02 Pathfinder Horn

[rgk]

I noticed the horn wasn't working on my recently-acquired 02 Pathfinder, and discovered that the relay was completely missing. Well, I ordered one on eBay, but it didn't fit. After some poking around, I discovered the rear window defrost relay fit the horn relay slot perfectly - not only that, but I could use the defrost relay to operate the horn. I looked for a rear window defrost relay on eBay and found one listed as a defrost/horn relay. Perfect.

Moving along, I also noticed that the horn sounded terribly wimpy - like something you would expect from a Vespa, not a 4x4 SUV. Meanwhile, I was poking around in the engine bay fuse box, and noticed that some of the fuses were the incorrect amperage. As it turned out, I didn't have enough 10 amp fuses, so I inserted a 15 amp fuse into the horn slot, and what do you know? The horn actually sounds appropriate.

Leaving the 15 amp fuse in for a nicer-sounding horn shouldn't negatively affect my electrical, should it? I mean, it's not like I'm blasting the horn nonstop. Besides, I think it's more of a safety issue to have the horn be too quiet. Thoughts?

[atraudes]

You're right, of all the places to have too big a fuse, the horn's probably the least dangerous The risk is that if there's a short it increases the possibility of fire and/or damage, but I wouldn't sweat it short-term. Definitely check the others and make sure they're accurate. And don't have a few drinks before doing so like it sounds like the PO did.

Try a new 10-amp fuse for the horn (if that's what it's supposed to have). Maybe the old fuse was just giving up the ghost.

Another thought on the horn fuses, what sound does the horn make if you pull that fuse completely? Pretty much all horns have two tones. I'm curious if each of the two tones has its own fuse. I don't think so, but something to check.

[rgk]

Wow, check out what I just found in my Haynes manual:

"Make sure the horn works before testing the cruise control system, as the cruise control switch gets power from the horn relay."

I was wondering why my cruise control wasn't working!!

[atraudes]

Ah, I remember seeing that when I was rewiring my wheel! if I recall, the audio controls wouldn't work either.

[rgk]

Also, that 15 amp fuse was certainly no louder than a new 10 amp fuse, so your theory about the old fuse being lousy may have been correct.

[atraudes]

And people call me crazy for wanting to swap in new fuses every decade! Cool beans