grounding is ok. There is existed continuity in the copper arm of the signal and also continuity in the tab plug where the brown wire connect to it. I even checked the continuity where the signal arm off the steering column (tabs still plugged in) and ground it to the steering column. After all this, I bend my copper arm go with the signal upward more to make sure it will connect to the bottom of my steering wheel. And now my horn is working. I think my problem was the copper arm was too flat and not connecting after I installed the steering wheel. Your 1966 Ghia wiring diagram is different than mine '72. Anyway, I am happy that my horn is working now. Thanks again for all your help.