D1 horn questions

[mdcoa]

After a 10 year Rover vacation (had a '65 SIIA 109SW for years), I got pulled back in and just got a 1995 Disco, which was a Texas truck and is in fairly amazing shape. Doing fluid changes, sorting out issues (like the fact that the steering drag link nut was not even close to finger tight, let alone 135 ft lbs . . . ), and of course, looking at electrical issues.

So, the horn. I've searched and searched, and read and read, and did find one disco web thread that sort of just dropped off without the OP getting back on what the issue was.

Horn doesn't work. Alarm horn (which I gather is actually a totally different horn) works just fine.

Diagnostic efforts thus far--no power at either lead at either horn.

I pulled the steering column clamshell thingmo and poked around with a test light and--holy cow--the horn goes off when I poke that thing anywhere in the circuit.

I suspect the problem is at the switch, but wanted to ask what I should be on the lookout for before I pull the airbag and go poking around in there--should I just be cleaning contacts? Or is there a replacement part I might need (I can only locate DII horn switches, although I found mention of a cassette, but don't see anything like that on, for example, the RN DI/DII switch page.

Thoughts? A friend mentioned that his horns in his discos haven't worked in years, but I grew up in NJ and do like to have a horn when the need arises . . .

-Bill

 

[robertf]

is the srs light on?

the alarm uses the same horn.

 

[mdcoa]

Yes SRS light is on--thanks for clarification on my misinformation re. the alarm horn.

How does the SRS light being on affect the horn?

 

[mdcoa]

PS--I should clarify what I said in the initial post. There was no power at the horns with the ignition on and the horn button being pressed.

-bill

 

[robertf]

the clock spring/ ribbon is broke. it needs to be replaced. your cruise control buttons wont work either

 

[mdcoa]

Thanks for the diagnosis!

Is replacement pretty straightforward?

Is it dumb to buy a used one (i.e. will I end up with the same problem again in 6 mos or a year)? If I should go new, are there generic options--looks like the real deal isn't going to be cheap?

-bill

 

[mdcoa]

OK, never mind on the replacement question--I found the right sections of the RAVE and it does look pretty straightforward. (If you're looking for it in your RAVE, search for "rotary coupler").

Still interested in any opinions on whether I should take a chance with a used one or just pull out the stops and buy new.

thanks much for the help thus far!

 

[robertf]

used is fine. theres not much extra wire in there so make sure everything is centered or it will rip apart

 

[mdcoa]

OK, used one on the way--I'll center it IAW the RAVE instructions since one never knows how carefully it was removed/taped at the junkyard. . . thanks again!

 

[mdcoa]

OK, I installed the new (used) rotary coupling this afternoon--the old one was in fact totally busted (spun and spun when I checked it).

Horn now works--SRS lights still on--do I need to go to a dealer and pay an outrageous fee for a diagnosis or system reset, or is there something else I should do?

Thanks in advance!

-bill

 

[fishEH]

Pull the bulb for the SRS light.

 

[robertf]

dealer, or swap airbag ecu with a known good one with the power completely off, battery connectors shorted, etc.

there are 2 different styles. single sensor and dual sensor. somewhere around 97 they changed

 

[mdcoa]

Part number amr4905? (For a 1995)

Is it pretty sure that'll fix it? If so, it's probably cheaper to replace it than pay the dealer even for a diagnosis....

 

[robertf]

i dont know the part number, but it worked on my 95. took one out of a 96 and all was well until i broke the ribbon cable again from a failed steering shaft spline

and a .5 ohm resistor looks like an airbag if you want to put a grab handle in and keep the light off

 

[fishEH]

So what exactly does the SRS light being illuminated mean? A fault somewhere? Will the airbags not deploy if its lit up?

 

[Maximumwarp]

If it's illuminated, there's a fault somewhere. Airbag systems run on resistance in the circuit, so oftentimes when the light is illuminated, something is out of the correct resistance range (usually too much, due to corrosion on a connector). Mine was on for a little while and I ignored it, and one day I moved my seat back and forth and then it turned off, so I must have jiggled a connector somewhere into behaving itself. We see a lot of the newer GMs coming into the shop with airbag lights on, and the usual solution is just to cycle the connectors. GM uses shitty wiring components, so the slightest bit of corrosion trips the system.

As for the airbags not working...depends on the specific fault, but if the Ohm reading for a certain circuit was out of range, I would imagine that specific airbag or pretensioner would be inop. Not sure if it could affect the rest. Also, I'm not intimately familiar with our airbag systems, so something may be different. A 20 year old truck is likely running a much less sophisticated system than a new Traverse. And airbag components are usually supposed to be replaced after 10 years...technically

 

[mdcoa]

Just to follow up: I had the Disco at British 4x4 specialists in Elizabethtown for a transfer case swap and mentioned my SRS light issue to Trevor--he threw it on the diagnostic tablet, cleared the codes, and--blammo--SRS light is off, and stayed off during the 440 mile drive home.

While we're on it, I highly recommend Trevor--incredible service, fair prices, and very skilled folks working there!

-bill

 

[best4x4]

I was in a massive head on collision/rollover back in 03 in my 97 D1 air bags DID NOT deploy. I'm actually glad they didn't as I walked away with just a bruised shoulder from the seatbelt locking up vs burns to my arms/face.

The front frame was bent at almost a 90 degree angle right past the radiator core support and just in front of the power steering box. I had no SRS light faults, but like I said they didn't deploy. I once heard from a LR tech that the air bags only have a 10 year life expectancy, he said anything past that and they'll either go off or they won't.

I miss that D1, but it gave it's life for me! On my 97 RR Vitesse my friend for some silly reason unplugged the yellow airbag sensor and of coarse the SRS light was lit. I went by MotorCars LTD in Houston, TX and they wanted almost 100.00 to clear the fault. Went by a local LR Dealership and they reset it for free when I explained what had happened (friend unplugged that vs a headlight bulb....).

Air Bags are great, but several people I've known that had them go off had serious issues with burns/broken hands, or burns to the face. That's of coarse better than being dead, but a few of those air bag deployments were just from a light rearend vs a head on.