Horn button repair

Hey guys,

On my 89 Mitsubishi Delica recently the horn was getting stuck on randomly, or when hitting bumps. To rectify this I pulled the fuse, but found out tonight that the fuse also was for the dash, and tail lights. The blinkers, headlamps, and brake lights still worked, but no running lights. Well when I got home I tore into the horn button, and disconnected it so no more horn getting stuck on, and the added bonus of dash, and tail lights. What I found was some foam between two pieces of metal that allows the horn circuit to get grounded like most other horns I have seen. The problem is the foam is broken down, and is the cause of the trouble with the horn. Also could be why it was a hair trigger horn to begin with. Normally I wouldn't worry about the horn not working, but I will have to get the van inspected in August so I want to fix it. I will attach a few pics of the horn contacts. Any suggestions on how to repair this is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris

Put an air horn on the roof with a chain to pull.

Okay, aside from the obvious repair that Wally so eloquently outlined above what else can be done? I mean that is a great fix, and maybe what ultimately I will do, but I also would love to have the normal horn working as well. You know I need a city horn Wally.

That's one goofy horn switch. I would try to find some thin foam (craft store or shipping store maybe) and make a new piece. Use a hole punch for all the little contact spots.

You get some suitable foam, a hollow punch (HF sells a 9 pc set that should do), and some spray adhesive. Make a new foam piece, spray it with adhesive, stick it on, done.

Chris, I should have some thin foam like that upstairs in the garage. Swing by and grab some. Should have some spray glue as well unless the wife and kids have gotten into it. Don't use any kind of solvent on the old stuff to remove it. You don't want to cut into the stuff underneath the old foam.

I had a car (I forget which one, maybe a VW) that had a switch like that. Fixed it by shaving a thin layer from an old seat and roughly cutting holes where the contact bumps are. Mine was two metal plates so I was able to clean off the old foam with solvent. It took a couple of tries to get just the right thickness of foam to make it easy too push, but not self-energizing.

Dang! I thought I had a picture on my photobucket account that would fit perfectly here. It was a Eagle Premier or Dodge Manaco that had a household light switch screwed to the steering wheel for the horn switch. I thought I posted it here. 10 bonus internet points to anyone that can find it. My google-foo stinks tonight.

Seems the guys, and gals over on the Delica forum have encountered this problem as well. The fix they came up with was coffee stirrers between the two plates of the horn switch. I will have to give it a shot. It was a little funny for a while when the van was doing its best "Little Miss Sunshine" impression, but when it got stuck on permanent that was the "last straw". Thanks for the help so far guys. Now to figure out how to repair the incline-o-meter/altimeter gauge pod that snapped off.

I found some foam at work the other day, and fashioned it into a new cushion/insulator for the horn button. I didn't cut all the holes in it like the factory one, but rather just the slot in the middle. The horn works now, but only when pressed in the middle which is just fine with me.

In reply to DrBoost: Close, but not quite it.

T.J. wrote: In reply to DrBoost: Close, but not quite it.

GOTTA LOVE IT!!! Posted like a true Grassroots Fan!!

In reply to Rupert:

A true Grassroots fan would also ID the vehicle make and model and the accessory switches.

My fix. Crude, but effective.