Photoblog repair with tech questions

Hey, Squad51, did the new squibs solve your continuous horn problem? I have a 2010 Prius so your solution may not apply, but I'm really stuck. Same situation: salvage car, except this is my first and I didn't know what I was getting into! But I've fought thru everything, and my check engine light is now off, and I'm down to 1) resetting the airbag ECU since I replaced the knee airbag, and 2) the stupid horn blaring continuously, preventing me from getting a safety check completed (ie, I can't just disconnect the horn, which is what I'd like to do by now!). I took out the horn relay, which in 2010 is part of an "integrated relay" so it's not just the horn. Without the relay, the horn is silent. With the relay back in, it blares continuously. I replaced the clockspring, but it was a cheap ebay knockoff (students can't buy toyota standard parts at 10x the cost), so I was interested that your clockspring replacement also didn't work apparently. I just CAN'T figure out where the horn is picking up 12v when the car is OFF. On READY, the horn taps out a quiet meep-meep-meep like it's getting a little voltage.

Does it really work to just buy new clockspring connectors off ebay and use the old clockspring? My yellow wires on the original clockspring were burned to a brown color. Also..how did you reset your airbag ECU?

Any ideas/suggestions/prayers you can offer?
Thanks!

 

Have you checked the steering wheel or the clockspring cable? The switch might be stuck or the cable damaged.

 

Sorry, I've edited my post twice now to provide more info, you may have seen the earlier version. I tested the horn switch with an ohm meter and it seems to work properly. I replaced the clockspring, but it was with a $20 China version rather than the $250 Toyota one, so I just don't know if that solved anything. The old clockspring had the yellow wires burned brownish; I didn't notice if the connectors were melted. I saved the old clockspring tho, and Squad51 seemed to indicate that JUST changing the connectors/yellow wires might work. Do you agree?

 

It is worth a try.

 

I had similar problems with a clockspring that eBay said was compatible but it wasn't. It fit fine but the wiring was wrong. Try this site with your VIN and make sure you got the right part number. The good news is the vendor exchanged it for free and it's been working fine for years.