Oldsmobile/Buick: 1985 Oldsmobile Delta 88 -- horn problem, oldsmobile delta 88, oldsmobile delta 88 royale brougham

Question
I own a 1985 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham. For the past few weeks the horn has gone off for no reason (i.e., without me depressing any of the horn pads on the steeling wheel), and the horn will not stop blasting. The problem usually occurs when I brush or pull on the steering wheel. I have found that driving and warming up the car temporarily addresses the issue; however, this is no longer a proper solution. This morning sometime before 5 a.m., the horn (the car was locked) went off on its own as I and my neighbors were trying to sleep. I was awakened at 5 a.m. by a neighbor wanting me stop the horn's blasting. I had to drive my car away to end the nuisance. I have the owner's manual which says squat about anything concerning the horn. What are the possible explanations of and solutions (incl. temporary ones) for this problem? Can I have the horn disconnected? Do I need a mechanic to disconnect the horn? Is there a fuse to remove it (the manual is silent about a fuse for the horn & nothing in the fuse box identifies "horn")? If so, what is the location of the specific fuse? For a long term solution, what are reasonable prices to pay for (replacement) parts and labor?

Answer
Frank,

Your situation really sounds like a nuisance (for all parties involved). Without me physically diagnosing the vehicle, its hard to say. I would start with loose wire connections in the steering wheel/column etc. I imagine that there is not an aftermarket alarm system installed.

Your best bet would be to take the car to an ASE Certified mechanic and have him/her diagnose the problem. Typical shop time is around $75 an hour to diagnose the problem. Its doubtful that a problem such as this would warrant a costly repair bill. I really do not know off hand which fuse would disable the horn. A Haynes manual would surely illustrate a fuse diagram. When all else fails, carefully go down the process of elimination removing each fuse and beeping the horn until you find the correct fuse. This may in turn disable your dashlights etc. So exercise a bit of caution.

Frank, if you have any more questions please feel free to ask. Don't forget to rate my response to you.

Cheers,

Ed McKenna