My horn has stopped working for some reason.

I've checked fuse No.7 as per the handbook and it's fine.

There is a faint clicking noise when I press the horn button.

Any idea what's happened please?

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

Assuming the handbook lists the correct fuse location (it didn't for wipers on my wife's car) the clicking might be a relay(?), did you check the fuse visually or by testing or swapping out with a known good 20 amp fuse, as I once had an intermittent fuse I do double or triple checks.

 

You could try pressing the horn button locations harder repeatedly to see if that does anything like friction clean the connections there, I've no idea where the actual horn(s) are on the car and if you could do a test straight off a 12v battery test same as you could on the A40.  I'm not sure these electrics will be around and working 5 or 6 decades later like some of the Lucas stuff.

 

Hopefully someone will be along with a wiring diagram to confirm fuse number and give info on feed run.

 

Edited 9 January, 20233 yr by nta16
speeling and stuff

Thanks for the help.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

3 hours ago, RickW said:

Thanks for the help.

Sorry it wasn't really help, I'd be slightly more at home with the A40, but thread activity might attract those that know.  Not so many venture out to the newer Fabia models.

 

Zooming in on your photo image shows the 20 amp fuse would be above the marker for F7 (if it wasn't missing) I'd never see that when looking in the car, shows some technology can be very useful.  It'd make it easier for me if all the fuses in the cars were facing the same direction, trying to remember the colours is too much for me, I wonder if the other VAG marques have them random pattern too.  🙂

 

I was just wondering about the 15 amp fuse at F44 (Cigarette lighter, 12-volt power socket) being different to 15 amp fuses at F27 and F49 and if it left the factory like that and if it has any relationship to the hole and missing marker and horn fuse F7 being directly above both - or just coincidence, previous owner or electrical items added or changed(?).

 

Edited 9 January, 20233 yr by nta16
ETA: coincidence?

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

Do you have access to a bi-directional scan tool, you could then plug in to test items and look at diagnostics.

 

Sorry,I'm not techy,I don't know what that is.

Just to add to what I've said, there is a clicking noise coming from what seems to be the fuse box area,when I press the horn.

So press click noise simultaneously. 

5 minutes ago, RickW said:

Sorry,I'm not techy,I don't know what that is.

Just to add to what I've said, there is a clicking noise coming from what seems to be the fuse box area,when I press the horn.

So press click noise simultaneously. 

That clicking sound will most likely be the relay, so that appears to be working ok, although the relay contacts could still be the problem.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

2 hours ago, RickW said:

Sorry,I'm not techy,I don't know what that is.

No I'm not techy either, so don't take my terminology as gospel but just as to give you the idea of what I mean.  You've probably seen and heard of these things you plug in for the cars computers to perhaps give out the error codes for issues on the car.  Some are just basic scan tool error code readers, they show the error codes the car gives them.  These scan tool error code readers should be used as a diagnostics tool to help find what is wrong, rather than as an absolute answer as many think they give (and sometimes it might be the answer).

Going up a couple of levels from there are scan tools that not only give a lot more information but can also act on the car, say get a cooling fan to switch on or one headlight, etc., as part of a diagnostics or just to test an individual part is able to be activated.  Getting a headlight bulb out can be half a day's (DIY at least) work on some cars so if it lights up it's not the bulb or direct connections at least at fault.

 

 

2 hours ago, RickW said:

Just to add to what I've said, there is a clicking noise coming from what seems to be the fuse box area,when I press the horn.

 You did put about the clicking in your opening post and I did question relay as possibility but Warrior193 has given you a better reply.

 

Relays aren't listed in the Owner's Manual and I've never looked at them, you need the guys good on electrics here.

 

One thing good, I have just checked for you and the fuse box in my wife's car has the same hole in the fuse box as yours, but the 15 amp fuse at F44 (Cigarette lighter, 12-volt power socket) below the hole is the darker blue same as the other two 15 amp fuses at F27 and F49 doesn't really mean anything other than perhaps that fuse has been changed.

IIRC, the horn is mounted behind the front bumper, requiring its removal to access, I suggest checking a wiring diagram to see if there is a more accessible connector in the loom where voltage to the horn can be tested.  Failing that, it may be an idea to locate and try replacing the relay. 

Edited 10 January, 20233 yr by Warrior193

Sorry, yes I did mention the clicking noise.

I'm going to go to my friendly independent garage at some point this week and ask them to plug it into the cars computer to see what's going on.

They could well have come across this problem before.

Thanks very much.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

Just a quick thought, though I'm not sure it would explain the clicking, being used to old cars I've only just thought of this, I'll ask anyway, when you're trying the horn you have got the ignition turned on?

 

I've tried it with the ignition on and off,no different.

I took it to the garage today to have it plugged in to the diagnostics device and nothing came of it,no faults came up.

I've booked it I  for the week after next for an investigation which apparently can take a bit of time.

Modern cars have their downside at times.

I hope that you are not out of pocket after being led up the garden path  to find and use a bi-directional code reader (not that such a thing even exists) to diagnose your non functioning horn.

I do trust this garage,I've been going there for many years.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

Sorry I didn't get a reasonable chance to test the horn on my wife's car with the ignition off, I'll try later just out of curiosity now and let you know. 

 

If you've got a good garage that you can trust you're ahead of the game.  Plugging in a scan tool or error code reader just looking for error codes can often come up with no errors, as I put it's a diagnostics tool but not the only one, and not always the most appropriate one.  An electrical problem like this is best approached as such but I'm sure an auto-electrician would also do a scan to see if anything else comes up in case it's related.

 

Now you see why I put about not taking my terminology as gospel as I have a faithful troll that seems to hang on my every post without reading them properly or in context, that's without him sometimes being wrong, bi-directional scan tool is a term used by others not one I invented.  😁

 

Modern cars have lots of downsides, especially the VW computer programs, but this could just be a basic problem that would also be on a car from past decades.

 

I'd be very interested to know how this is sorted as my wife has a 2015 Fabia but it's also good to have a solution for all others in the future.  Cheers.

Edited 29 January, 20233 yr by nta16
spelling

Thanks for that.

I will come back when the problem gets sorted with a report.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

I actually remembered to test the horn with the ignition off whilst my wife went to pay for the petrol at a petrol station, the interior lights had gone out but the car was unlocked as I was in the passenger seat, the horn sounded.

 

Thanks and good luck.

 

So I dropped my Fabia off at my trusted independent garage one morning.

I rang at lunch time to see what progress had been made and they said it was fixed.

A connector had come off the horn itself.

He said it was unusual that this had happened (ex Volkswagen mechanic) and had no explanation for it.

It was working for it's MOT at the end of November.

After that it went to a Skoda main dealer for its 4th year service.

I can't remember using the horn since then.

 

 

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

Thanks for reporting back.  All seems a bit odd but nothing you can sort now and if it's working with such an easy 'repair' that at least is good.

 

Yes it was a pleasant surprise thanks,I just paid them £20 for their time and effort.