Howdy. 1998 Pathfinder.

Horn is inop. Fuses are good. Horns work with 12v jumper. I tapped on the relay and got it to quickly honk 2 or 3 times with the right tapping. But the relay will not remove! I've tried poking with pick and small flathead screw driver all around all places and tugging pretty hard working it back and forth in all directions. I don't want to break the relay tray. Is there some secret cuss word to getting this relay out?

YleKyote wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 07, 2023 5:33 pm

Howdy. 1998 Pathfinder.

.. Is there some secret cuss word to getting this relay out?

That secret word is only used after it gets broken. As long as you have released the catches on the relay or already inadvertently broken them off while attempting to remove the relay, it will come off. You described all that I have done getting those fossilized relays unseated. My attempt was successful but was not without more force than I expected to use. A shot of silicone spray could help free it from its receptacle base.

Copy that. Will try pliers and silicone spray. Hopefully will not crack anything.

mdmellott hit the nail on the head with " released the catches " , they're VERY tricky , tough to get a good visual on it and have very little feedback telling you they are IN FACT released , cause when you "get it " you'll be surprised at relative ease of pulling them out.
Big Tip :Must be fully SEATED to enable catch to release easily , like a vertical pull OR NOT seated will be a bidtch trying to use the small flat screw driver needed. And IF your PULLING relay while leveraging screwdriver , the catch is "caught" and WILL NOT release ,ya

Mac is exactly right about pushing in before levering or pulling out, and that doesn't just go for relays. It goes for all latching connectors. Except for lever types, they all use pawls for latching. Think about a ratchet. Can you change the direction while putting torque on it? Maybe, depending on the design, but you won't hear the faint "click" of the mechanism actually releasing until the force is released. The rubber gasket inside most connectors has the same effect, putting constant pressure against the locked pawl. Add some dirt and lack of lubrication and you might need dynamite. Push in just a bit, all of a sudden it pops loose with no effort at all.

That gets a REAL good 'visual' out of your explanation Vstar ya Even when you get the 'knack' you may screw it up as not being able to HOLD the latch clear ....as you try to lift w/ other hand, then ya gotta repeat ! Try again

Ok will dork around with it some more after I spray it with silicone thru a straw. Thanks!

Horn didn't work. Was relay. But it would not come out. Apparently one of those lifetime relay specials, lol. So I tugged, poked, pryed, and cranked, and whacked it over 2 short sessions. Still, she was not coming out to play. So I tugged harder, and then whacked her harder with vice grips pliers. Like magic, after I disconnected the battery to get serious, she knew I was not going away. She honked like a patriot. No batteries or relays were hurt in the making of this informational 10 second video that may not upload. Murika...with a side of whack.