Any DIY guides on replacing the horn?

SethK

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This is awesome, exactly what I needed. I'm glad I found this thread..

Thanks everyone!
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CANMAN

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So guys after a little troubleshooting I have figured out you CAN NOT mount the horns upside down. I had similar issues as Pearl with the tone being off. Mounted the one I had on the bumper support right side up and all is well. So horns sounds great now! Encourage all to do this mod just find a place you can mount both upright.
 

CANMAN

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Here are some pictures for anyone following along who wants do the Hella's. They sound great, and plenty loud with them both upright. No changes to the wiring at all and still didn't use a relay. I mounted them one in front of the other and they fit great. To make this easy take out the small section of intercooler piping, which gives you great access to both mounting bolts. Mounted the rear horn first with the 12mm black bolt which holds the original horn bracket in place, then the second horn in the same spot as before. No rubbing or vibrations at all. Wrapped everything in wire loom to protect from the elements once I got everything mounted up. Super happy with the final product, and I am a 10th gen bumper removal pro now. See the pics below, and let me know if you have questions. Cheers!
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsgmfmzibq

Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpskalhyeva

Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsvdhvasyw
 

Pearl

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Good job! Yes, you and I with different horns, same problem and same solution. I feel I could remove the front fascia pretty quickly now if needed but I managed to break three clips the first time. If I were to do it again, I'd probably have a couple of spare parts that My2016Civic pointed out in post #39.

Good tip about sticking a screwdriver into the two slots on top of each headlight. If anyone is going to do this for the first time, I'd recommend taking your time and read up on the removal procedure first.
 

My2016Civic

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So I finally got around to doing the DIY projects on my '16 EX w/Sensing. The Fog Light Kit, the Auto Day/Night Rear View Mirror and yes FINALLY and most importantly, the Horn Upgrade.

I started out with the horn.. That dinky, wimpy, single little meep beep horn that sounded like it belonged on a moped and also brought memories of the Road Runner cartoon just HAD to go.. And so it did. Of course, it meant taking off the front bumper which in itself it’s quite the challenge, which is why I did it at the same time as the Fog Light install which required removing the bumper as well. I must prepare you and say that it is a lot of work and more difficult than it really should have been, but still, for me, it was a good bonding experience with my Civic.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1242.JPG


So, a little tidbit about the horn I chose. This particular set may not be for everyone, it's really a matter of preference, but after researching, listening to sound clips and weighing my options, I went with the Wolo Maxi Sound Model 320-2T. Primarily, I wanted to get away from the meep meep type sound of the diaphragm horn. I didn't want to have a louder version of the original horn. I wanted a louder, more mainstream horn fit for a larger car which only a horn in an acoustic housing can provide without being an air horn. I considered an air horn as well, but wanted one that could be installed without additional relays or fuses, so an electric acoustic horn was it for me. I also got it pretty cheap on eBay, $10 cheaper than retail and even cheaper than what Wolo charges on their website.

So, on to the installation! First, for step by step instructions and illustrations on how to remove the front bumper, go to the link below (Fog light install instructions) and skip to page 5, Step #13. http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/AI/AH/AII02278-08/enu/AII02278-08.pdf

I definitely recommend carefully reading through it, preparing your work area and gathering the required tools (the instructions also provide a list of required tools). Make sure you have ample time to do the work as well and take your time with it.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1310a.JPG


If you are wondering "What's with the blue masking tape?", it is to protect the paint and headlights from scratches during dis-assembly and re-assembly. It was a step in the 24 page fog light installation instructions. At first I questioned the need for the masking tape, but I am glad I went with it for several reasons. First, during bumper removal, there are clips underneath the headlights that can easily be released with a plastic pry tool or if one is not available, a flat head screw driver. Without the masking tape, this will scratch the paint. The instructions (link provided above), show the location of the clips. Be very careful as these clips break easily if you simply try to pull the bumper off without releasing them.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1312.JPG
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1313.JPG


Below is the original OEM single horn. Notice the special connector, specific to the '16 Civics (the horn upgrade kits, splitter and adapter kits sold by College Hills Honda will not fit this connector).
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1315.JPG

The size difference between the original OEM horn and the replacements. BIG difference!
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1274.JPG
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1275.JPG
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1277.JPG

Despite the size difference, the replacement horns did fit quite well in the original horn location.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1319.JPG

Like a glove!
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1323.JPG


I preferred not to cut off the original connector, so I improvised a bit, found terminals that would fit (they were a perfect fit) and created my own harness with these.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1326.JPG


I just love that heat shrink stuff for electrical wiring! :)
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1329.JPG
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1328.JPG
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1330.JPG


After all was connected, I used heat shrink wrapping around the original connector and my tap/terminal connection to hold it all together and keep it protected from the elements.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1339a.JPG
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1382.JPG


And finally, the new horn. Here are the before and after sound/vid clips.



