Considering Enrolling in an Auto Mechanic Training Program? 4 Things to Know About Car Horns
Car horns are very important safety features. In fact, every vehicle in Canada is legally required to have a working horn. Horns can be used to prevent accidents, warn other drivers of a dangerous situation, and more. Therefore, it’s extremely important that every car has a working horn, and auto mechanics need to know how to properly diagnose and fix a malfunctioning horn.
If you’re interested in enrolling in automotive school, read on to learn four things about car horns.
1. Students in Auto Mechanic Training Programs Might Know Horns Have Several Components
While car horns have advanced slightly from their primitive beginnings, they are a relatively simple part of the car. The process begins when the driver presses the horn button. That pressure sends an electrical signal through wires to a magnet. The magnet turns off and on, quickly and rapidly sending vibrations to a thin piece of metal that bends back and forth as a result of the movement. The bending metal causes the air to move, which then vibrates into the actual horn, resulting in the honking noise. There are two general components to the system: the physical horn and electrical configuration. Typically when the horn is malfunctioning, it is the result of a problem with one of these two components.
2. Automotive Maintenance Technicians Know Water Intrusions Can Cause Horn Malfunctions
One of the main reasons why a horn may stop working is if water has gotten into the horn unit. Because of its location near the front of a vehicle’s grilles, it’s easy for water to sneak into the horn and start causing problems. As graduates of an auto mechanic training program may know, rust and corrosion from intruding water can dampen a horn’s sound.
In order to fix this problem, you will need to remove the actual horn from the vehicle. Use compressed air to dry it out, and then lubricate the inside of the horn. If the horn is too far gone, it may need to be replaced.
3. Automotive Maintenance Technicians Know How to Tell if the Horn Is Broken
Once you become an automotive maintenance technician and start working in a shop, you will need to be able to tell if a horn problem is the result of the electrical component malfunctioning or because of the horn itself. To tell if the problem is with the horn, you need to look for an indication that the electrical system is working correctly. To start, try honking the horn. If you can hear a faint clicking noise, but no honk, the horn itself is broken. You can also use a test light to check if there is an electrical current. If the test light shows the electrical current is running, you know the horn is your problem.
4. Automotive Maintenance Technicians Know How to Tell if it’s an Electrical Problem
On the other hand, how do you tell if the problem is electrical? There are many different ways you can check the electrical functioning of a horn. For example, you could use a test light to check for voltage and make sure the electricity is working. Another way you can check a car horn’s electrical component is to take a look under the hood at the fuse box to make sure that the fuse is functioning correctly. You can also use the trick mentioned previously, except that if you don’t hear a clicking noise when you press down on the horn, it means there’s something wrong with the electrical components. These are just some of the many ways you can check to see if a horn’s electrical system is working correctly.
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