A friend and I are trying to troubleshoot some ground issues.

We replaced the ignition key switch/tumbler as the original was not returning to 'run' from 'start' smoothly.

While we had the steering wheel off noticed it was cracked through to the hub so ordered a new Grant for it.

Today we fooled with it for hours trying to get the horn to work consistently... to no avail.

we also noted a buzzing when drivers door was open, but it seemed to be coming from the horn relay.... buzzed with no key in the tumbler

then came the question of HOW the 'key minder' feature works...

a lot of scattered questions, got a good schematic coming since I cannot read the ones online...

any insight would be appreciated...

 

The key warning buzzer is built into the horn relay, which is why the noise came from there. If you remove the steering wheel, lock plate, and turn signal switch, you'll see the plastic switch for the key buzzer at about the 1 o'clock position on the column. The contacts press against the lock cylinder and are opened when the key is installed.

As for the horn contact, you don't have a factory setup if you're using an aftermarket wheel, so we need photos to know what you're doing.

 

have already taken the lock plate out and cleaned up the turn signal canceling assembly - good contacts being made.

will take apart again to verify the 'key minder' as it was coming on without a key in ignition.

When we did get the horn to work - it would honk once - then nothing, never seen a flakey ground like that.... but the horn relay is original and has an aftermarket feed from the power post on the relay. It looks like it may go to the convertible top switch that replaced the original..

looks like some of wires to horn relay got a little hot at some point, so wondering if the relay is flakey

The horn ground pigtail from Grant is wired into the stock feed on the in the column...

(same set up on my el camino)

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Sounds like you might have bent one of the contact tabs on the key sensor switch. Personally anytime I have the steering column apart, I pull that switch and throw it as far as I can.

I assume you have the horn contact wire retained down in the tube on the cancel cam, with the wire eyelet in first, then the spring, then the plastic retainer ring? If the relay is fried, that could be your problem.

 

Thank you so much Joe, you may have cleared up the problem... my bad, the order of eyelet, spring and retainer...

I can fix that without removing the lock ring and turn signal assy, but I might go in and remove the key sensor - any chance you have a picture of it or is it that obvious?

thanks again

 

Note that you can also just pull the key buzzer wire off the horn relay.

 

what color is the keyminder lead at the horn relay under the hood?