Motorcycle Horn Not Working? (Try 6 Easy Fixes!)
It’s unsafe to ride a motorcycle with a failed horn. Riding through city streets or group rides becomes difficult because a non-functioning horn can put you and others at risk.
Is your motorcycle horn not working, or does it sound very weak? Don’t worry; it’s a common issue that every motorcyclist encounters sometimes. I have faced the issue with my Royal Enfiled, but I fixed it in under five minutes.
In this guide, I’ll explain why a motorcycle horn stops working and how you can fix it. So, read this guide carefully.
Table of Contents
Why Is My Motorcycle Horn Not Working?
Your motorcycle horn is not working because of a blown fuse, broken wiring, faulty horn switch, defective horn relay, bad grounding, or low battery voltage.
Though motorcycle horns don’t die suddenly, they go bad slowly. You’ll notice a weak horn sound, which goes non-functional after a few days.
So, once your motorcycle horn stops working, you should discover the causes. After finding the cause of non-functional horns, it becomes easy to fix them.
Here are some common causes of non-functional motorcycle horns with quick solutions-
1. Blown Fuse
The fuse is a safety device that protects the electrical circuit from overcurrent. Motorcycle manufacturers provide a separate fuse for the horn and headlight to prevent damage due to overcurrent.
If your motorcycle horn isn’t working, it may be due to a blown fuse. The fuse melts due to overcurrent flow or short circuit and protects the horn from damage.
Similar Guide: Why Do Motorcycle Fuses Blow
Inspection
There could be several reasons for a non-functional motorcycle horn, but first, we inspect the fuse.
A fuse box is located underneath the seat or beside the battery. So, locate your fuse box and inspect the horn fuse.
If you don’t know which fuse is used for the horn, inspect all fuses individually and replace the melted one.
Generally, the horn fuse has a 5A rating, but it may go up to 15A depending on the size of the horn.
I advise you to refer to your motorcycle owner’s manual to know the horn amperage rating of your motorcycle.
Solutions
If you find that any fuse is blown in the box, you must have to replace that fuse with the same amperage rating. Generally, the manufacturers provide several spare fuses in the fuse box.
Note: Always replace the fuse with the same amperage rating. A lower amperage-rated fuse will melt immediately, and a higher amperage will burn the circuit and damage your horn.
2. Broken Wire
A rodent in your garage may find a house inside your motorcycle and cut the wires. I faced this issue when I stored my motorcycle for over a month.
If there is a broken wire, your motorcycle horn will not receive power from the battery and stop working.
Inspection
It requires skill and experience to inspect the wiring of a motorcycle because all electrical accessories take power from the battery. So, you’ll see a bunch of wires underneath your motorcycle gas tank.
But don’t worry, I’ll teach you the easiest method to inspect the broken wire. You need a multimeter for inspection.
Unplug the two wires connected to your motorcycle horn, set the multimeter knob to 20V DC, and connect the red lead of the multimeter to the positive horn wire and black to any metal part of your motorcycle.
Your multimeter should give readings between 12V and 13V. No multimeter reading indicates the breakage in the circuit, and you have to inspect further.
Solutions
If you find any broken wire on your motorcycle, please connect and tape it. Now, turn on the ignition key and press the horn switch.
If the horn works, it means the problem was in the wire, and you should replace that broken wire.
3. Faulty Horn Switch
If there is rust formation and dust accumulation on the horn switch, it won’t let the current pass to your horn.
It’s a common problem that is often noticed on pre-oned motorcycles. Sometimes, broken springs will also create problems.
Inspection
So, how do you confirm if the problem is due to a faulty horn switch?
Try pressing the horn switch. It should shift smoothly without much effort. If you face difficulty pressing the switch, it indicates your horn switch has gone bad.
To inspect this, you must open the switch cover with a screwdriver and look for spring breakage, rust formation, and dust accumulation.
Solutions
If you notice any dust accumulation or rust formation around the switch contacts, please clean it with petrol or rust remover spray.
