Horn Randomly Activates in the Middle of the Night | FerrariChat
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Horn Randomly Activates in the Middle of the Night

Discussion in '360/430' started by Drestless, Jan 11, 2016.

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  1. Drestless

    Drestless Formula 3

    Oct 1, 2014
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    Jam
    #1 Drestless, Jan 11, 2016
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2016
    Hello fellow Ferraristis!

    First of all I have the car for more than a year now and added 8 thousand miles on the clock and it's been great. This is quite economic car in Ferrari standards. Quite opposite to what I hear that it will cost me around several thousand dollars on my first year of ownership. This is very reliable and not very expensive to maintain / repair (so far). This wouldn't be possible without the great knowledge and assistance I've received from this community.

    Now going back to the topic. My car started to be obsessed in the middle of the night when winter started. The weather where I am averages 40 degrees during winter which is not freezing but somehow my Ferrari start's to feel cold and screams for some attention in the middle of the night.

    It lasts for approximately a minute and it stops on it's own. This occurs couple times a week and no matter what I do; start or stop the car and arm or disarm it doesn't stop. It stops by itself though after around a minute.

    Thank you in advance for your input.
     
  2. Drestless

    Drestless Formula 3

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    #2 Drestless, Jan 12, 2016
    54 views and no takers. My car maybe uniquely obsessed.

    Anybody out there that has experienced this issue or have any ideas? Thank you.
     
  3. rotaryrocket7

    rotaryrocket7 Formula Junior

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    #3 rotaryrocket7, Jan 12, 2016
    Is the horn just staying on or is it honking like the alarm is going off?
    If it's just staying on:
    Horn fuse, is it completing the circuit for some reason?
    Horn itself, somehow completing the circuit?

    If the alarm, battery would be my first guess, after that alarm itself.
     
  4. Drestless

    Drestless Formula 3

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    #4 Drestless, Jan 12, 2016
    It just stays on. Not alarm. Does the completion of the circuit a potential cause even if it's random and only when it's parked at night? I would've expect this to be a consistent issue but I'm not the pro here. Thanks.
     
  5. blackbolt22

    blackbolt22 F1 Veteran
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    #5 blackbolt22, Jan 12, 2016
    I've never heard of this problem with any vehicle.
     
  6. vrsurgeon

    vrsurgeon F1 World Champ
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    #6 vrsurgeon, Jan 12, 2016
    Not sure if its alarm as alarm siren is what chirps in my car when alarm goes off.

    It going to be in the horn circuit or its going to be a short.

    A wire could be getting crimped in the horn with shorting leading to the horn going off.
    Or the horn relay could be sticking closed with the cooling in temperature. (Fuse 16 and relay 30 in the front trunk on the drivers side behind carpet)

    Any additional amplifiers or other electronics in the car?
     
  7. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #7 Rifledriver, Jan 12, 2016
    I have.


    If it is the alarm horn the alarm system can do that. It will take an SD2 to diagnose and address. If it is the horn I have seen that too.
     
  8. Drestless

    Drestless Formula 3

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    #8 Drestless, Jan 12, 2016
    Does the alarm horn the same sound as the car horn? It is a car horn sound, same as when you press the button on the steering wheel.

    If it's the horn (which most likely is), what are the known causes? Thank you sir!
     
  9. Drestless

    Drestless Formula 3

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    #9 Drestless, Jan 12, 2016
    I will check this. How would I know if the relay is going bad? There's a custom sound system installed but it's been there for years. This issue always happen when cold season. Last winter it also occurred and then stopped by itself.

    Thanks!
     
  10. vrsurgeon

    vrsurgeon F1 World Champ
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    #10 vrsurgeon, Jan 12, 2016
    What I'm working with is a question about what will cause the horn relay to activate and activate the horn on the car. (note, the beep you hear when you press the alarm fob is not the same as the honking of the car horn.. I presume car horn)
    Is it a cooling that will cause the alarm horn relay to stick and thus activate the horn.. or is it an alternate circuit that supplies power to the horn, thus causing it to honk. Is is a wire that is shorting in the steering column when a component cools down?

    Isolating which of these mechanisms is the key. If the alarm replace the alarm siren, the board is toast inside.
     
  11. marknkidz

    marknkidz Formula 3
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    #11 marknkidz, Jan 12, 2016
    saw a twilight zone with the same issue...

    you didn't run over a kid on a bicycle did you, and not stop?
     
  12. Tally Ho

    Tally Ho Formula Junior

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    #12 Tally Ho, Jan 12, 2016
    LOL - Just saw that one over the New Year's TZ marathon.
     
  13. rotaryrocket7

    rotaryrocket7 Formula Junior

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    #13 rotaryrocket7, Jan 12, 2016
    I would clean up the horn switch and check the fuse block and relay. Intermittent short and corrosion could cause it, but the randomness is hard to diagnose. If you haven't downloaded the workshops manual do so and the schematics are in there to trace through.
     
  14. 88Testarossa

    88Testarossa Formula 3

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    #14 88Testarossa, Jan 13, 2016
  15. hessank

    hessank Formula 3
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    #15 hessank, Jan 13, 2016
    Have you tried some Holy Water?

    ;)
     
  16. wong360

    wong360 Rookie

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    #16 wong360, Jan 13, 2016
    Dressy!!

    How have ya been?!

    My money is on the horn pad/switch mechanism.

    Should be spring clips underneath the airbag to activate the relay which then powers the awful horn in the middle of the night.


    The horn does work normally right? That would mean that the wires/contacts/relay/horn and switch are in working order.

    It's just a nocturnal occurance you are having trouble with?

    Regards,
     
  17. Drestless

    Drestless Formula 3

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    #17 Drestless, Jan 15, 2016
    It's the car horn because now it wouldn't even work when pressing the steering wheel button. I think it got tired and gave-up and forever kept it's peace.

    Maybe relay? If it's the fuse, are there any other components that is utilizing the same fuse? Thank you.
     
  18. Drestless

    Drestless Formula 3

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    #18 Drestless, Jan 15, 2016
    Lol. That's funny!
     
  19. Drestless

    Drestless Formula 3

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    #19 Drestless, Jan 15, 2016
    I'm actually thinking of using those 16 wheeler truck horns but don't know how. Would be cool and for sure everybody will get out of the way. lol
     
  20. Drestless

    Drestless Formula 3

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    #20 Drestless, Jan 15, 2016
    Been doing great! It's nocturnal only and now I can't even make the horn sound from the steering wheel.
     
  21. vrsurgeon

    vrsurgeon F1 World Champ
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    #21 vrsurgeon, Jan 15, 2016
    There you go!

    If you go into the front trunk on the drivers side wall there is a carpet panel. Undo the screws holding it on and you'll get to the fuses and relays. Check the fuse (diagram will be on the back of the carpeted panel) and see if its blown or darkened because of the heat. Then try the relay. Might be able to switch it out with another relay to test.

    The rub is, if the horn button was sticking its' going to activate the horn and overheat the system. You'll probably have to pull the airbag out of the steering wheel to check contacts there as well.

    If in doubt ask your mechanic for some help. :)
     
  22. DK308

    DK308 F1 Rookie

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    #22 DK308, Jan 15, 2016
    '64 or '87 version?
     

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