horn doesn't work

[gstam4]

in addition to other problems with my 2001 gz250 w/ 23k miles, which i bought a couple months ago, i discovered a while back the horn doesn't work. i took it to the shop i bought it from, and they tested it by hooking up a working horn to my wiring; that horn also didn't work. the fuses seem to be fine (since the relevant lights are working). anyone know what else it could be? do i need to re-wire or something?

thanks!

[Tarzan]

It could be a relay. I haven't looked at a schematic. But that is where I would start. Find the relay and see if you have power to it.

[Water Warrior 2]

Try some contact cleaner in all the buttons and switches.

[alantf]

No relay. Looks like fuse #4 goes to the horn, then to the horn button, to earth. If it's not the fuse or the horn itself, then it's either the button or the wiring.

[gstam4]

so, i don't really know what wires go where without taking things apart, but any chance this could be my problem:

[raul10141964]

they go to the side-stand switch

[gstam4]

Originally Posted by raul10141964

they go to the side-stand switch

ah, thanks. I did notice that the bike will run with the stand down, which I thought I read it shouldn't.

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by gstam4

ah, thanks. I did notice that the bike will run with the stand down, which I thought I read it shouldn't.

The bike will normally run in neutral with the stand down but not in gear.

[5th_bike]

When you take the tank off (really easy, two little hoses at the petcock, and two 10 mm bolts under the seat) you can access just about all wiring that goes to the horn. But you may not need to take the tank off.

If the fuse is good, it's probably the switch. FWIW the horn is always at +12V when the engine is running - the horn switch is between the horn and ground (0V). And the two-tone color (yellow/green) wire at the horn is the one coming from the battery, the black one goes to the switch.

So with a multimeter you can a) test the switch by taking the black wire off the horn, and see if it makes contact with 0V (=connector of the big black wire at the battery, or mass) when you push the switch b) see if the horn is at 12V when the ignition is ON.