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Recommended Posts

Posted (edited)
I'm sorry, I don't recall enough to be able to answer your question. My guess is that the screws should be loosened to increase the distance required for electical contact, but I could be remembering this all wrong. If anything, my horn is a little too hard to activate now. BTW I took the Boxster over a deer this evening and it had to be flat-bedded away.

Sorry to hear about your car's run in when bambi. I put a huge amount of silicone on the thing, tightened it up pretty tight a few minutes ago, and then reconnected my battery. Thankfully I was wearing earplugs as a preventative measure since the horn started wailing the instant that I reconnected the battery. I think I will go to the garage now and loosen the bolts a wee bit.

Edited by phaphaphooey
  • 2 months later...
Posted
The green line is to one of the 4 bushings. My pencil is to one of the 4 horn contacts. When the bushings become worn and relax the frame/metal plate makes contact with the horn contact due to the weight of the air bag, and beep.

Porsche does not sell just the bushings. You have to buy the entire frame. Some guys use slices of garden hose to make the bushings stiffer. Someone else put a spring under each bushing.

________

OK. I have two problems - My car is a 97 Boxster with only 19k miles. Around the time the horn originally got loose, my airbag warning light went off. Now, I am also experiencing the horn sounds when going over bumps or hard braking. I have never had the seatbelts re-wired in the past

So, even if I fix the horn, will the airbag warnng light still stay on?

Also, when fixing the brushings problem, is it a simple fix with taking off the 2 airbag screws, or do i need to take the steering wheel off?

Thanks

Posted

entire wheel does not need to come off, just the airbag/horn frame. Have you read through the preceding pages of this thread? I think most everything has been covered regarding what you can do.

Airbag light will stay on until reset with a durametric device which your dealer or independent mechanic should have. When this happened to me, I sprayed s liberal amount of contact cleaner in both seatbelt and had my mechanic clear the code, has not come back(6 months now I think).

Posted
entire wheel does not need to come off, just the airbag/horn frame. Have you read through the preceding pages of this thread? I think most everything has been covered regarding what you can do.

Airbag light will stay on until reset with a durametric device which your dealer or independent mechanic should have. When this happened to me, I sprayed s liberal amount of contact cleaner in both seatbelt and had my mechanic clear the code, has not come back(6 months now I think).

________

Thanks, i read through this entire post, but it appeared (to me, at least) that the picture by Toolpants had the entire steeling wheel off (which prompted the question).

I have also read that you need to spray under the seat. Is there a link somewhere that shows me where i need to spray? Finally, is any contact cleaner good, or do i need to use a specific type of contact cleaner?

  • 11 months later...
Posted

I currently have the old business card sticking out the top of the wheel.... Now if all goes well, this weekend might be the time to fix the horn....Great job guys on the detail... B)

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted
I currently have the old business card sticking out the top of the wheel.... Now if all goes well, this weekend might be the time to fix the horn....Great job guys on the detail... B)

Took the airbag and front cover off 5mins..... Removed the 4 bolts holding on the Airbag retaining bracket..5 mins... Installed new bracket 5mins..... Reinstalled airbag and tested.... 5mins... 20mins worth of common sense work just saved $$$$$$ Priceless.... the details described here were right on. I brought my bracket from

www.Jpamporschejaguarparts.com by far the best prices for Porsche....... seize the day and getrdone

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I did the silicone fix. My tip is- go ahead and apply silicone to both sides of the 4 rubber bushings. I did it on only one side and that wasn't enough.

Posted

First, I have read all the posts and will go ahead and fix the bushings.

Question, the horn blew when breaking etc--now It won't blow---fuse is fine and I hear

the relay working--could the bad bushings cause both problems?

Posted
First, I have read all the posts and will go ahead and fix the bushings.

Question, the horn blew when breaking etc--now It won't blow---fuse is fine and I hear

the relay working--could the bad bushings cause both problems?

Also, can the horns be removed--either one or both-without removing the whole bumper?

  • Admin
Posted
First, I have read all the posts and will go ahead and fix the bushings.

Question, the horn blew when breaking etc--now It won't blow---fuse is fine and I hear

the relay working--could the bad bushings cause both problems?

Also, can the horns be removed--either one or both-without removing the whole bumper?

Perhaps if you have small hands.

It only takes 15 minutes to remove the bumper and you might as well clean the radiators while you are there.

Posted

If I could get through NJ inspection--I would just pull the fuse--

Murphy's Law is always there! I can just picture the airbag exploding in my hands.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

I noticed the horn on my '99 Boxster wasn't working. Fuse okay, relay clicking. Worked the airbag pad a bit but not a peep. Read a few forums and concluded I needed to check my horns. On a whim, I left the center console open and cycled the locks. It chirped. So I think the horn works - unless there is a separate alarm. Later that day the horn (alarm?) starts blaring. Yanking at the steering wheel cover stops it. Each time I go up inside to research it starts again. Finally I pulled the horn fuse. Haven't heard a peep out of its since. Is this a case of bad bushings or is it confounded by something else?

