Just noticed that the horn won't blow on my Ford Explorer Sport.

The book shows two horn fuses....one tiny clip type on the inside fuse box.......the other is under the hood in a rectangular box full of fuses.

The small clip fuse checks out ok

The big one inch square block fuse with 5 prongs......who knows!

Do most auto parts stores carry a fuse such as this or will I have to mortgage the trailer and all my children and buy it at the FORD DEALERSHIP?

Thanks for any info.

Chuckwagon

The inch square block fuse with 5 prongs is really a relay. You can pull one next to it and plug it into the horn socket to see if the relay is bad. Be sure and put the one you borrow back where you got it, it may be important.

If the relay is bad, parts house have them.

Cost about 10 bucks. Ask for a horn relay.

Don't rule out the horns themselves. We just replaced them on one of our service trucks that were both bad. Do you have a test light?

I checked the horn relay fuse by moving another just like it from the fuel pump relay.

After switching, the horn would NOT blow.

Both fuses worked fine in the fuel pump relay.

Soooooooooo...is it the horn?

I can't remember when I have "honked" the horn, but I tried it right after having 900 dollars worth of ball joints installed.

Could the mechanics who installed the ball joints caused a short or something while doing the job?

How about the contacts under the horn "button"?

The horn blowing area is the whole center of the steering wheel.

Should I check that?

Thanks!

Chuckwagon

Check for disconnect/cut wires to the horn. If you have an airbag, I wouldn't mess with the steering wheel, take it to a shop.

If I disconnect the battery...will it kill the air bag while I check on the connection under the horn pad?

yes but let it discharge for about 30 minutes to make sure all the power has dissapated from the system

I doubt the guy that did the ball joints caused a problem. They should have been no where near the wires for the horn. I would bet on the switch, the horns themselves, or connections especially the ground side. Pull the wire off the horns clean and put a tester light in the connector. Not sure how the wiring works in the steering column on the Explorer. I had to replace the main switch on my Bronco. It is an assembly that rotates with the steering wheel. Haynes manuals will do no good is this area because they do not want the liability of a air bag blowing up. Did not bother me. It takes a pretty hard impact to deploy it. I was just real careful with mine until I unhooked the wires. Pull the airbag fuse if you wish. Steering columns can be a real learning experience if you have never been in one. You will need a steering wheel puller.

If I can't get it to work....is there an "add on" horn that will blow from a remote switch attached to the center of the steering wheel?

Simply put, no. You would have to mount a push button switch on the dash, or part of steering column that doesn't turn.