I need help finding the horn relay on my 96 Tocoma

I don't see the horn relay is it in the back, of something what do i have to remove to get to it, so i can test the circuit out, I'm a retired electronic tech. but finding the relay has me confused.

Maybe because the jerk i bought the truck from removed it. where can i see a image of one in the truck, i know what the relay looks like, but i don't see it.

I know the horn is dead, but i don't hear a relay kick in or have the 12 volts to the horn,i do know the horn ring gives negative to the relay.

 

I thought it was in the fuse box.

 

they say its here, but i still can't find it

 

Have you checked the fuse?

 

Yes that's under the hood its good, electronics is the easy part for me, its finding the darn parts that is my issue, i think Monday i will just go to the local auto parts guy, and say i need a hood relay for that truck, but first find it for me

 

Here is the simple circuit for it. the reason they always use relays is so low current goes to the switch on the steering wheel, so it latest much longer, maybe forever, my old 94 has 275 and the horn switch is still working

 

Are all the other fuses good?

 

WELL that's a good point, but i would think if a main fuse that lead to the horn fuse was shot, something electrical would not be working, i need a better wiring diagram for that truck does anyone here have one to share? It would be a good think to have for future use.

I'm starting to feel that the horn relay never really goes bad, and that's why i can't get good info, but maybe i'm wrong

 

Here is what the part looks like

 

I understand how a relay works and why it is used. I have looked online and some sources state that that instead of it running to a relay it is run through the body control module and I have not found anything concrete either way.

 

I found the sucker, it was behind the fuse block, in the dash, and the relay is good, the negative side does not go to ground in the relay socket when i press the horn. Now this truck has a airbag something that scares me to work on. i guess i better look how that comes apart, wonder if the block could be bad i could not ring the wire back to a green/red stripe to the negative side of the relay socket, but i was pressed for time, by my nagging wife. LOL

I had to pull apart the lower, left side of the dash to remove the relay block,

If someone has taken the steering wheel apart, i would like to know the best way, without having the airbag kill me, yes i will remove the negative side of the battery first, of course

 

got the air bag off, found a ripped off wire to the horn ring plug, but that did not fix it, found the green wire with the red stripe, WHICH IS NOT THE ONLY WIRE IN THAT TRUCK THAT COLOR; were it comes out the steering wheel, YOU MUST HAVE THE LOWER DASH OFF TO GET TO THE PLUG TO SEE IT, 5th wire over top row on the plug, if you ground that pin THE HORN WORKS, so now i got to pull off the steering wheel and see if i can repair it, or have to replace the horn ring.

I could live with out a radio, or any music, and no AC, but NEVER WITHOUT A HORN, i have to much bad luck, and to many jerks around me to drive with out one, theirs always the guy who don't see you, and will jump in front of you, had to much bad luck in my 72 years, starting with only being 18 months old, and getting hit by lighting, and living as a mute for the next 5 years

 

GOT THE WHEEL OFF, now i got the HORN RING OUT, but the air bag yellow plug DOES NOT SEEM TO COME OFF, the horn ring; does anyone here know if it does, or i have to remove it from where the other end goes, so i can lay this on my bench, and attempt to repair the thing????

 

Fixed it, the plug on the horn ring from the back going down was not making a good contact, i pulled it out and plug it back , its now working

Now i want to add a wire from the left side of the wheel switch, there is none, don't know if its missing or that's the way it is.

 

I found the contacts in the wheel to be dirty cleaned them up, and adjusted them so they make a better contact,now i got a hair trigger horn, don't have to push at all, just a touch

 

Welcome to TW

 

this was halarious to read

 

On that truck the horn relay is inside the cab, somewhere under the dash or buried in it, I can hear it if the horn is removed. so don't even look under the hood, nay I don't hear that well but i could hear in the cab 99% sure
I did fix my issue, which forced me to use a wheel puller to remove the airbag under that mess once the wheel is off you will see two copper contacts on each side they may even be dirty like mine were very dirty lack of using them did it I assume. Ok you can play with the contacts bend them and make the horn so it's a hair trigger you can fart on the wheel and get it to blow now

I hope this info helps someone else, good luck
Gary Diamond

 

Thanks for all your notes, Gary. This helped me with my horn on my 96' Tacoma!!

 

Your Welcome the contacts just get old also if the horn relay can not handle the power a new horn needs just take the wire off the horn and have that 12 volts turn on a stronger relay and have 12 volts come directly with a 10 amp fuse to the second relay I was forced to do that too, no way can I drive without a horn also protect all new wires under the hood with that plastic tubing soon fires kid