Clean the dust buildup with a toothbrush and wipe with a dry cotton cloth. If rust is around the metal contacts, I advise you to clean it with sandpaper or a wire brush.
After cleaning the metal contacts, assemble your switch and press the button to hear the horn sound.
4. Dead Horn Relay
Some motorcycle manufacturers use horn relays to protect the circuit from damage. Your motorcycle has a horn relay; you must inspect and ensure that the relay is in good condition.
Inspection
Read your motorcycle owner’s manual and see if your motorcycle has a horn relay. If it has a relay for the horn, check its socket location.
Turn off the ignition key and remove the relay from the socket. Now, insert another relay in that socket and press the button to check if the horn is working.
If the horn is working with a different relay, it means the problem lies in your relay only.
Solutions
If you diagnose a faulty relay on your motorcycle, please replace it immediately. There is no other solution than replacing the faulty horn relay.
5. Bad Grounding
The negative terminal of the battery is grounded on the metal body. Loose connections or corrosion on the grounding area will create problems in electron flow, affecting the motorcycle’s electrical accessories’ function, including the horn.
This could be another reason why your motorcycle horn is not working. So, you need to ensure no loose connection on the grounding wire.
Inspection
Generally, the battery’s negative terminal is grounded on the motorcycle’s frame. Follow the black wire connected to the battery to spot the grounding place.
Now, check if there is carbon or rust buildup at the place of grounding and clean it with rust remover spray and steel wool.
Solutions
Clean the metal paint and rust buildup where the negative terminal is grounded. After cleaning it, tighten the nut to ensure no loose connection.
Now, press the button and check the horn sound. If it’s loud and clear, it means your problem is solved.
6. Weak Battery
Your motorcycle horn and other electrical accessories take power from the battery. If you’ve noticed a weak horn sound in the past few days, it indicates low battery voltage.
If the battery is drained, the horn will not make a sound, or you may hear a breaking sound. Below, I have explained how to inspect if the problem is due to a weak battery, not a horn.
Inspection
Electrical accessories like headlights and dashboard lights will also face problems when the battery is drained.
So, turn on the ignition key and check the headlight. If the headlight is dimming, then the battery is the culprit.
You’ll also face problems starting your motorcycle when the battery is weak.
Another way is to test the battery voltage with a multimeter. A healthy battery will give multimeter readings between 12 and 13 volts.
Solutions
If your motorcycle battery has died, there is no other solution than replacing it. Buy a replacement battery of the same dimension and ampere-hour (Ah) rating and replace it yourself.
Also Read: 6 Symptoms Of Bad Motorcycle Battery
Why Is My Bike Horn Not Working After Rain?
If rainwater enters the motorcycle horn, it won’t let vibrate the diaphragm, and your horn doesn’t work. To fix this, let the water evaporate or drain the water by losing some screws and press and hold the horn button for a few minutes.
Why Is My Motorcycle Horn Sounds Weak?
A weak battery, corroded terminals, and loose wire connections cause a weak horn sound. So, diagnose and fix the problem to get a louder horn sound. Sometimes, a loose lock nut also creates a feeble sound from the horn.
Why Is My Motorcycle Horn Just Clicks?
A lock nut beside the motorcycle horn controls the loudness of sound. Over time, that nut loosens due to vibrations, so your horn only clicks when you press the button.
Tighten that nut to fix the clicky horn and adjust it until your desired sound loudness is achieved.
Other reasons, like a weak battery, will also cause a clicky horn. In that case, battery replacement is the only solution.
Conclusion
I have provided all possible solutions to fix a non-functioning motorcycle horn. Generally, tightening the wire connection and cleaning the rust buildup fixes the issue.
I hope your motorcycle horn is now working. If not, there is a high chance of coil burn, and you must replace the horn.
Share your valuable feedback in the comment box. It keeps me motivated to publish more motorcycle repair guides for you.
