Have possible electrical issue with horn

[Jeannie_M]

Hello, I have a 1999 national Tradewinds with 113,000 miles on it. The only problem I have had so far is the highway horn started sounding and would not turn off. I had to pull over and pull the fuses out from behind the plate near the armrest. I don’t know how to fix this as all the fuses look fine. Also, the ceiling fan stopped working the next day. Where do I start to look for the problem as I try to do these little fixes myself and I am not a mechanic by any means. So I need details . Thank you!
Jeannie

[Jeannie_M]

Hi, yes that’s why I had to hold the switch in the middle position until I could unhook the wires because the horn and the highway horn, depending on which way it would tilt would not stop going off.

[enblethen]

Look at page 4.1 Manual
Need to pull switch on console. The switch toggles between highway and city horn system.
Sounds like it is the button in steering wheel.
Horn either loud highway horn or city horn goes off depending on switch position, Is this correct?

[Jeannie_M]

Yes, there is a horn on the steering wheel as well. However, when the highway horn went off and I hit the switch on the consul in one direction, it was the highway horn, which did not go off and if I flipped it in the other direction, it made the steering wheel horn go off, which I didn’t know it even did that so it’s like a rocker switch, and I had to hold it in the middle of the switch and drive it to my house so I can pull over and unplug it.

[oldave]

This is the 2nd time this week that I have heard of a hiway horn. That's a new one to me. On another forum they were discussing this topic & no one knew anything about it. But the owner had the switch and it was mentioned in their manual. As I recall they couldn't make the city horn work or find it under the hood. The general consensus was it would most likely be an auto horn ( elect ) for city and the air horns for hiway use.

So, does your coach actually have separate horns for city & hiway?
If it does which one is stuck on, or is it both?

[wolfe10]

Smart wheel?? We really don't have enough info, and without it, may be sending you on some wild goose chases.

Best answer is still to check for what is going on at the air solenoid that supplies air to the horns. It will quickly tell you if the solenoid is bad OR if it is getting an improper signal from you horn button.

[enblethen]

Do you have a horn button in steering wheel and the highway button on driver's side console? Does the highway horn system work?

[Jeannie_M]

By switch, I mean under the window, there are variety of switches next to the driver, auxiliary, highway horn, etc.

[wolfe10]

oldave wrote:
If it were a stuck solenoid, pulling the fuse would not stop the horn.

Not sure what you mean by the switch but I'm thinking it's probably shorted wires to the horn button on the steering wheel or the horn button itself.

Yup, could be a number of causes. That is why doing a proper diagnosis is important and will save $$.

[oldave]

If it were a stuck solenoid, pulling the fuse would not stop the horn.

Not sure what you mean by the switch but I'm thinking it's probably shorted wires to the horn button on the steering wheel or the horn button itself.

[wolfe10]

Jeannie M wrote:
So by pulling the wires from the back of the switch, do you think I just need to replace the switch itself?

STOP.

You need to troubleshoot with a digital voltmeter at the solenoid.

Do not just start replacing parts until you know what the issue is. Doing so will be costly and frustrating.

[Jeannie_M]

Ok, I will start there, thanks so much.
Jeannie

[enblethen]

I would disconnect the wires, then check for continuity. If there is continuity the switch is bad.

[Jeannie_M]

So by pulling the wires from the back of the switch, do you think I just need to replace the switch itself?

[enblethen]

Good chance then it is the solenoid or switch. Since pulling fuse stopped it, more apt to be switch. Old days, they were cable actuated but now electric.

[Jeannie_M]

It is freightliner chassis diesel