Horn quit, 12V to ground now Update - Solved it!

[Golfball]

I put a new relay in and had my horn working and when I drove it yesterday, the horn quit. I checked the connection at the steering wheel and instead of continuity to ground, I had 12 volts. And when I checked the relay, I was getting 12 volts on the ground side. Can the relay go that quickly? What would kill the relay? From what I understand, the horn works by completing the ground and tripping the relay. So what could cause 12 volts to ground on this setup. What am I missing?

I did install an aftermarket Grant-style steering wheel but the only connection is the horn button to ground. Its this wheel here http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Mustang-Thunderbird-14-Drifter-Black-Vincly-Aluminum-Steering-Wheel-Set-/251146775856?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a7983ad30

SOLVED IT!!!! After much wire chasing, I found that the Blue/Yellow wire up by the relay had a break in it and was causing the problem. Thanks for everyone's help, especially the wiring diagram by Steve83 (right click, save as!).

 

[Viperwolf1]

You will see 12V at the horn contact button. You won't see 12V at ground unless the ground is bad.

 

[Steve83]

Is your wiring completely stock? What happens when you press the button? Does the relay click? Does the horn click? Do the lights dim?

 

[Golfball]

The horn did work when I hooked everything up. The wiring is stock and I just put in a used column, I check all the wiring on the column and it was in great shape. The relay was clicking and the horn blew until it just quit and then I found that there was 12v on the ground side of the relay. Now the relay does nothing.

According to the mfg of the steering wheel that I bought, I needed to ground the second post on the horn button. This worked for about three days before it quit.

I am totally confused on this one.

 

[Steve83]

Study the lower R corner of this diagram & make sure your wiring matches it:



To zoom in, click that image again in the new tab/window.

Test voltage at the Y wire on the relay - it should always be battery voltage (~12). Bu/Y should be the same, except when you press the horn button it should instantly drop to 0V. Y/Gn should be 0V except when Bu/Y is grounded, Y/Gn should jump to battery and the horn should sound. If Y/Gn is close to 12V, and the horn is silent, the horn is bad or not grounded. Clean & tighten its mount.

 

[Golfball]

The mounts are clean and well grounded. I can jump across the relay connector and sound the horn.

Here is a pic of the horn button, the center blade is connected to the wire coming off the horn "pad" that came with the wheel. The other blade is grounded to the spacer. Is that correct?

 

[Viperwolf1]

1) Columns aren't always good grounds. Measure it with an ohmmeter to a good ground.

2) Do you see 12V at the ungrounded wire at the button? If not, something is wrong with wiring or the contact button under the adapter.

 

[BluebroncoNC]

My column had a terrible ground, horn would work only 1/3'd the time... I ended up jumping a wire across the union at the bottom of the shaft near the pwr steering box to "ground" the column well enough to support the horn.