Tomei steering wheel, need a horn button replacement!, (needs to get done to pass safety inspection) Options

[Jeebus]

Heyo,

I just purchased a '94 Celica GT-Four online over the Canada Day weekend, and it was in the province next door. I had my friend (in the same location as the car) over the past month take a look at the car, talk to the seller, and get as much info for me as possible. I decided to bite the bait for the low price of $5k, knowing that there would be a few fixes in need.

One thing I did not know when I arrived to pick-up the car was that the horn didn't work. I actually found this out while I was making my 8hr drive home across the Rockies. The plastic cover that has the Tomei sticker has 2 out of 3 tabs broken, and no spring or metal connection point to the bottom cup, which slides into the steering column.

So here I am, at home now, trying to fix all the necessary items before I take the car into an out-of-province safety inspection, which needs to get passed in order for me to be able to register and insure the car.

PROBLEM: I cannot find a replacement Tomei horn button anywhere.

QUESTION: Can I use any of them generic horn buttons off of eBay? Most say that they fit any major aftermarket steering wheels (Momo, etc...), but do not mention Tomei. They also say that they fit 2-inch holes. I took measurements and pictures of the assembly off my car, but I just want to make sure 100% before I plunge into eBay and buy a generic replacement. I didn't think about measuring the back part of the horn button until today, so I measured it, and it was 2 inches, give or take a few mm, but I would like some reassurance from you folks.

QUESTION #2: Once I receive a replacement, will it simply be hooking it up to the single red wire from my steering column?
(Side note: previous owner did little projects on the car, but I'm finding he'd done a poor job, or didn't really take care of his car).

[ILoveMySilly97]

Throw a stock steering wheel back on if you have one laying around.

[Jeebus]

No dice.

A new stock Steering wheel will cost a bit. I figure if the new horn button doesn't work, I'll just have to open up the steering column and do some digging for a second wire.

[Nihil]

Have you maybe tried removing that green tape?

Horn works as a regular switch between that horn wire and ground, that it has inside the horn (metal parts). So my guess is, since everything around that center-piece is made of metal, that is going to be the ground signal. And the tape seems to me like the previous owner had some problem with the horn an he simply put the tape all around to prevent contact in between that switch.

Else I don't see how that signal going to the center of that ring could be connected with the ground when pressing...

EDIT: i've just seen that the problem is missing spring and broken tabs, that explains the tape, because the horn was probably on most of the time nevermind

This post has been edited by Nihil: Jul 4, 2013 - 1:44 AM

[Jeebus]

my thoughts exactly. A spare horn button runs somewhere $15-30, so I'm going to try that before spending $200+ on a stock.

[The_enD]

What's under the tape? Looks very similar to mine.
If I am not mistaken the horn should work if you touch the wire to the metal, as mentioned above, it is the ground.

[njccmd2002]

send me the steering wheel to me, for scrap... and get a new one.

[Jeebus]

Well after having my replacement horn for about a week, I tested it when I first got it, plugged it in and it didn't work. I had a week off work while a friend visited, but now that the distraction left yesterday, I finally got into my garage.

I checked the horn relay, cracked it open, but I didn't know what I was looking for.
I checked the 7.5A fuse, and it was fine.
I attached the red wire from the steering column to the horn button very tightly, but the horn still didn't work. I could definitely hear a clicking sound coming from the engine bay when I pushed the button, so I figured the relay was fine.
I looked at the two horns, and when I first received the car, one horn didn't have a grounding wire attached. The two wires that lead to both horns were attached differently on each horn, so I tried fiddling with the wires, to no avail.
When I finally attached one horn, and inverted the wiring on the other horn, voila, glorious sound!

Jeebus 1, horn..... 1.

I now have one less item to worry about to fix up for my safety inspection.

Next up, going to Toyota to buy a lug nut wheel lock key so that I can remove the wheel and bumper to change my headlight housing to DOT standards. Thanks to the previous owner for not including the key, as well as the handle to the emergency scissor jack.

[Jeebus]

For anyone who else is having problems with their horns with ST205 in the future, here is a pic of the wiring on my ST205 for reference if it helps.



This post has been edited by Jeebus: Aug 13, 2013 - 3:50 AM