Description & Operation

WARNING: Vehicles are equipped with air bag supplemental restraint system. Before attempting ANY repairs involving steering column, instrument panel or related components, see SERVICE PRECAUTIONS and DISABLING & ACTIVATING AIR BAG SYSTEM in appropriate AIR BAG RESTRAINT SYSTEMS article.

All models are equipped with tilt columns, and are column shift or floor shift. Column shift and floor shift columns are basically the same except for shift lever and related components. Multifunction switch on left side of column controls turn signals, headlight dimmer, headlight flash-to-pass, wiper/washer and cruise control functions (if equipped).

Horn system consists of HORN fuse, horn relay, horn slip ring, horn switch (horn switch is part of the inflatable restraint steering wheel module). Horn assembly and Body Control Module (BCM). Vehicle horn system is activated under the following conditions:

Horn switch is depressed.
On vehicles equipped with content theft deterrent, BCM may command horns on.

BCM commands horns on under the following conditions:

When content theft deterrent system detects a vehicle intrusion.
When the panic button is depressed on the remote control door lock transmitter
When the keyless entry system is used to lock vehicle, a horn chirp may sound to notify the driver that vehicle has been locked. Notification feature may be enabled or disabled through personalization. See appropriate REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY article.

Battery positive voltage is applied at all times to horn relay coil and horn relay switch. Pressing horn switch applies ground to horn relay control circuit. BCM may also apply ground to horn relay control circuit as described above. When horn relay control circuit is grounded, horn relay is energized and battery positive voltage is applied to horns through horn control circuit. Horns sound as long as ground is applied to the horn relay control circuit.