I hope some of the information and pictures above help. Good luck everyone!

Disclaimer: If you are not good with DIY projects, working with tools, etc this may not be the project for you. It is very time consuming and you have to be really patient, careful and meticulous or there is a chance that you may damage clips, scratch your bumper cover, etc.
 
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leftword

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This is amazing My2016Civic! I loved your method with the terminals/connectors. Could you go into a little more detail about how you figured it out and what parts you used specifically?
 

My2016Civic

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This is amazing My2016Civic! I loved your method with the terminals/connectors. Could you go into a little more detail about how you figured it out and what parts you used specifically?
Thanks.. Certainly.. I'll give as much detail as I can, but I do not have any exact part numbers, sizes or gauges for the terminals since they came from an old open kit with no labels. I did try two sizes of the fork terminals (since the kit had several sizes) and found the perfect fit on the second try.

So, I wanted to leave the connector on the vehicle harness intact and my plan was to use the connector on the original horn (white) by removing it from the horn and tapping wires to that for the new horns, and plug into the vehicle harness as originally intended. Unfortunately, that turned out to be impossible without totally obliterating the horn, the connector and/or my hands. Not worth it, so I got creative. In looking at the connector on the harness and on the horn, I noticed it was just a simple two-prong connector (white). Nothing special. One for negative, one for positive.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1323a


So I looked around to see if I had anything that would fit and this is what I came up with. Two fork terminals, one for each side.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1323b


I planned on cutting off one the prongs from each (the outer prongs), but after taking a closer look, I noticed a groove on each side of the vehicle connector (black) and the outer prong of each of the fork terminals fit just perfectly, making a snug fit. So the inner prongs made the electrical connection, the outer prongs fit into the groves to keep them securely attached.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1326.JPG
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1324.JPG


I also happened to have a pair of Piggiback M&F terminals, and used those to make the bridge between one horn and the other.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1328

Connection: Fork end to the black vehicle terminal. Piggyback M&F end to horn #1
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1327.JPG

Below is the connector from Vehicle Harness to Horn #1 and the two-wire jumper that connects one horn to the other (long)
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1329.JPG

Once you've got the Fork end terminals to the black vehicle terminal and the Piggyback M&F end to horn #1, you can then connect one end of the long wires into the piggyback M&F terminal and the other end to horn #2
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1330.JPG


Here is a picture with it all connected, just testing before making the connection to the car harness more permanent with electrical heat-shrink wrap (much better than electrical tape, but you may use that instead).
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_1332.JPG


So then to finalize it all, I positioned the harness and wires so that there was no pull on the connectors and they would not come loose from vibration, etc and did the heat shrink-wrap around the terminals and connectors.

DONE! No more Meep Beep!! :)
 

leftword

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This is amazing! Thank you so much! I'm gonna dive in. I'll keep you all posted as to how it goes.
 

neilm68

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Thanks.. Certainly.. I'll give as much detail as I can, but I do not have any exact part numbers, sizes or gauges for the terminals since they came from an old open kit with no labels. I did try two sizes of the fork terminals (since the kit had several sizes) and found the perfect fit on the second try.

