2016 R1200 RT - horn shorts out?

[RANBUSH]

Another discovery on the new-to-me 2016 R1200 RT. Yesterday a driver runs a red light in front of me (very common in the San Fran Bay area these days) and I give her a loud blast on the horn, and the horn dies after about three seconds. Didn't work again until I turned the motor off and back on again.

The horn doesn't short out if I just beep-beep-beep but a long beeeeeeeep kills it. I'm assuming it's the horn relay, but the schematic in the Haynes manual doesn't show the horn relay, and the text section about the horn just shows removal of the horn, nothing about the location of the relay.

I'm planning on installing a Sound Bomb anyway, but I doubt that the OEM horn is the problem.

Can anyone tell me where the horn relay is located on a 2016 R1200 RT?

 

[TRJeff]

overload to canbus explains reset after shut down. Horn may be bad, but I would also check connection to horn make sure tight and clean.

 

[52184]

overload to canbus explains reset after shut down. Horn may be bad, but I would also check connection to horn make sure tight and clean.

Yes, and the best reason yet for wiring aftermarket horns direct to the battery, through a relay controlled by the OEM horn circuit. You get a louder horn and no CanBus cutout.

Best,
DeVern

 

[RANBUSH]

Thanks for the replies, Gents.

 

[BC1100S]

If you have to honk your horn for longer than 3 seconds.....

 

[pglaves]

If you have to honk your horn for longer than 3 seconds.....

Have you ever come upon a herd of cows in the road?

 

[52184]

If you have to honk your horn for longer than 3 seconds.....

…encouraging a Canadian moose to leave the roadway…


Best,
DeVern

 

[BC1100S]

Okay, you've got me there on both counts.

 

[RANBUSH]

Okay, you've got me there on both counts.

And I will add that cows and moose are a LOT smarter and attentive than most California cage drivers!

 

[kbasa]

Another discovery on the new-to-me 2016 R1200 RT. Yesterday a driver runs a red light in front of me (very common in the San Fran Bay area these days) and I give her a loud blast on the horn, and the horn dies after about three seconds. Didn't work again until I turned the motor off and back on again.

The horn doesn't short out if I just beep-beep-beep but a long beeeeeeeep kills it. I'm assuming it's the horn relay, but the schematic in the Haynes manual doesn't show the horn relay, and the text section about the horn just shows removal of the horn, nothing about the location of the relay.

I'm planning on installing a Sound Bomb anyway, but I doubt that the OEM horn is the problem.

Can anyone tell me where the horn relay is located on a 2016 R1200 RT?

I know yours is a lot newer than mine, but I had similar problems on my 05 RT and it turned out there was a recall for it.

 

[easy]

Have you ever come upon a herd of cows in the road?

Spoken like a true Texan. Be careful how you honk at the bulls.


E.

 

[BC1100S]

Spoken like a true Texan. Be careful how you honk at the bulls.


E.

In the inimitable words of a cowboy in the movie Red River (which I just watched after being accused of being like John Wayne in that movie)....."Stampede!!"

 

[52184]

I once tried using the horn—a loud one—to convince a Jellystone bison to exit the roadway, at a distance of 70 meters or so. His reaction—holding his ground while head-tossing and pawing the asphalt—convinced me I needed more distance between us and more time to let him decide to mosey on. The scenery was beautiful while I waited…

Best,
DeVern

 

[RANBUSH]

... convince a Jellystone bison to exit the roadway ... His reaction—holding his ground while head-tossing and pawing the asphalt

Yeah, good call, Sir. Could've gone real ugly for you, real quick.

 

[RANBUSH]

> Can anyone tell me where the horn relay is located on a 2016 R1200 RT?
> ... a relay controlled by the OEM horn circuit.

Thanks again, still hoping for some info on where the horn relay is located, or info on which connector is the OEM horn circuit that DeVern mentioned.

 

[mikegalbicka]

Does the cutout only occur when the horn is activated for more than three seconds? If so then you know it is not hardware in the circuit but rather the controller doing its job. If you decide to change the hardware as suggested hooked direct to the battery then you will need a new relay for the new circuit you create I believe. In that case you would probably want to trigger that relay with a non CanBus controlled power source.

 

[52184]

> Can anyone tell me where the horn relay is located on a 2016 R1200 RT?
> ... a relay controlled by the OEM horn circuit.

Thanks again, still hoping for some info on where the horn relay is located, or info on which connector is the OEM horn circuit that DeVern mentioned.

Ran,

Most folks just disconnect the power wire from the old horn and connect it to the trigger input of an off-the-shelf 4-pole automotive relay, available at any auto parts store, and use that to trigger the relay to feed 12v direct from the battery to the auxiliary horn. Refer to the diagram below.

And yes, it means you have two relays in the circuit (OEM and the add-on one), but also means no digging into the OEM harness or fuse box and a setup that is easily and completely reverted back to OEM at a future date.



Be sure to use a fuse on the lead you run from battery to the new relay.

Best,
DeVern

 

[Omega Man]

Ran,

Most folks just disconnect the power wire from the old horn and connect it to the trigger input of an off-the-shelf 4-pole automotive relay, available at any auto parts store, and use that to trigger the relay to feed 12v direct from the battery to the auxiliary horn. Refer to the diagram below.

And yes, it means you have two relays in the circuit (OEM and the add-on one), but also means no digging into the OEM harness or fuse box and a setup that is easily and completely reverted back to OEM at a future date.

View attachment 92972

Be sure to use a fuse on the lead you run from battery to the new relay.

Best,
DeVern

Always great when a member posts up a clear diagram of how a relay needs to be wired.

OM

 

[kbasa]

Always great when a member posts up a clear diagram of how a relay needs to be wired.

OM

I've purchased a few and there's always a little diagram printed on the back of the blister pack's card.

 

[Omega Man]

I've purchased a few and there's always a little diagram printed on the back of the blister pack's card.

It’s still great to see it well described.

OM