Edited by lesboxster
  • Admin
Posted
I noticed the horn on my '99 Boxster wasn't working. Fuse okay, relay clicking. Worked the airbag pad a bit but not a peep. Read a few forums and concluded I needed to check my horns. On a whim, I left the center console open and cycled the locks. It chirped. So I think the horn works - unless there is a separate alarm. Later that day the horn (alarm?) starts blaring. Yanking at the steering wheel cover stops it. Each time I go up inside to research it starts again. Finally I pulled the horn fuse. Haven't heard a peep out of its since. Is this a case of bad bushings or is it confounded by something else?

Separate horns.

The alarm horn is next to the battery and the car horns are behind the (right) front bumper.

Posted
I noticed the horn on my '99 Boxster wasn't working. Fuse okay, relay clicking. Worked the airbag pad a bit but not a peep. Read a few forums and concluded I needed to check my horns. On a whim, I left the center console open and cycled the locks. It chirped. So I think the horn works - unless there is a separate alarm. Later that day the horn (alarm?) starts blaring. Yanking at the steering wheel cover stops it. Each time I go up inside to research it starts again. Finally I pulled the horn fuse. Haven't heard a peep out of its since. Is this a case of bad bushings or is it confounded by something else?

Separate horns.

The alarm horn is next to the battery and the car horns are behind the (right) front bumper.

Thanks. But is my lack of a functioning horn indicative of the bushing failure? I can't make the horn beep - it just does sitting in the garage.

  • Admin
Posted
I noticed the horn on my '99 Boxster wasn't working. Fuse okay, relay clicking. Worked the airbag pad a bit but not a peep. Read a few forums and concluded I needed to check my horns. On a whim, I left the center console open and cycled the locks. It chirped. So I think the horn works - unless there is a separate alarm. Later that day the horn (alarm?) starts blaring. Yanking at the steering wheel cover stops it. Each time I go up inside to research it starts again. Finally I pulled the horn fuse. Haven't heard a peep out of its since. Is this a case of bad bushings or is it confounded by something else?

Separate horns.

The alarm horn is next to the battery and the car horns are behind the (right) front bumper.

Thanks. But is my lack of a functioning horn indicative of the bushing failure? I can't make the horn beep - it just does sitting in the garage.

You will need to test the horns and/or inspect the bushings. Usually bad bushings make the horn go off when you don't want it to.

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

Guys,

Thanks...fixed my horn too. This is about the 5th Renntech fix that I have done where I would've taken it to my Porsche guy in the past and paid big $$$! :renntech:

  • 1 month later...
Posted

New member with the random horn blowing as my first search. Wow! A little dose of air bag confidence and some silicon and I saved $250. You guys are the best. I am here to stay and I guess it's time for my first donation.

Thanks to all.

:D :D

  • 5 months later...
Posted

Thanks to all for the information posted here. This made the fix very simple. The horn was driving me crazy. I used some small - maybe 1/8 inch - slices of a garden hose and glued them to the back of the rubber gaskets. No more erratic horn - but a firm bump provides full functioning.

Posted

Suffering the same issue. Going to make the fix tonight. Went the new part route but got a great deal on the retaining frame from DCAUTO.COM. $45 for the part.

Cheers.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

I just completed the silicone method on my 1999 996 and it seems to have worked perfectly. I siliconed both sides of the rubber bushing, then let it dry for 24 hours. I used cheap Wal-Mart household silicone, not labeled hi temp nor automotive -- it was what I already had around and I figured if it did not work then I could just buy the part and do it "the right way". Upon reassembly, testing in the garage shows the horn seems to require the proper force (not way too sensitive as before). Nor is the horn too difficult to toot. Thumbs up to Renntech for yet another success!

Posted

Hi my first post i have this problem is there a step by step guide to fix the problem? how do i get the steering wheel off etc?? :oops:

cheers!!

  • Admin
Posted

Hi my first post i have this problem is there a step by step guide to fix the problem? how do i get the steering wheel off etc?? :oops:

cheers!!

It would be helpful if you would tell us the model and year of your car - and 3 spoke for 4 spoke steering wheel.

Also, exactly what problem are you having?

  • 2 months later...
Posted

Has anyone had a problem with the B3 fuse (horn) shorting continually? My horn does not work and the solution may to replace the horn ring assembly that has been discussed here. I did not want to do this if someone has had this problem and the short was in some other component. If the fix for this is to replace the horn ring assembly, then I shall do that. Someone recommended replacing the #10 relay switch and then replacing the B3 fuse. This did not make any difference, as soon as the fuse was inserted, it shorted.

  • Admin
Posted

Has anyone had a problem with the B3 fuse (horn) shorting continually? My horn does not work and the solution may to replace the horn ring assembly that has been discussed here. I did not want to do this if someone has had this problem and the short was in some other component. If the fix for this is to replace the horn ring assembly, then I shall do that. Someone recommended replacing the #10 relay switch and then replacing the B3 fuse. This did not make any difference, as soon as the fuse was inserted, it shorted.

The most common place for a short is in the steering wheel. The insulation wears and then it shorts.

  • 2 weeks later...

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