Symptoms of a Faulty or Faulty Horn Relay

If the horn does not beep or sounds different, or if you do not hear the relay click when the horn is pressed, replace the horn relay.

The horn relay is an electronic component that is part of the vehicle's horn circuit. It serves as a relay that controls the power to the car's horn. When the relay is energized, the siren's power circuit is closed, allowing the siren to function and ring. Most of the relays are located in the fuse box under the hood. When the relay fails, the vehicle may be left without a working horn. Usually, a bad horn relay causes several symptoms that can alert the driver to a potential problem.

1. Broken horn

One of the first signs of a bad horn relay is a non-functioning horn. The horn relay is one of the components responsible for supplying power to the horn circuit. If the relay fails, the horn will not work.

2. Click from the relay

Another sign of a potential problem with the horn relay is a clicking sound from under the hood. A shorted or faulty relay can cause a component to make a clicking sound when the hood button is pressed. A clicking sound may be an indication of an internal relay failure and may also render the horn unusable.

3. The smell of burning from under the hood

A burning smell from the horn relay is another common sign of a relay problem. If the relay burns out, which is not uncommon, then there will be a burning smell. In more severe cases, the relay may even burn out or melt. The relay will have to be replaced in order for the horn to return to full functionality.

Like any electrical component in a car, the horn relay can eventually fail and cause problems. If you suspect your vehicle's horn relay may be having problems, have your vehicle checked by a professional technician such as AvtoTachki to determine if the relay should be replaced.