Horn Relay always hot to the touch - horn doesn’t work

[007]

I have an 83 c20 which I have owned for years, and drove in high school and college. I just got got back after it lived untouched in a barn in NM for 13 years. The horn does not work at all. I cannot locate a horn in the area of the grille forward of the radiator (and don’t know where else to look). The fuse is good, but the horn relay is hot to the touch all of the time. Even with the key in the off positron for days, the relay was hot. I replaced it, and got the same result. I have no idea where to begin. Any help is appreciated.

[zieg85]

Remove the fuse until you find the problem.  Potential fire.  The horn button or a short in the steering column is most likely the problem

[VileZambonie]

Does the horn relay click when you press the horn button?

[007]

Zieg85 - good looking out. First thing I did. 

VileZambonie - yes, it does.

[VileZambonie]

Go directly to the horns and bust out the test light.

[007]

In this forum I found a thread that says the horn(s) will be installed at the front of the truck between or near the radiator and the grille, or in the cavity between the front body panel and the engine compartment. I don’t see a horn in either place. Can you give any more guidance or specifics on where I might find it? Thank you.

[zieg85]

Here is my 1985 C20 horns

[007]

Thanks Zieg85. That is so helpful!

I don’t see any horns in that area at all. It looks like the horns have been removed from this truck (although I don’t know when or how, because it has been parked and left alone for a long time, and it passed TX inspection for the years I drove it from 2002-2006).

Does anyone know the color of the wires that are supposed to go to the horn? Can’t find that in my handy Hayne’s repair manual.

[bd]

1983 Wiring Manual

For better results, use the GM factory wiring manual linked above.

The original horn wires are dark green for all square body years and models.

[007]

Thanks BD!

[007]

The original thread said this truck sat untouched for years, but that is somehow not true. I don’t know the 5 Ws of it, but after all the helpful answers from everyone this is what I found:

I took the front grille off, and the horns were missing. I found the horn connectors, and hooked them up to a multi-meter. When pushing the horn button I noticed the relay clicked way more than I pushed, and also clicked with any movement of the steering wheel.

I took apart the horn contacts in the steering wheel, and found that someone had removed the contact plate, and re-installed it backward so that it sent power to the horns pretty much all the time, which is the reason the relay was hot. Because they couldn’t figure out what went wrong, they removed the horns, but left the relay and and fuse in place.

I put the contact plate back in the correct position, and used a multi-meter to verify there is only current to the horn wiring when the button is pushed. Now I just need new horns and I’ll be set.

Thanks again everyone. 

[VileZambonie]

Maybe you were remembering a different horn lol

Glad you figure it out.

[007]

My memory is pretty terrible, but I don’t think it’s that bad. I think someone out in the boonies where it was parked may have messed with it. Or some member of my family who I am related to, but don’t know very well.

Either way, I really appreciate you all. I joined this forum specifically to get help on this, and you all delivered.

🍻

[JohnnyPopper]

I wondered how this would turn out!

The relay being hot to the touch was blowing my mind, along with it clicking when engaged.

I guess you couldn't hear the relay when she was running.

"look Pa, it'll go away as soon as we ditch them horns!"

[VileZambonie]

From what he described, the horn was always activated and when he depressed the horn button he was hearing the relay disengage. If the horn was always blowing, I can understand disconnecting the horns, but not removing them.