So, I wanted to leave the connector on the vehicle harness intact and my plan was to use the connector on the original horn (white) by removing it from the horn and tapping wires to that for the new horns, and plug into the vehicle harness as originally intended. Unfortunately, that turned out to be impossible without totally obliterating the horn, the connector and/or my hands. Not worth it, so I got creative. In looking at the connector on the harness and on the horn, I noticed it was just a simple two-prong connector (white). Nothing special. One for negative, one for positive.
IMG_1323a.jpg


So I looked around to see if I had anything that would fit and this is what I came up with. Two fork terminals, one for each side.
IMG_1323b.jpg


I planned on cutting off one the prongs from each (the outer prongs), but after taking a closer look, I noticed a groove on each side of the vehicle connector (black) and the outer prong of each of the fork terminals fit just perfectly, making a snug fit. So the inner prongs made the electrical connection, the outer prongs fit into the groves to keep them securely attached.
IMG_1326.JPG
IMG_1324.JPG


I also happened to have a pair of Piggiback M&F terminals, and used those to make the bridge between one horn and the other.
IMG_1328.jpg

Connection: Fork end to the black vehicle terminal. Piggyback M&F end to horn #1
IMG_1327.JPG

Below is the connector from Vehicle Harness to Horn #1 and the two-wire jumper that connects one horn to the other (long)
IMG_1329.JPG

Once you've got the Fork end terminals to the black vehicle terminal and the Piggyback M&F end to horn #1, you can then connect one end of the long wires into the piggyback M&F terminal and the other end to horn #2
IMG_1330.JPG


Here is a picture with it all connected, just testing before making the connection to the car harness more permanent with electrical heat-shrink wrap (much better than electrical tape, but you may use that instead).
IMG_1332.JPG


So then to finalize it all, I positioned the harness and wires so that there was no pull on the connectors and they would not come loose from vibration, etc and did the heat shrink-wrap around the terminals and connectors.

DONE! No more Meep Beep!! :)

Well done, My2016Civic. Do you foresee space issues with either the fog lights or turbo piping? I'm looking to deploy your solution (including the same model horns as, like you, I prefer a more "trumpet-y" sound versus just a two-tone "meep-meep") in a Touring which has both the fog lights and the turbo engine. Your insight is appreciated!
 


My2016Civic

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Well done, My2016Civic. Do you foresee space issues with either the fog lights or turbo piping? I'm looking to deploy your solution (including the same model horns as, like you, I prefer a more "trumpet-y" sound versus just a two-tone "meep-meep") in a Touring which has both the fog lights and the turbo engine. Your insight is appreciated!
Thanks. There is definitely no issue with the fog lights at all, the horn location is just to the right of the passenger side fog lights (looking at it from the front).

Mine is a non-Turbo EX w/Sensing, but judging from the pictures in prior posts from @CANMAN and @Pearl the Turbo tube does run right below area that the horns would be, taking away some space so compared to a non-turbo, so it is a tight fit.

Still, it looks like they'll fit and if not, not to worry, there are plenty of other places you can mount the horns, you'll just need longer wiring. Just be sure they are mounted vertically as they don't seem to work well otherwise from what I've read.
 
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Pearl

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Good job on yours My2016Civic. Yes, mine is turbo and the intercooler shows up in some photos. No problem working around it though but that was after a little beer drinking and sitting in front of my car placing the horns this way and that until it seemed right. I just want to reiterate to everyone doing this and figuring their own way: your front bumper cover will be off, of course so remember when trying out different configurations, that the cover has to go back on the fog light assembly takes a little space. It's easy to forget.
 

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Thanks to all of you that upgraded your horn & your very helpful posts! From day 1, changing out the horn was high on my list. I'm also thinking about installing the factory foglights, so I would probably do both at once. I'll have the guy who did my Morimoto HID install do both jobs, as he has the space to do this and I don't (townhouse, no garage unfortunately).

For the horns, my first choice was to go with Hella Supertones, which I've had in my other cars. If you've ever lived somewhere like NYC or SF, it's a must for warning dazed & confused pedestrians completely ignoring traffic signals & just running out in the street right in front of you. Anyway, we were cleaning out our storage last weekend & I found a box of assorted car parts from years of upgrading my other cars. Lo & behold, I found a brand-new pair of Bosch horns & relay that I had never used - I think I bought them because the vendor I was ordering from ran out of Supertones & recommended the Bosch equivalent. Thinking about placement now, as I like how the Subaru folks mount theirs but the Civic doesn't have that center-mounting area. I'll upload my update here when I get done.
 

Gavnzdad

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I remember going through the trouble of changing out the horns on my CR-V. I put 2 very loud horns in place of the stocks. I might've used them 2-3 times. Just sayin'.
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