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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001
Posts: 2807
Location: In the great midwest
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 Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 7:48 pm Post subject: horn very weak |
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are there 2 horns on our cars?
and could one fail and the other one not?
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Lachssilber Metallic 203 1988 325i sedan with 200,xxx miles
Top Speed 220 km/h
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85-325e
Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY
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| Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, there are two horns. And of course, one could fail.
Funny, I bought a brand new horn a few years ago and it's in my parts closet int he garage, just in case.
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... 
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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001
Posts: 2807
Location: In the great midwest
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| Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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on that same point, do they both run through the same circuit with the same fuse?
And if one horn would fail, would it then sound like a weak horn only sounding one of the 2 horns?
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Lachssilber Metallic 203 1988 325i sedan with 200,xxx miles
Top Speed 220 km/h
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85-325e
Joined: 30 Jun 2002
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Location: Southampton, NY
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| Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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Here's the wiring diagram:
I believe each horn has a slightly different frequency, and that's how they achieve that double-toned sound.
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive...
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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001
Posts: 2807
Location: In the great midwest
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the diagram.
If that's the diagram for an 88 E30 then it appears they do in fact go through the same fuse, which I've checked and is ok. Not to mention, the other horn would be out as well, if the fuse was blown.
Does that diagram indiacate that only the right side horn has a relay?
Could the relay have gone bad?
Also do the connecting wires sometimes get pulled loose/broken?
Or is it more likely that I simply have a failed horn on one side and will need to replace it?
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Lachssilber Metallic 203 1988 325i sedan with 200,xxx miles
Top Speed 220 km/h
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85-325e
Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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| m78 wrote: | Thanks for the diagram.
1. If that's the diagram for an 88 E30 then it appears they do in fact go through the same fuse, which I've checked and is ok. Not to mention, the other horn would be out as well, if the fuse was blown.
2. Does that diagram indiacate that only the right side horn has a relay? Could the relay have gone bad?
3. Also do the connecting wires sometimes get pulled loose/broken?
4. Or is it more likely that I simply have a failed horn on one side and will need to replace it? |
1. All the cars have the same circuit. So the singluar fuse would control both
2. NO... it indicates that the entire circuit has a relay. If one horn is working, the relay is working too. The relay is triggered by contact between the button contacts and the steering colum contacts.
3. Probably, maybe, could be! lol... I'd check them all. One wire could be corroded (they are low in the front) and maybe it's not making proper contact. Always check for corrosion on wires, especially ones subjected to salt, water, road dirt etc. You should also check the grounds to make sure they're not corroded either.
4. Well, maybe... if the wires are screwed, fixing them fixes the horn. If the horn is screwed, well, replacing it fixes the horn  !
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive...
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dale
Joined: 22 Aug 1999
Posts: 3087
Location: Seattle, WA USA
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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It's pretty common for the connector at the horn itself to get corroded.
Pull the connector and clean the horn side, if you can't clean the spade connector on the wire side, replace with a new spade connector.
Dale
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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001
Posts: 2807
Location: In the great midwest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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Well I haven't yet checked the connections yet, and I'm hoping that's all it is, but in checking parts, apparently there are 2 different manufacturers of the low horn on my car (naturally!  )
Hella and Fiamm (?) or something to that effect.
and they are not interchangeable (of course! )
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Lachssilber Metallic 203 1988 325i sedan with 200,xxx miles
Top Speed 220 km/h
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85-325e
Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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Check the connections... you proably won't have to buy a new horn !
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive...
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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001
Posts: 2807
Location: In the great midwest
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| Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 8:40 am Post subject: |
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well the connections are fine, everything looks good. The horn itself does have some surface rust. Tried to clean both the connections and the horn, and no sound.
So it looks like I need to order a new horn. They are only about $30 each, I think I may replace both.
While checking out the horn, i took the time to change the oil and put my new plastic splash cover on. Interesting how some of the connector screws are not available from the stealer. I found some worthy replacements though.
I thought that BMW no longer sold the splash cover, but I got a pretty decent price on a brand new one, and discovered that the brake duct vents connected much more sturdy than I had them before. The splash cover I had previously did not have the same configuration, undoubtedly I had the wrong splash cover.
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Lachssilber Metallic 203 1988 325i sedan with 200,xxx miles
Top Speed 220 km/h
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85-325e
Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY
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| Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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This is just a suggestion, but you could apply 12v to the horn and see if it sounds. You're right, they're not very expensive.
Well, good luck... congrats on getting the ducts connected better than they were before !
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive...
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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001
Posts: 2807
Location: In the great midwest
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| Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 1:05 pm Post subject: |
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So the 410 HZ horn part# 6133 1 385 984 is the low tone?
and the 510HZ horn part# 6133 1 385 983 is the high tone?
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Lachssilber Metallic 203 1988 325i sedan with 200,xxx miles
Top Speed 220 km/h
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85-325e
Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY
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| Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know about the part numbers, but the higher frequency is the higher tone...
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive...
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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001
Posts: 2807
Location: In the great midwest
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| Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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Got them both done.
One complication (isn't there always at least one!  )
The driver's side had a angled mounting bracket that would not work with the new horn. Eventually, i had to bend the mounting bracket a bit to make it all fit. I thought it may be logical to think that the open horn part should be facing forward, but it seems it is designed to face backward. (perhaps to prevent splashing water)
Anyway, it's all done. Yippee! 
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Lachssilber Metallic 203 1988 325i sedan with 200,xxx miles
Top Speed 220 km/h
(OO=00=OO) |
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85-325e
Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY
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| Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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Good for you M... Congrats!
Ain't it nice to be able to blast someone with the horn again??? !
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive...
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