How To : Replace OEM Horn

[Action Jackson]

Everyone knows the stock horns sucks. I decided to do something about it and bought a replacement one.

The first thing to do is to remove the grill and a good place to check out is:

http://www.smokinmhz.net/mazda/grill

I'll just give some modified tips to speed up the removal.

The biggest stumbling block was the vertical tabs that are beside the two screws on the widest part under the green box here:

[Action Jackson]

Under the yellow box above you can use a pry bar to pull out the tabs horizontally out.

Here's a pic of what those tabs look like and the pry bar. I also used the pry bar to carefully vertically lift the side's up in the green box above.

[Action Jackson]

This is what those tabs look like in the green box 2 pics up:

[Action Jackson]

And the top view of the car's attachment point in the green box.

[Action Jackson]

From the website http://www.smokinmhz.net/mazda/grill , the author uses some long needlenosed pliers to squeeze and loosen some clips that are behind the grill.

Instead you can use a screwdriver with an extension, then cup the end of it onto those tabs and just push horizontally out towards the front of the car to pop off those tabs.

[Action Jackson]

There are 3 lower retention tabs along the bottom of the front grill.

I would suggest that you probably don't want to access them from the front [through the grill] as I broke 2 of the 3 tabs!

Here's what they look like on the grill from behind:

[Action Jackson]

and here's what they look like if they're busted.

Take a note on the words "retention clips" and how the lower part of the rear grill is extended rearwards.

[Action Jackson]

Here's a pic of the receiving tabs on the lower part of the car that take the 3 lower grill clips:

[Action Jackson]

Time to remove the grill. A picture says it all:

[Action Jackson]

The back of the grill:

[Action Jackson]

There are 2 long tabs that you'll be pulling against to remove the grill but it takes a little muscle.

They are located closer to the rear sides of the grill.

Here's what they look like:

[Action Jackson]

The other end:

[Action Jackson]

and....

[Action Jackson]

My replacement horn came with nice instructions on how to hookup. I disconnected the NEG- terminal on my battery.

At this point one of my wires from my ground wire kit came loose from the end terminal. Suffice to say that it took about an hour for me to try to reattach it.

Pull out the power connector off the stock horn and here's what you got:

[Action Jackson]

Since the OEM horn hookup didn't fit my new horn, I removed the adapter using a small slotted screwdriver.

I inserted it on the end with the wire and pushed in a bit, then pulled out the adapter to get this:

[Action Jackson]

Remember those "lower grill extensions" I mentioned?

Here's my new horn with it's supplied bracket that I bent to try to install it in the original OEM horn location. As you can see there's no way I can reattach the grill here.

I wanted the opening of the horn to face downwards at first but the tightness of the power wire prevented me from doing so.

The power wire originated from behind the top of the chassis in a loom bundle. A very tight bundle.

[Action Jackson]

Now what. Where do I install that huge horn?

I decided to use one of the bracket screws holding the radiator.

I had to rebend the supplied horn bracket to fit this in.

[Action Jackson]

And a side view of the finished assembly.

Notice how tight the power wire is pulled.

You can see that there's plenty of clearance from the radiator.

[Action Jackson]

There you have it. Hopefully this will help someone with a grill removal and/or a horn replacement.

It should take less than 30 minutes to do the total job IF there are no complicatons.

The horn isn't quite the "Big Rig" sound as advertised on the packaging but IMHO it's better than OEM.

If anyone asks, the pictures are taken with a Canon A70 on highest res. on automatic mode. Cropped and resized with ACDSee, then captions added with Photoshop.

[ALS-protege]

Great Instructions...And Great Pictures which always Help!.

Props to ya!

[Sky_high]

Great timing!!!! I am going to install my horns on today...I never thought of putting the horn back there.

[seadooguy]

Excellent detailed instructions. These will definitely help my installation big time. The trickiest part of any installation inside or outside of our cars is knowing(finding) where the plastic clips or tabs are. I've broken a few trying to get my gauge cluster plastic plate, fog light dummy switches and a couple others I'm sure.

Anyways, I just have to find a horn that I like now...

Thanks Action!!!

Rich

[Mike_Moss]

Too much photo...need audio.

[Logan]

little car


BIG SOUND

[Naveed74]

Nice Job!  Thanks for taking the time to do it up!

[Action Jackson]

Thanks everyone. http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/inlove.gif

Here's the product homepage:
http://www.fiammamerica.com/CatalogDetail.asp?ProductID=156

and a link to what it sounds like on the product homepage:
http://www.fiammamerica.com/media/productsounds/79885032172112.wav

Note, it's just a soundclip, not how loud it is.

[1JACEK]

cool, i'll be upgrading to some Hella airhorns baby! http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif My days of booming stereos is dwindling (I appreciate lighter weight in the cars these days), but I still want to be heard!

hahaha, i can almost imagine the sound of a Dodge Ram and the modest look for Protege. It's gotta have all those "left lane snoozers" take double looks! http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Myk]

Sweet! I hate those vibrating disc horns. I switched mine out with one of those from my Bro's Cutlas. A few weeks back I installed a pair of those red blasters from CT. No room behind the grill so I put them inside the engine bay...I love them!

http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortm....3578820 (http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442457759&FOLDER%3C%3EbrowsePath=2534374303517494&FOLDER%3C%3EbrowsePath=2534374303517541&FOLDER%3C%3EbrowsePath=1408474396669587&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396669587&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474396670271&bmUID=1121953578820)

[Mike_Moss]

Holy FIZZ, Myk!

[Scooter]

* moved to how-to *

This reminds me that I still want to do this.

[Jon2000]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Scooter @ July 21 2005,11:43)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">* moved to how-to *

This reminds me that I still want to do this.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Me too. Gotta find a better horn than the stock p*ssy horn! http://ib2.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I just take the whole bumper off though ..I can do it in about 10mins - 15mins on my 2000.


Jon

[Shawn]

I got these installed in my car. They fit behind the grill on custom brackets. (Bent flat steel) http://ib2.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Only thing bad is the relay only lasted 4 months.

My Horns (http://www.rallylights.com/hella/hella%20images/85115.jpg)

Shawn

[red-i]

this thread makes me horny

[raghtal]

Time for mo' fizzzz.

I'm looking to take out my stock grille sometime soon. I ask those who have dared to go before me in to the world of crowbars, leverage and bending resin/plastic parts to comment on the instructions above and provide any up-to-date technique guidance (especially since I don't want to break any tabs, etc.)

Muchos gracias.

[Perma]

The instrunctions posted are spot-on. However perhaps the crowbar was a bit much. You can use a screwdriver or pen. Anything that won't snap with preasure.

[raghtal]

Thanks. I am damn glad the tabs in the yellow box can be pulled/pryed outwards. At first glance, it looked like you had to pull the grille downwards to release it, and you could only do that if you removed the whole front bumper.

[raghtal]

Myk, you put these on your car?

http://images.canadiantire.ca/media/images/products/images/Automotive/LightingElectrical/Horns/0202005_450_CC_18891.jpg

Did you install both, or just one. Where did you locate them inside the engine bay?

[Scooter]

he did both. I saw them through his front grill at the Rookie Meet and wondered why he had two horns. That explains it.

[Myk]

Actually I had those, and they died. Stopped working, actually sounded like a dying animal. They did have a nice deep tone, but I guess the quality isn't there.

I have these from the TOSubaru Group Buy...

Hella Super Tone
http://www.importequipment.com/pics/Toyota%20Matrix/matrix%20vvtli%20inside%20sticker%201.jpg

Very loud, but still a vibrating disk, so the tone is kinda high pitched.