Car Horn Repair Cost

A horn is a sound device used to warn pedestrians or drivers of other vehicles that you are approaching. It is mandatory by law that any vehicle, regardless of its type, be it a car, truck, ship, or train, be equipped with such a device. Also, the horn is mandatory on bicycles as well.

During the lifetime of a vehicle, the horn may fail and this is due to one of the few reasons such as electrical system problems, bad wiring connections, a burnt-out fuse, or a simple problem with the switch. In any of these situations, you will have to fix the problem and repair the car horn.

How Much Does Car Horn Repair Cost?

Depending on the cause of the problem, the costs for repairing the car horn may be really low. In case you will take the car to a car shop, the cost will be greatly influenced by the mechanic you hire and the problem he may find. For example, you can purchase a car horn from a retailer for only around $15 and if you will need a professional to help you with all this repairing process, then this should not take more than one hour of your time.

If you choose to buy and replace the car horn yourself, you will spend anywhere between $15 and $55. On the other hand, if you choose to go to a professional mechanic then you should budget anywhere from $50 to more than $120, depending on the complexity of the problem that has to be fixed and the make and model of your car. It is important to mention that this estimate is for a simple malfunctioning car horn.

You might also like our articles about the cost of car wiring harness replacement, fuse box replacement, or car battery terminal replacement.

According to a member of the 2carpros.com forum, the repair cost of a car horn for the Lincoln Mark VIII model 1997 was around $125, including the parts and labor costs.

Most of the people said that they had to pay anywhere between $85 and $190 for a car horn repair.

Details on repairing the horn

Assembling the horn is a simple operation that can be performed by you in a few steps, provided there are no other “complications” and it is necessary to remove the steering wheel airbag because in this case, you should consult a professional. First of all, you need to identify the horn problem. Then you need to identify the type of horn you have, whether it is a snail or compressed air or any other type of horn. If the horn is fitted with several bugles, the problem may be with a single bugle and then you should identify it by pressing it.

The bugle or bugles are usually located behind the radiator. The horn should look like a multi-threaded fuse. Push down on the lower end of the connector and pull out the wiring. Remove the retaining screw and guide screw lugs that are attached to the harness. Clean the components and then attach them again and blow the horn to see if the problem has been resolved. If the situation still does not resolve, consult the manual of your car and identify its fuse. Remove the fuse with tweezers. If it is defective or its tape is broken, replace the fuse with a new one. You can buy it from a car store. If there are no safety issues, then it’s time to buy a new horn for your car model or a universal horn.

What are the extra costs?

When a car horn fails, in general, other parts of the car shouldn’t be affected. Though, depending on the complexity of the problem there may be other costs involved. For example, if the wiring has to be replaced because it is damaged then this can be considered an extra cost. The costs could be increased by an even deeper problem of the vehicle’s electrical system.

Important things to consider

You will not be able to pass a local state inspection with your car if the horn doesn’t work.

Make sure the horn you want to buy is legal in your area as there are some aftermarket car horns that are banned.

How can I save money?

Try to find the source of the problem yourself before taking your car to a dealership or a mechanic. This way you will be able to save around $100 per hour because this is how much most of the mechanics are charging for their services.

It is not a complicated job to install a car horn and you can do it yourself in around an hour. There are many online tutorials and guides that teach you how to do it.

Another way to save money is by getting a used one from a car that has been totaled in an accident. If you are lucky enough you may find one at a local junkyard for only a few dollars.