Hey everbody! yea, the horn on my 1992 300E is not working, and it needs a new inspection sticker!! I tried checking the voltage at the two metal screws that hold the current wires that feed the top horn and I got no voltage. So I am supposing either A.)This is not the place to check the voltage or B.)Something else is broken. Is there some fuse that regulates the horn? Or perhaps a relay of some kind? Any help would greatly be appreciated!

Your owners manual should have a fuse list. I would start with that.

hehe already checked... the manual only lists the fuses in the box... which are already diagramed on the cover. I checked the service cd... and I couldn't find any references to the horn except on how to remove it... so im frankly stumped! I wanna know its not a fuse or something before I pay big bugs to have the car fixed by a mech...

Start with a couple leads of wire from the pos and neg posts of the battery, disconnect the horns and touch your leads from the battery to the horn leads. If the each horn works, you know your problem is elsewhere if the horns don't work when direct power is applied you've found the problem.

As soon as I hit send, another possibility came to mind. Worn slip rings on the steering wheel can also cause a no horn situation. About $75.00 through PartsShop/FastLane, and not too difficult to do (but does require patience). If the horns work under direct power, you can then remove the steering wheel and jump the two horn contacts (they should be the two outer contacts). If the horn works there, then your problem is the slip rings.

Hope this helps.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

OK,
Here's my problem. Horn worked fine. I changed the turn signal/wiper combo switch and the horn no longer worked. Not only that but the srs light started blinking intermittently. Changed the horn contact ring, the horn still doesn't work . SRS light still comes on whenever it feels like it. My question is, everything was fine until I changed the wiper switch. I didn't unplug anything else, what could have gone wrong.
Something told me that this fix was going to easy.

The reasons that I changed the switch in the first place were:
1. windshield washer didn't work and,
2. the intermittent wiper function didn't work.

Now that both of those problems work, I have the 2 new problems. Can someone point me in the right direction. With the driver's in NYC, I definitely need the horn and need a piece of mind with the SRS light.

Oh yea, I've already jump the horn straight to the battery and the horn works, so it has to be somewhere under the dash.

TIA

__________________
Richie
1986 300E

I'd guess something is askew in the reassembly of the combo switch repair. I had a wire under the combo switch Saturday and it was all going back together, but with force and odd angles. Disassembled , looked closely and put it back together-all smoothly. Hope this helps.

__________________
Earl McLain
'02 C230 Kompressor
'89 560 SEL "Frau BlueCar" (retired April 2004)

Funny, when I replaced the signal/wiper switch, the new switch had a extra piece that looked similar to a round fuse holder. It didn't come with the other end though, so that piece isn't connected to anything, since the original one didn't have this extra piece at all. At first I thought maybe this connected to something but there's nothing for it to connect to .

__________________
Richie
1986 300E

Sounds like your problem is with the placement/fitment of the combo switch and accompanying cover plate and the contacts for the wheel slip rings. Remember there are two sets of contacts, one for the horn the other for the air bag. Something askew at the junction of the wheel to column could very easily give the symptoms you describe.

Might just have to pull the wheel again and gut the column, taking extra care upon reassembly. Everything should fit together without and binding or pressure involved.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Will give it a try tomorrow or Saturday

__________________
Richie
1986 300E

When you replace the combo switch, you need to either install new horn contact brushes (two brushes, white plastic housings) or if you're really cheap, yank the old ones out of the old combo switch and put them in the new combo switch.
Gilly

__________________
Click here to see the items I have up for auction at EBay

Click here to see a photo album of my '62 Sprite Project Moneypit (Now Sold)

Gilly,
These brushes would be located where? And since I no longer have the old combo switch where can I purchase these brushes?

And can you tell me where the sending unit for the tach would be(this is suppose to be a easy fix for a tach that works intermittently), as I have been looking on the left fender well with no luck.

Thanks,
Richie

__________________
Richie
1986 300E

Richie:
I think on the tach, someone has told you about the sending unit like the older (early 80's) 300SD Diesels had. I don't believe your 300E has it. The tach signal comes from the TDC sensor, there is a small bus near the ignition control unit for this purpose.
Since you don't seem to know where the brushes are, I think we can assume they didn't get transferred over from the old switch. They press into the front of the combo switch, they are right on top, as the brushes of course contact the slip ring on the back of the steering wheel. The bottom of the brushes have a metal tab that lock into a pair of contacts on the combo switch.
You should be able to buy them at the same place you bought the combo switch---dealer, FastLane, take your pick, probably not a generic parts house like NAPA or AutoZone or one of those places. I think you'll be able to get the brushes installed without removing the whole switch. I'd also double-check the installation of the Airbag brushes, this may be why you have a flickering SRS light.
Gilly
ps You'll have to buy 2 of the horn brushes, they are sold individually

__________________
Click here to see the items I have up for auction at EBay

Click here to see a photo album of my '62 Sprite Project Moneypit (Now Sold)

Gilly,
Yeah I messed up with the combo switch. I'll contact fastlane today to order these brushes. Thanks for the info on the tach also.

__________________
Richie
1986 300E