Honking My Horn

[FL Boxster]

Hi guys i am new to this forum and this is my first post.

i just wanted to ask you all, does anyone have this problem. i keep honking my horn by mistake all the time and sometimes it happens in the wrong places and oh my do i get bad looks.


1997 Arena red Boxster

[Brad Roberts]

Is your horn honking on its own when you turn the wheel ?? I am seeing this issue more and more as the cars get older.


B

[mrmickeymouse]

You have very small O ring type apparatuses under your air bag which control your horn. They become worn with age and use.

Here is what you will need to do, stop once you remove your air bag: http://www.whiteson.org/boxster/mods/obc/obc.stalk.pdf

Read this thread: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=1728

Scott

[FL Boxster]

Brad,
I hope i did not misslead anyone but the horn does not honk by its own i keep touching the the horn while i drive and with the slightest move it honks (extremely sensitive ). well i thought it might be me, but it is happing to everyone driving my car.
Thank you Scott for your help i will get my car checked for the O ring this week.
Thanks all

[RandallNeighbour]

FL Boxster, I had the exact same problem when I bought my 1997 six weeks ago.

There is a horn actuator plate under your airbag that has little rubber bushings on top of it that keep the airbag's weight (and the weight of your hand resting on it or bumping it lightly) from creating a connection and sounding your horn.

Mine got worse and began going off by itself when I downshifted hard while braking, as the cyntrifical (sp?) force pushed the airbag into the wheel.

Dealer replaced the part. $98 for the part, one hour at $99 for the labor. Bothersome, annoying to others, AND expensive.

"Porsche. There are very few more expensive substitutes" (Ferrarri, Lotus, Lamborghini...)

[Brad Roberts]

Randall nailed it. I'm seeing it more frequently on cars with over 40k miles on them. Now I'm seeing the passenger side air bag covers starting to rattle on their own. Stick your hand on it and it stops (DOH!!)


B

[Brad Roberts]

Here you go.. I just ordered another one today.


B

[FL Boxster]

Thanks a lot RandallNeighbour and Brad I appreciate the help.

[Brad Roberts]

I shot some pics for you detailing the removal and install of the new piece if you want to tackle this on your own. It only requires one semi special tool (T-30 Torx..see pic)

1.Disconnect the negative side of the battery (so you dont set the airbag off)
2.Turn the steering wheel 90 degrees left or right (so you can access the screws that hold the airbag in place)
3.Rotate again to access the other screw..
4.Unplug the yellow connector for the airbag...lay the airbag face up on the passenger side floorboard.
5.Undo the ground wire leading to the center frame (horn ground)
6.Undo the 4 19mm "bolts" holding the airbag frame to the steering wheel.
7.Reverse the procedure for install.

Porsche wants you to replace the T-30 torx screws each time you remove the air bag... I'm going to listen to them... they tend to know what they are doing (the screws are 2.95 apiece) The screws are behind the airbag frame and sit in in the actual foam of the steering wheel (so they dont ground out and cause the horn to honk) Make sure you place them in the small holders prior to installing the frame. When installed this frame I used a tiny dab of red loctite on the 4 19mm "bolts". They obviously had something on them when Porsche installed them (some kind of threadlocker similar to Loctite.) I dont recall the torque settings for the 19's but it is not very much. All they do is hold the frame (the frame actually floats on them...see pic)

B

[Brad Roberts]

Here is the frame you are replacing. When Porsche (or the Fins in this case) assembled the steering wheel setups they overtightened the 19's and caused the rubber isolators to twist in their holders... this is what is causing the fairlure of these pieces. See pic...


B

[Brad Roberts]

Here is the yellow connector that needs to be removed from the airbag. It is semi difficult to pull off. It does however snap back on when you start the reassembly process.


B

[Brad Roberts]

This isnt a great pic.. but you can just barely see how the rubber isolators have twisted. Normally I would have thought somebody had been into this column... but several signs proved that no one had been into this system.


B

[FL Boxster]

Thanks Brad i saved this page

[Tool Pants]

It takes some effort to break the air bag screws free because they have a blue thread lock on them. That is why Portsche says not to reuse them but we reuse them all the time. I use a T30 bit on a rachet.

[Brad Roberts]

I *thought* about reusing them but it is MY ass on the line if something happens and the bag doesnt delpoy in a accident. For 2.95 a screw... safety is my concern. Cool on the tool shots. They where what I call semi tight.


B