The old car horn is no longer working, but you don't know how to replace it. The instructions for car horn installation in this article will help you.

Car Horn Installation: Introduction

The horn is a necessary part of the vehicle to create a sound that draws attention to your presence on the road. Also, it is used to warn of dangerous situations. The use of a busted car horn is illegal in the Philippines and most other countries. 

A horn with too loud or too low sound is also not suitable for driving. Instead of ignoring it, you should replace it as soon as you discover technical errors.

If you are unsure how to solve this problem, this article will give you detailed guidance on car horn installation. Let’s check it out now with Philcarnews.com!

The History And Importance Of Car Horn

The Development Of Car Horn

As soon as vehicles' arrival appeared, people immediately invented primitive car horn forms including whistles, hand-squeezed horns, and bells. They remained in popularity until high-speed cars appeared and gradually replaced horse-drawn carriages.

Early 20th century, more choices were available in the market thanks to introducing the modern in-vehicle horns. At first, Godin is a form of a car horn that needs to be pressed while driving. Siren's sound echoed for a distance of a mile. Finally, Gabriel is famous for its multi-noise. 

However, most of these horns have some shortcomings. A young inventor, Rees Hutchin, spent a lot of time inventing a product to overcome these weaknesses. In the end, he succeeded and introduced Klaxon. 

This device's working energy is obtained from the motor-powered batteries or the force generated from a hand crank.  

In the 1930s, the electric car horn was first introduced and became famous until now. 

The Importance Of Car Horn

Now, all vehicles are required to have a horn installed. Its function below will explain why you need to comply with this obligation.

• Notice your presence: The horn sound is seen as a signal to pedestrians and other vehicles that you are nearby or about to change your position on the road.
• Tell someone you’ve arrived 
• Remind the cars ahead of the traffic lights to change
• Danger notification signal: The horn is used for driver's unpredictable situations like loss of control or in cases that visibility is limited, such as backing up, giving way on intersections.

>>> Related: Your Car's Electrical System and What You Need To Know When It Shuts Down

Car Horn Installation: 6 Steps To Install A New One

How To Choose The Right Car Horn

There are two factors that you should consider carefully before buying a new car horn: 

• The quality of the horn

You should replace the old one with a high-quality product from a brand with a proven reputation. A no-name car horn costs about Php 400 while standard products are about two times more expensive. However, unbranded car horns can never guarantee good condition over long periods of use. 

Here are suggestions of some highly appreciated brands such as Hella, Bosch, Hurbo, PIAA, Stebel, Wolo, and Marco.

• The size of your car

A 4-seater car never needs a 148-decibel horn. Loud sirens in a residential area can get you fined. That's why you need to choose the right horn based on the size of your vehicle.

>>> Check out: 5 Tips To Avoid Buying Fake Car Parts

How To Install A New Car Horn

Step 1: Identify the location of the old horn

The car horn is usually round, the same as the shell of a snail. Most car manufacturers install it behind the grille. For some exceptional cases, the car horn is placed behind the radiator core or on the radiator support. 

Prepare a wrench or a screwdriver in case you need to remove the front fascia. It would be best if you work in a well-lighted place. Also, remember to put on gloves and eyewear before proceeding to the next step.

The typical position of the car horn.

Step 2: Disconnect the battery

To avoid unnecessary accidents, you should disconnect the vehicle's electrical system.

Step 3: Disconnect the horn from the electrical system

The horn is linked to the vehicle's electrical system by a tab. To cut the connection between the two, you should push the tab down and slide out. Some models have more complex mechanisms. It would help if you unscrewed some wires to disconnect.

Step 4: Remove the old horn

Use a bolt or a screw to remove some fastener. Then take out the old horn.

Step 5: Put the new horn in the right position

The most important thing of this stage you need to pay attention to is the car horn wiring diagram. To know more about it, you should remove the entire product packaging and take time to learn the user guide. 

After that, put the new horn in the original position. Double-check before installing the screws. In the end, reconnect the horn to the electrical system.

For the horn with relay, it requires a 12-volt power supply to operate. Don't worry about this difference. Firstly, check the instruction manual to identify terminal 85. Next, connect the horn through it to access the power source.

 

The relay box of a modern car model

Step 6: Reconnect the battery

Turn on the vehicle's electrical system to see whether the horn works. If not, check the fuse box as there is a problem with the button or wires. 

>>> Also read:

• The Ultimate Guide For Car Alarm Installation in the Philippines
• 3 Steps For Backup Camera Installation In Your Car

Car Horn Installation: Conclusion

This article has shown you how to install a car horn. We hope that it is helpful for you to do it yourself as soon as you detect the problem. 

However, if you have difficulty with the implementation, ask the automotive experts help for an effective car horn installation process.

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